Spring is just around the corner, so I’m back with another bucket list!
In 2024, Spring begins on March 19th – that’s next week! Even though we haven’t had a particularly harsh winter where I live this year, I’m still beyond ready to move into Spring. With Spring comes more sunshine, leaves returning to the trees, and more blessed opportunities to get the kids out of the dang house. I am far from “activity mom,” but I really can’t wait to get the kids out and about again. It’s better for everyone when we have things to do to jazz up the days and get out of the basement.
Although it’s exciting to think about getting out and doing things as the weather turns, I sometimes find it difficult to break out of the rut and routine of moving from basement to playroom and back. But I do work well from a list.
Grab your sunscreen and your Claritin, people. It’s time to start tackling a Spring Bucket List.
Realistic Spring Bucket List
1. Plant flowers
There is just something about colorful flowers that brightens my mood! The daffodils are just starting to pop up in my neighborhood, and I absolutely love it. They’re so cheery, I can’t help but smile when I see them. I do not have my life together enough to plant bulbs for early spring flowers like daffodils or tulips in the Fall, so my property is still pretty desolate.
I can, however, drive myself and my 4-year-old over to the local nursery and pick out some orange annuals to fill the planters that live on my front porch. Yes, they’re always orange, my son’s favorite color. Take your kid to the nursery and let him or her have a ball picking out his or her favorite flowers (or pick out your own favorite flowers). While you’re there, stock up on potting soil and make sure you have gardening gloves, a spade, and pots or planters. When you get home, make sure no one has on nice clothes, and get to planting! Just make sure you plan this activity for bath night – everyone will need a good soak to get the dirt out of all the crevices.
2. Jump in the puddles
One of the hallmarks of Spring is the rain. April showers bring May flowers, after all. Don’t let a little rain keep you cooped up in your basement, though. Unless it’s actively storming (in which case please remain indoors), grab your rain boots and rain jackets and head out to jump in the puddles!
The idea of playing in the rain and jumping in puddles with your kids sounds so fun, and it can be! But set realistic expectations for this activity. Everyone has a wet threshold, and after it’s been crossed, a hot shower and dry clothes are a necessity. Immediately. There’s no telling which of your family members will have the lowest wet threshold. It could be your toddler after she falls on her bum in a puddle. It could be your preschooler whose socks have gotten damp. It could be you with your hair sticking to your eyeballs. Watch for warning signs of impending meltdowns and be ready to cut your losses and escape into the comfort of the indoors.
3. Visit the Easter Bunny
If you celebrate Easter, it’s always a good idea to schedule a visit with the Easter Bunny. He’s likely stopping by your local mall, and he may even put in special appearances at other places around your town. Think the zoo, the museum, the Lions Club. He may even bring breakfast with him if you’re lucky.
Some kids at some ages absolutely love their visits with the Easter Bunny and seeing him in “the flesh” will really get them excited for an Easter morning egg hunt. Other kids are deathly afraid of the giant used to be white bunny who stands on two legs. Unfortunately, you won’t really know which of these kids is yours until it’s your turn to go say hello. If you have the former, you’ll get great, smiling pictures to send to the grandparents. If you have the latter, you’ll still get great pictures, but they’ll be the kind you keep in a drawer and pull out when you need a laugh on the really rough parenting days.
4. Dye Easter eggs
Sticking with the Easter theme for another minute, it’s such a quintessential Spring activity to dye eggs with your kids. There are so many options for dyeing eggs these days, so you can really customize this activity to what works best for your family. I stick to the classic PAS kit in the cardboard box, but there are special egg coloring markers and stickers available, as well as advanced techniques like the shaving cream method or silk tie dyeing. If you go with PAS, get solo cups, enough spoons for each color to avoid dye transfer, and brace yourself for the mess that may come.
If the weather cooperates, this is a great activity to do outside. Why risk the mess all over your kitchen counters or dining room table if you can set up on the porch and hose it all down when the eggs are dyed?
5. Play outside
Escape your basements and get those kids outside! There are so many options for outdoor Spring activities you can do with your kids when the weather is warming up but not yet hotter than the surface of the sun. Some of my favorite things to do with the kids outside are:
Go to the playground
Play in the sandbox
Draw with sidewalk chalk
Ride bikes/scooters
Blow bubbles
Play a sport (basketball, street hockey, golf, etc.)
Your options for playing outside in the Spring are endless. So are the opportunities for your kids to get hurt, though, so be prepared with bandaids and Dermoplast.
6. Go to a farmer’s market
There is something so quaint about going to a farmer’s market and sourcing your produce from the people who grow it. In this age of the superstore, it’s easy to lose sight of where our food comes from. The farmer’s market is a good chance to remember yourself and to teach your kids. It’s also a great way to support local small businesses and try new things.
My kids love to go to the farmer’s market. My 4-year-old gets legitimately sad when the weather gets cold and the farmer’s market closes up shop for the year. We love to grab a snack, walk around, and browse the available fruits and vegetables. You might even be surprised by your kid asking to try the asparagus that he picked out at the market. Any tactic that could possibly get my kids to eat more veggies is worth a try in my book!
7. Take a trip to the zoo
Kids love the zoo, and many adults do too. My favorite time to go to the zoo is the Spring, when it’s not too hot yet to keep the animals inside in their air-conditioned enclosures. You’ll likely see a lot more animals if you go in the Spring right when the zoo opens. And you’ll probably experience lower crowds too!
When I take my kids to the zoo, I always take tons of snacks to distract them from all the walking with the hope of limiting the whining. I also bring a stroller to push around empty because my toddler will refuse to ride in it, and make the whine threat intensify.
8. Pick strawberries
Juicy red strawberries plucked straight from the plant just hit differently. I enjoy picking my own [insert whatever fruit is in season], but strawberries have a special place in my heart. Maybe because they’re usually the first fruit that’s available to pick in the Spring, and the novelty of picking delicious fresh fruit hasn’t yet worn off.
I’m not sure what it is, but I love to go pick strawberries. And so does my husband. When we first started dating, we had a day date to pick strawberries and he was like a kid in a [nature’s] candy store. He totally loses the adult in him when he’s picking strawberries, and I love to watch that because he has very adult responsibilities in his day job. I also hate that, because it means I’m chasing after three kids instead of two, but I let him have his fun.
One big tip if you’re going to take your family strawberry picking (with or without kids): bring towels! Super fresh strawberries are super juicy. You can’t go strawberry picking without eating your fair share while you’re out in the field, and that gets very messy very quickly. If everyone gets a towel, you’ll avoid an incredibly sticky situation.
What else is on your Spring Bucket List? I’d love to add some more things to our list – the more reasons to get the kids out of the house, the better!