Whether you're full of the joys of spring or slightly overwhelmed by the logistics of exploring the outdoors with a toddler in tow, our guide to nature activities is packed with ideas, inspiration and practical tips from around the web for easy things to do with your little ones in spring!
1. Go on a wild walk and hunt for signs of spring...
Venture outdoors with your child to see what hints of spring you can spot in your local area (we all need a bit of reassurance that it's definitely on its way!).
Look for signs of new life: birds in the trees, new flowers at the park and so on. Encourage your child to use all their senses, and talk about what you're seeing, hearing or smelling together.
Bring a bag to collect 'very important' twigs, leaves, feathers and so on, or even a camera to take close-ups of what you see.
If you're feeling especially imaginative, you could even pretend to be Peter Rabbit, Lily and Benjamin exploring the woods - but watch out for Mr MacGregor!
Tools and tips:
- Top tips for adding focus to your walk or outdoor play.
- Print out a spot sheet so that little ones can tick off what they see - choose a sheet for in the park, bugs and birds, or customise your own to suit your walk.
- If you're unsure what to look out for, this nature calendar tells you what's happening in the natural world in each season.
- Explore Peter Rabbit's world - can your little one find a similar tree near you that could be Peter's burrow?
- Find nature activities near you with BBC Things to Do.
Have a colour walk and ask children to look for items of a certain colour or type. A painted eggbox (one compartment for each colour or type of object) makes a great collecting box or display case, and it might just stop your windowsills resembling a compost heap!
- Our online wildlife scrapbook is the perfect way to record their finds - guaranteed mess-free!
- Jess's top tips for getting creative with nature.
- Make a colour-coded collecting box for a colour walk.
There's nothing like having your very own den (though us grown-ups have to make do with a shed, garage or, if we're really lucky, a locked bathroom door these days!) - but building camps and cubbyholes indoors or out can be an architectural challenge for parents.
- Make a natural mini den for your child's toys to play in.
- Outdoor den-building tips from the National Trust Kids Council.
- Den-building tips from the cast and crew of Three Little Pigs
Follow in the immortal footsteps of the game’s creator, Winnie-the-Pooh, and of course our very own Katie Morag (plus Mrs McColl and Grannie Island!) with a game of Pooh Sticks. You will need a stick for each player, a stream and a footbridge. The object is to be the player whose stick emerges first from under the bridge.
Any additional rules or stick customisation techniques are completely up to you – tell us about your own version of the game on our Facebook or Twitter pages!
Tools and tips:
- More games to play with sticks from the Woodland Trust.
5. Have your own minibeast adventure...
They might be creepy crawlies or garden pests to you, but your little one will be fascinated by the creatures that live in your own back yard.
Lift a stone or look under a log to see what minibeasts you can find – you don’t need to cover lots of ground, try looking closely at one small area. Show your child how to use a magnifying glass, and ask questions to get them thinking about the creatures you see – can they see its eyes? How many legs does it have? How do you think it eats?
Tools and tips:
The arrival of Spring is a great excuse to visit your local city farm or pets area and introduce your tiddler to freshly-minted chicks or fluffy lambs, feed the ducklings in the park, or even turn your back garden into a welcoming wild diner…
Tools and tips:
7. Eat outdoors...
It might not quite be barbecue weather just yet, but spring can still be a great opportunity to initiate your little one into the joys of al fresco eating. Outdoor eating has the enormous benefit of making spills less of an issue, and small children will often be more willing to try out new foods if they’re eating outside, when fresh air and running around has worked up an appetite. Try taking a mini picnic or snack to the garden or park.
Tools and tips:
- Advice on introducing your child to new foods.
- Picnic ideas for kids from BBC Food: Easy dips, stuffed paratha and cheese and vegetable frittata.
- Picnic recipes and tips from Netmums.
- Top tips and advice for making a picnic with a toddler a healthy and fun affair
8. Get set and grow something...
Whether it’s cress heads in a yoghurt pot, a windowbox full of herbs, their own plot in the garden or helping Granddad on the allotment, children love to grow things, and it can be a wonderful way to learn about caring and nurturing. Have you got sunflowers on the go this year, or are your LOs trying to grown their own food? Here’s how to survive gardening with kids…
Tools and tips:
- Gardening basics (what you need to know if you're not green-fingered yourself).
