Spring Outings for Children
Fun Springtime Places to Go With Kids
As the weather warms up, outdoor attractions offer weekend fun for families
It's been a long winter of coats and mittens, indoor museums and winter outings for your children. As spring makes its annual entrance, celebrate by taking in some seasonal sights. Spring outings for children help them appreciate nature's new birth and get them back to the outdoors.
Plan some outings for your children during their spring break from school. Include in their spring vacation some nature walks, hikes and outdoor lessons in the change of seasons.
Bird Watching for Kids
Bird watching can be exciting, even for very young children. Observing birds as they look for food, build nests and care for their young is a good lesson in wildlife.
Birdwatching.com has a page on bird watching tips for kids. Get your child a pair of binoculars and look for different kinds of birds. You don’t have to go far; your own backyard probably has some varieties of birds that will be busy this spring.
Take a Back Yard Bird Walk by Jane Kirkland [Stillwater Publishing, 2001], or other kids’ bird watching guides with photos will allow your children to look up and identify the birds they see.
Visiting Arboretums and Public Gardens With Kids
Many botanical gardens and arboretums have children’s gardens with fun and educational activities for kids. Show your children that plants and flowers can be interesting and exciting, especially in spring when plants, shrubs and trees are coming into bloom.
Ask about interactive programs and hands-on activities for kids. A visit to an arboretum or garden is a lesson in environmental science for any age child.
Signs of Spring Walks
Your local park and recreation department may have a signs-of-spring walk, tour or scavenger hunt. If not, plan one yourself for your children and their friends. Make a list of signs of spring and give one to each child to find and check off as they see them.
Look for birds and birds' nests, crocuses or other early blooming bulb flowers, greener grass, bugs, flower buds on trees, a new lighter coat on deer, and active squirrels and other forest friends. Even evergreen trees and shrubs will have new growth start to show in spring.
Do a "bug watch" with your children. Find an ant hill and sprinkle some sugar nearby. Watch the organized way in which the ants find the sugar and take it into their home.
Zoos
The zoo is a great place to venture after a long winter of indoor museums. Most zoos have children’s programs, demonstrations, speakers, hands-on activities and walk-along guides that fit their interests.
Some zoos have programs on baby animals and butterflies that are educational and fun spring activities for kids.
Consult your local or regional tourism board for more ideas on spring outings for children.
