58 Things to Do With Your Kids This Spring

Even if you love winter, the arrival of spring is cause for celebration. The days are longer, the snow is melting, and the temperatures are rising, unlocking a whole new list of fun spring activities.

But somehow, while we've spend the gloomier winter days dreaming of being able to take advantage of spring, when the actual season arrives and our kids start asking what they can do (or, worse, saying they're bored), we can find our heads empty of spring kid activities. Where did all our plans go?

That's why we put together this uber list of spring activities. We've got outdoor spring activities, indoor spring activities, rainy day spring activities, spring crafts, and more. There are spring activities for preschoolers or for younger or older kids, too; activities for super-active kids and more mellow options for those lazier spring days; activities that'll keep your kids occupied on their own for hours (really!) and ones the entire family can enjoy together. In short, there's everything you need to have an entire season of fun.

So get your play clothes ready, and start scrolling through. Don't worry: if you run out months to get to these spring activities, you can keep the fun going into the summer.

— Additional reporting by Mirel Zaman

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Outdoor Spring Activities For Kids at Home
Pexels | Chevanon Photography

Outdoor Spring Activities For Kids at Home

  1. Look for four-leaf clovers.
  2. Teach your kids a new sport, or practice their favorite with them.
  3. Fly a kite. If you're feeling extra ambitious, you can build a DIY kite first, then try to fly it — but a store-bought one works fine, too.
  4. Host a sidewalk chalk art show.
  5. Lie on your backs and check out the clouds.
  6. Go on a walk around the neighborhood. If your kids are lukewarm on this idea, suggest going on a color walk (where you try to spot items that represent each color of the rainbow) or an alphabet walk (where you pick out items that represent each letter of the alphabet).
  7. Blow some bubbles.
  8. Host a super-sudsy car wash. Bonus: its a chance to get some of that sticky spring pollen buildup off your car.
  9. Dine al fresco. This works for any meal of the day — or all of them.
  10. Try "water toy painting." Change your kids into their play clothes, fill water squirters with watered-down liquid watercolor or other washable paints, bring them and a large poster board or old sheet outside, and let them spray the colors at the canvas, creating a Jackson Pollock-like masterpiece.
  11. Go stargazing.
  12. Pitch a tent in the backyard, and sleep under the stars. Or just use the tent as a temporary playhouse, and head back inside for bedtime — it's a fun activity either way.
  13. Play frisbee.
  14. Pick weeds. There are always plenty in the spring. This can be surprisingly fun, and gives your garden or lawn an uplift, too.
  15. Go rollerblading.
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Outdoor Spring Activities For Kids Away From Home
Unsplash | Olivia Bauso

Outdoor Spring Activities For Kids Away From Home

  1. Go to an adventure park.
  2. Visit a farm. Your kids will get to visit with all of the animals, and you'll have a chance to pick up farm-fresh eggs, milk, or produce.
  3. Pick some berries. You can head to a pick-your-own farm, or, if you know of any wild bushes in your town, check out those instead. (Of course, make sure you know what berries are edible and what's potentially poisonous!)
  4. Visit a new-to-you park or playground.
  5. Clean up your town. Grab some gloves, grabber tools, and garbage bags and head to a public park or beach to do some Good Samaritan work. Just watch your kids closely to make sure they don't try to pick up anything dangerous.
  6. Go fishing.
  7. Go for a nature walk.
  8. Go to a baseball or other professional (or semiprofessional) sports game.
  9. Go for a family bike ride. You can stick to your neighborhood for this one, or check out local trails.
  10. Catch fireflies. If you're lucky enough to see lightning bugs in your backyard, you can stick close to home. Otherwise, head to a public park with some mason jars and let your kids run after the magical bugs (but be sure to release them right away, of course.)
  11. See the cherry blossoms. It's the perfect time of year for the beautiful blossoms. Google "where to see cherry blossoms near me" and head out. If there are none in your area, check out a nearby botanical garden instead to catch spring blooms.
  12. Go for a hike.
  13. Go on a family adventure race. These family-friendly "races" have popped up everywhere in recent years, and they're so fun. Google options near you. There might be an obstacle course race, a color walk/run, or a costume walk/run your kids will love.
  14. Take an aimless drive. Find a scenic route, roll the windows down, cue up your kids' favorite tunes, and have a springy sing-along drive. Consider having a few spots in mind where you can pull over for pictures or an ice cream pit stop.
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Outdoor Spring Activities For Kids For Rainy Days
Unsplash | Daiga Ellaby

Outdoor Spring Activities For Kids For Rainy Days

  1. Splash in puddles.
  2. Make "rain art." Have your kids draw on paper with water-soluble paints or markers, then put the papers outside to watch the colors bleed.
  3. Sing in the rain.
  4. Go mud sliding. This isn't for the faint of heart. But if you've had a lot of rain this season and it's not too cold, change your kids into their play clothes and let them slip and slide in the mud. Just hose them off before they come inside again.
  5. Bake a mud pie.
  6. Do some "science" experiments. Have your kids put a measuring cup outside to measure how much rainfall you're getting. They can check on them every hour and note the changes.
  7. Try wet chalk drawing. As long as it's not too cold, let them take their sidewalk chalks to the wet sidewalks.
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Indoor Spring Activities For Kids
Pexels | cottonbro studio

Indoor Spring Activities For Kids

  1. Make paper airplanes.
  2. Tap into their scientific curiosity. This experiment, for instance, teaches kids how it rains — perfect when they're cooped up indoors because of lousy weather.
  3. Feel the rainbow. This colorful sensory activity, which uses rainbow-colored soap bubbles, will keep kids occupied for an hour or more.
  4. Put on a parade. Let your kids dress up and use construction paper to make signs, then have them put on a parade through the house. Be sure to clap!
  5. Build a birdhouse. Use this tutorial for a cardboard option, or stock up on supplies to make a pine cone bird feeder.
  6. Start a pillow fight.
  7. Grow your own celery. Little gardening projects like this one can be fascinating for kids — and they love to check on their progress every day.
  8. Make their own wind chimes. Here's a list of 20 DIY ones.
  9. Let them eat dirt. Every family has their own recipe, but the basic ingredients are: crumbled cookies, chocolate pudding, and gummy worms. Mix and enjoy.
  10. Make something fresh from the farmer's market. Use berries to make jam, nuts to make nut butter, or honey and carrots to make a loaf cake.
  11. Make DIY slime. We've got a recipe for you.
  12. Decorate your windows. Let your kids cut out construction paper shapes and letters, then take them up to your windows to offer sweet messages to passersby.


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Indoor or Outdoor Spring Activities For Kids
Pexels | Andy Kuzma

Indoor or Outdoor Spring Activities For Kids

This list can go either way!

  1. Read a spring book.
  2. Have a picnic. In your backyard or on the floor in the living room — both are a fun way to switch it up.
  3. Start a garden.
  4. Send them on a scavenger hunt.
  5. Play hopscotch.
  6. Have a catch. If you're doing this one indoors, you'll want to throw something soft — balled-up socks instead of a tennis ball, for instance.
  7. Dye some eggs. To do this indoors, you'll want to make sure you're using washable food coloring and paper your counter or table well.
  8. Play freeze tag.
  9. Eat your first s'more of the year. If you can't get outside, you can roast marshmallows in the oven. Just line a baking sheet with parchment paper, arrange some graham crackers, balance one or two marshmallows on top, then broil for two minutes until golden brown (watch them closely!).
  10. Snap some pics. Great for budding photographers.