Soar into Spring!

It’s finally here—time to ditch those winter coats and celebrate the arrival of spring! Your family can find plenty of activities to do this spring, no matter whether the weather is warm and sunny or cool and rainy. Check out these ideas:

• Fly a kite. Spring is known for its windy days, perfect for flying a kite. You can find many colorful designs and interesting shapes in stores, or your family can make their own. (Google it for lots of simple designs!) Locate a place without trees or power lines and have fun!
• Make a bird feeder. Your feathered friends will love this simple treat: Spread a layer of peanut butter on a bagel, then roll it in birdseed, popcorn or sunflower seeds. String yarn through the hole in the bagel, hang it from a tree in your yard and watch birds enjoy their feast!
• Keep a weather chart. Spring weather can be wacky—snow flurries one day, sunny and 70 the next, with thunderstorms in between! Have the kids keep a weather chart for a week or so, tracking the temperature, clouds and precipitation. Little ones can draw pictures, while older kids can make it a diary form. Weather.gov has a kids’ section with fun weather info and activities.
• Make a Picasso. Use sidewalk chalk to turn your driveway or sidewalk into a giant work of art. Decide on a theme and have everyone in the family contribute to the picture. Be sure to take a photo of the completed masterpiece!
• Reduce, reuse, recycle. Earth Day is April 22, but why make just one day of the year about the environment? Sit down with your family and make plans on ways you can help protect the earth. Some ideas include picking up trash at a park, buying locally-grown produce and recycling more at home.
• Donate to charity. Take advantage of those rainy days and have the family go through their closets and drawers to find items they have outgrown or don’t want anymore. Donate those items to a charity. You will minimize your stuff and feel good in the process!
• Make your own rain. Have your kids ever asked, “How does it rain?” You can demonstrate with an experiment. Boil some water and pour a few inches in a glass jar. Place a paper plate over the jar for several minutes, then put some ice cubes on top of the plate. Soon the condensation that forms on the bottom of the plate will drip back into the jar, creating rain.
• Train for a 5k. Many of us get into a slothful pattern during the winter, but now is the time to kick that habit! From now until fall, you can find a local 5k race nearly every weekend. Select one in which the whole family would like to participate and start working toward the goal of completing the race. You don’t have to run; walking is just fine!
• Paint some rocks. You can find lots of interesting rocks at parks and in your own yard. Find some for the family to paint and use them to decorate your garden, flower bed or porch.
• Play in the rain. We tend to hole up inside the house on rainy days, so the kids will love splashing in the rain! Slip on some boots, grab a jacket and go jump in some puddles!
• Go for a bike ride. Pedaling down a bike path with your family works those leg muscles and puts you in a great mood. Go to MARC.org for a map of local bike trails or explore new parts of your own neighborhood.
• Have a scavenger hunt. The kids will enjoy hunting for items in the backyard or at a local park. Some ideas for the checklist: something green, a flower, a bug and something with four legs.
• Make mud pies. Give the kids some paper bowls and let them make their own muddy creations.
• Go stargazing. On a clear evening, look upwards and see if you can find any constellations or planets. NASA.gov, along with many apps, can help in your search.
• Attend a baseball game. America’s pastime kicks off in the spring, so make plans to attend a game, whether it’s a high school team, the Royals or the T-Bones!

Tisha Foley and her family love riding bikes, hanging out in the backyard and planting flowers in the spring.