12 Mom-Approved Ways to Welcome Spring

Spring is officially here, so get outside and enjoy the season with kids in tow. Whether winter is still lingering in your area, or the butterflies and hummingbirds are already out, I’m sure you’re ready to embrace the sunshine and warmer days ahead. Here are 12 mom-approved ways to welcome spring with your children – and most of them are free!

Go bug hunting or butterfly catching – dust off that bug cage or butterfly net (or pick up a new one as a gift for Easter as the perfect alternative to candy!) and head to the backyard or local park to see what critters are out.

Play ball! Grab a baseball glove and ball and play catch or gather some friends for a casual game of soccer.

Watch the birds. Spring is the perfect time to teach your children about the different species of birds and watch them migrate home. Pick up a book for your area or visit a local bird watching club if you haven’t a clue about your feathered friends.

Have a garage sale. It’s the perfect time to spring clean your closets and put the kids to work in a fun way! Proceeds from their efforts can go to your vacation fund or charity of their choice, with maybe a little spending money left over. ;)

Stop in at a farm or petting zoo. If the timing is right, you may even get to see some baby animals.

Take a hike on a nearby nature trail. Pack a picnic lunch, stop to feed the chipmunks and birds along the way, and wonder at all the new growth in the forest.

Hit the beach. It doesn’t need to be hot out to play in the sand at a local lake or Oceanside park. Collect rocks and sea glass, make sandcastles and fish for minnows.

Visit a farmers’ market to shop for seasonal veggies, fresh-baked goodies and artisan crafts.

Set-up some bike jumps on your driveway or help your kids make an obstacle course with scraps of wood, old crates and whatever you can find.

Get the garden ready. It’s the perfect time to uncover your beds and shrubs, plant some bulbs and clean up the yard. Enlist the help of young ones who love to dig and get their hands dirty.

Throw an Easter party complete with kid-friendly menu, crafts and Easter egg hunt. Have older children hide homemade and plastic eggs outdoors while younger children craft inside. Check out our Easter board on pinterest for great Easter ideas.

Make your own hummingbird feeder. Search YouTube for easy, DIY projects using pop bottles and things you can find around your home. Some of our favourites can be found on Pinterest Kid Stuff board.

For homemade hummingbird Nectar, use a  1:4 mixture: 1 cup sugar to 4 cups water. Bring the water to a rolling boil, add sugar and stir with wooden spoon. Cool and serve. It can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
Note: Only use plain white granulated sugar. Don’t use brown sugar, agave nectar, honey–which can kill hummers–or powdered sugar, which contains cornstarch.–Don’t add any food colouring to the water. The feeder has plenty of colour to attract them, and the birds can’t process all the chemicals in the food colouring.

By Kristen Wint