Are you tired of being stuck inside? Are you ready for spring? You are not alone! It is exciting to have warmer weather right around the corner. Children may be tired of being inside and parents are running out of ideas and activities for their children to do indoors.
Here are a couple of fun and easy things to do on a beautiful spring day.
Nature Collection
Pick a nice sunny day to go to the park or walk around your neighborhood to do a nature collection. Before you leave the house make sure to grab something to hold your collection. A gallon size Ziploc bag works great. It is a good idea to talk with your child about the activity you are going to do and rules for the walk. Talk about safety and what is okay to be picked up and what is not. For example: “Walking feet, holding hands, look both ways before crossing the street.” Once the ground rules are in place, you are ready to go for your nature collection walk. Allow your child to collect items such as sticks, leaves, rocks, acorns, and flowers. Your child might ask questions. Engage in conversation with them. Curiosity is important! This is also a great time to bond with your child. Allow yourself to let loose and join in on the fun. Use this opportunity to ask questions such as “What is this, what color is this, what shape is this, should I put this in the bag?” Towards the end of the walk, it is a good idea to prepare your child for the transition back to the house to do some other activities.
You will need a piece of paper, marker, and glue for this project. Draw an outline of a butterfly. Work with your child, depending on their age, to put glue within the butterfly. Now, decorate the butterfly with the items collected on your nature walk.
This is a great fine-motor activity involving playdough. Show your child how to make a nest by rolling out the playdough into a long rope-like form. Coil the playdough in a circular shape until it forms a nest. Talk about how birds make their nest. “What materials do birds use? Where to birds build their nests?” Then, your child can place their items collected from the nature walk into their playdough nest.
Take some time each day to look out the window, go outside, and talk about the seasons, weather, and other things you observe. This can be a special bonding time between you and your child, as well as an available learning experience!
