42 Family Activities for Spring

Signs of spring are everywhere: more daylight hours, mud replacing ice and snow, the temperatures ticking up. This is the time of year that many families are restless to get outside, explore our beautiful area, and burn off some energy.

Here are 42 family activities to do this season. Happy spring!

1. Plant a garden. Do some research to discover what might grow best in your yard, identify a local shop to pick up some seeds or seedlings, grab a shovel, and dig in.
2. Have a picnic. Outdoor picnics can be a fun way to share a family meal — breakfast, lunch, snack, or dinner.
3. Ride a bike. Find some new trails, visit a bike path, or explore a new town.
4. Paddle down a river. There are many places in the area to kayak or canoe.
5. Walk around Walden Pond. Spring is a great time to explore the nature sanctuary and look for wildlife.
6. Welcome the birds back with a homemade bird feeder!
7. Climb a hill just before sunset and enjoy the view from the top.
8. Stargaze. Set up a tent in the backyard or go outside on a clear night. Take a flashlight, look up and enjoy the wonders of the sky.
9. Camp outside. It might be a little cool, but bundle up and enjoy the fresh smells and distinct sounds (like birds!) of spring.
10. Run or walk for a good cause. We'd love to see you at the Emerson 5k Run~Walk for Cancer Care! The virtual event will be held May 1-6 and the in-person event is May 6. Everyone who registers receives a race t-shirt!
11. Beautify your neighborhood with sidewalk chalk. Draw pictures, write poems, or inspirational quotes — the sidewalk is your canvas. Enjoy it!
12. Paint your windows using window or whiteboard markers. Bring the sunshine indoors by decorating the windows with spring scenes. Do a test first to make sure the markers wipe off easily.
13. Grateful for someone? Write them a card or send them a picture in the mail. They will love to hear from you!
14. Start a tea party or tea tradition. Choose a time that works best for your family, set the kettle on the stove, pour some tea (decaf for the youngest!), serve pastries and fruit, and enjoy time together.
15. Discover creative ways to celebrate the holidays. Spring is filled with reasons to celebrate! Earth Day is a great reason to get outside, as well as Mother's Day and Memorial Day. You can also learn about spring holidays such as Easter, Passover, Ramadan, and Cinco de Mayo to teach children about different cultures.
16. Volunteer or donate. After the snow melts it is a perfect time to pick up trash in parks and along sidewalks or trails. Offer to help a neighbor get their yard ready for spring. Start a food drive by collecting food donations from neighbors for your local food pantry. Contact the pantry in advance to find out if they need specific items. Look for ways to help resettle refugees from Afghanistan, Ukraine, and other countries — you can check with local aid or religious organizations, for starters.
17. Take photos outside. Once we can shed the hats, gloves, and bulky coats, don your nice sweater, head outside, and take some family photos — either informally for fun or with a professional photographer.
18. Wash a car on a warm spring day. This provides a good, fun opportunity to teach children about the basics of your vehicle.
19. Tend to your yard. Pick up fallen sticks and plant grass seed to fill in the bare spots on your lawn. It may also be the right time to trim trees, shrubs, and perennials of dead tree limbs or leaves. Check with your local garden center or an online resource if you have questions about proper plant care.
20. Play ball. Shoot some hoops, play catch, or kick around a soccer ball with your family. Have fun outside without the structure of an organized practice or game.
21. Go geocaching. You never know what you will find!
22. Create an obstacle course kids can walk, run, skip, or bike through. Coordinate with some neighbors and make it a neighborhood course!
23. Walk your dog or borrow a friend’s. Find the most dog-friendly areas of your town and have some fun.
24. Create a scavenger hunt. Hide clues outdoors and see who can find them all.
25. Spring clean your kitchen cabinets. Remove expired foods, wipe down, and organize the drawers.
26. Go on a hunt to find the best _____ within 10 miles (insert name of food such as “pizza” or “ice cream”). This activity might take you to different towns to explore.
27. Create a stick library for neighborhood dogs. Check out what this creative 10-year old did.
28. Play in the mud — literally. Pick a warm day, dress in clothes you can get filthy, and explore the earth. Buckets and beach toys add to the fun!
29. Journal or color outside. Take a notebook or coloring books, writing, drawing, or painting tools, and a blanket to sit on, and spend time creating.
30. Set a family exercise goal. Discuss ways to get fit this spring — maybe it is walking or running two miles each day or having a dance party on your front lawn every afternoon through spring. Whatever it is, come up with a goal and stick to the plan. Celebrate when you meet the goal!
31. Set out chairs — and meet your neighbors. You might make a new friend, and maybe you will see some cute neighborhood dogs, too.
32. Make iced tea and lemonade. Few things compare to homemade iced tea and lemonade.
33. Take up a new hobby. Explore photography, learn a new language, practice juggling, read non-fiction...the sky is the limit.
34. Speaking of the sky, paint the sky! Go outside at dusk with some paper and paints, look up, and paint the sky. Save your paintings as a lasting memory.
35. Clean out the garage, and use the toys you find, after you clean up! Hula hoops, an old soccer ball, bits of chalk, a skateboard, who knows what fun is hiding in the garage?!
36. Re-arrange your furniture. A fresh perspective can be refreshing. Put family room chairs in the kitchen, re-angle the kitchen table, switch couches around. You get the idea.
37. Thank a teacher. May 8 starts Teacher Appreciation Week. Send a note to your favorite teacher. They will cherish it.
38. Visit the library. Discover new books, stories, and other treasurers at your local library. Many libraries offer free special events for children of all ages.
39. Thank a nurse! National Nurses Week is May 6-12.
40. Visit a national park, nearby! Minute Man National Historical Park offers a plethora of ways to learn about history and life during the Revolution. Check out www.nps.gov/mima before you visit for special programs and events.
41. Visit a local farm, pick out some fresh produce and make a meal that celebrates the spring season.
42. Find Ponyhenge, or another obscure place! Ponyhenge is in Lincoln, Mass., and is one of the few outdoor collections of rocking horses in the world. It is a unique place for families to explore and let your imaginations run free. It also provides some interesting photo opportunities!

Please drop us a note and let us know how you are celebrating spring! You can send it to pr@emersonhosp.org or tag @EmersonHealth on Facebook and Instagram.

Related Content

• 6 Amazing Benefits of Gardening
• 5 Ways to Boost Your Family’s Well-Being
• Ticks 101: Preventing Lyme Disease
• Summer Fun: Tips for Families to Have a Healthy, Active Season