Are you looking for effective, easy-to-implement activities to celebrate the spring? Perhaps you’re a teacher looking for spring activities to keep your EYFS or KS1 class happy. Or, maybe you’re a busy parent in need of a break this Easter holiday.
Whatever the case may be, there are lots of fantastic spring activities you can try. After all, keeping the little ones entertained doesn’t have to be hard — it’s quite literally child’s play! So, keep your kids engaged this spring with the following activity tips, tricks and ideas.
In this blog, jump to:
Spring activities for EYFS
When it comes to spring activities for kids in EYFS (ages 5 and below), there are lots of great options to keep your little ones entertained.
The following activities require little preparation and are designed to encourage children to be active and explore the great outdoors!
Go on a flower hunt
Flower hunts in early spring are a fantastic way to get your little ones out and about. What’s more, it can also help them to start recognising the different types of flowers!
Ask your child or pupils to point out all of the flowers they can see, encouraging them to look at their colours, size and patterns. Or, if you’re in a group, why not turn your flower hunt into a challenge; whoever can spot the most flower varieties wins!
Make homemade bubbles
Rather than buying shop-bought bubbles, making your own is even more rewarding — plus, it’s a great way to give kids an early glimpse into the world of science.
Simply use a mixture of dish soap, water, and cooking glycerine to create the bubbles. Then, head outdoors and watch your creations take shape!
To add a little more fun to the activity, why not turn it into a game? See who can pop the bubbles the fastest (be sure to wear goggles on sensitive eyes!).
Join the Doodle Spring Challenge
Designed to encourage a few minutes of daily learning, Doodle’s Spring Challenge is the perfect way to boost your child’s confidence and spark their love of learning.
Beginning on the 1st of April, children who use the DoodleMaths and/or DoodleEnglish apps during the spring can earn a free pin badge and certificate to celebrate their hard work!
Spring activities for KS1
Children develop lots of new skills in KS1, making it the perfect time to learn even more about the spring!
Visit a family farm
Visiting a farm with your child or pupils is an excellent activity for all ages. It can teach them all about where their food comes from, and who knows? You may even get to see a newborn lamb or chick if you’re lucky!
Why not bring along a notepad and coloured pencils for your child to carry with them during their trip? Encourage them to sketch or keep a tally of the different types of animals they see!
Try flower pressing
Has your child ever tried flower pressing? It’s the historical practice of preserving flowers, and can also make for great mementoes and decorations to use on hand-made cards!
Help your child to pick out their favourite flowers. You only need the flower heads, although you can try other parts of the flower too. Then, gently flatten out the flowers and press them against a piece of paper between two heavy surfaces.
You can buy specialist flower pressing kits for this if you’d like. Or, a heavy old book should also do the trick if left for long enough.
Create fingerprint paintings
Make up different colours of paints and ask your child or pupils to coat their fingers in paint.
Then, press their finger against the paper to create a part of the bunny’s body, such as an ear. Make sure you’ve got a reference bunny design for your child to follow and take inspiration from.
Repeat this process for all of the parts of the bunny’s body. Don’t forget to also add little eyes, a nose, and whiskers for the final touch. The completed painting will make for a perfect keepsake or gift!
Spring activities for KS2
At this age, children have more dexterity and understand a lot more about the world around them. So, activities for kids in KS2 can be even more varied (and involve a little science!).
Make bird cakes
Create your own bird cakes by mixing together one cup of birdseed and half a pack of lard. Shape the mixture into small spheres around a piece of string. Once you’ve created your cakes, hang them outside in a place where they can easily be seen from indoors.
For a little educational fun, encourage your child to create a tally chart of the different species they spot. You could even ask some questions about their findings, such as:
- How many birds did you spot overall?
- Which species of bird visited us the most?
- As a proportion, how many wrens visited out of the total number of birds?
Grow egg cress heads
Has your child had a chance to grow cress at school yet? Many children first learn about germination during KS2, making it a great time to look at projects exploring the subject.
Take a cleanly opened hard-boiled eggshell and fill it with damp cotton wool or kitchen paper. Then, ask your child or pupils to sprinkle some seeds in the egg and decorate the eggshells with hand-drawn faces.
The eggs will grow a fabulous (regenerating!) head of cressy hair in a few weeks. Not only is it egg-xiting to see the experiment take shape, but your children will also learn a lot from it!
Bake springtime cookies
Baking is always great fun, and making springtime-inspired cookies is a great option.
Choose your child’s favourite cookie recipe: plain, chocolate chip, or even triple chocolate!
Then, help them to follow the recipe to bake delicious, mouthwatering cookies — but don’t tuck in immediately.
Instead, prepare some simple icing in multiple colours, showing your child how to use food colouring to create different shades. Then, help them decorate their cookies with simple spring designs, such as eggs, flowers, birds or rabbits.
Final thoughts
If you’ve been looking to make the most of this springtime, the above spring activities are all great to try — and have been designed to be as fun as possible! Why not give them a go?
Or, for even more fun ideas, why not check out our Easter activities for kids?
And finally, for another way to liven up the spring (and earn free rewards!), don’t forget to join the Doodle Spring Challenge. Find out more about the Challenge.ƒ
