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Homeschooling in spring can feel exciting- the world is waking up around us! Springtime can also feel LONG. We’ve learned a lot already this school year, and a good long break is needed. Looking for a new activity, want to take learning outdoors, or need a few more lessons to round out the year? These 21 springtime sanity savers will help make learning and a loving to learn bloom!
21 Springtime Sanity Savers
Ready for some springtime fun! These activities are full of fun and learning. Choose one each week, or let your kids pick their favorites.
1. Go on a Treasure Hunt
- Give each child a piece of paper and markers. Invite them to draw your backyard and decide where the treasure will be.
- Next, they need treasure. Treasures could be sticks and rocks, flowers, coins, or a special snack.
- Hide the treasure.
- Give the treasure hunter the map and any clues they might need.
2. Take Writing Outside
I have yet to meet a kid who doesn’t like to write outside. I’m sure they are out there, but in my experience, even the most reluctant writer is happier to write under a tree or on a picnic blanket (with snacks). Here are spring prompts to get you inspired.
3. Encourage Observation
My printable imagery activity works great outside.
- Let kids touch, taste, and smell things you know are safe.
- Talk about what is safe and what needs to be observed with ears and eyes. Kids need to know they can’t taste just any plant in the woods, and it’s not okay to pull a bird’s nest full of eggs or babies out of a tree. Teach children to be kind to insects and animals and be by their side until you know they are. Gentle conversations, identification, and talk about cause and effect help keep hands-on observation safe for all.
- Play I SPY but with ears. I Hear . . . Practice careful listening to see what nature sounds like.
- Stop to smell the roses, watch an anthill, touch tree bark, and look for bugs.
- Ask questions and answer questions. The more we allow time for observation, the more our children will see it as meaningful.
- Be curious yourself- it rubs off.
- Don’t force. If a child doesn’t want to hold a worm or touch something sticky, it’s okay. Continue to offer them opportunities, let them know they are safe, and be okay when they aren’t interested. It took my son years to be okay with having dirty hands and to feel comfortable playing in the woods.
4. Go on a Spring Scavenger Hunt
These preschool scavenger hunts by Homeschooling Preschool are awesome!
The Purposeful Nest has really fun scavenger hunts too!
5. Play Backyard Bingo
These Backyard Bingo cards are a fun way to observe and play. See how many things you can find. One of the cards has blank squares so kids can fill in the things they see, or you can fill them in with things found in your area. If you’re working on reading, put in words instead.
The printables are found in my resource directory on Creative ELA. Sign up below, and they’re all yours.
6. Use These Awesome Spring Homeschool Printables
Jessica from The Waldock Way has so many awesome printables and activities. I especially love the lego and geoboards patterns.
7. Learn all About the Science of Pollination
Kristen Moon Science’s lesson about the purpose of a flower is packed full of info and activities!
Kids can also dissect plants with Julie Naturally’s post on the parts of a plant.
8. Got Sticks? Build a Fort!
One of my kids’ all-time favorite activities when they were in elementary school was fort building. A little rope and a lot of sticks made for HOURS of fun!
My kids used things we had around the house, including-
- Tarps
- PVC pipe
- Wood Scraps
- Rope
- Blankets
- Nails and Screws
- Items Found in the Yard- Sticks, Rocks, Leaves, Dead Trees, Live Trees
9. Explore Native Gardening
Julie, with Julie Naturally, has great ideas to help kids learn about the native plants around your home.
10. Create a Nature Study
I love these nature study ideas from Homeschooling in Progress! Christy pretty much plans each topic for you!
11. Get Crafty!
Our favorite springtime crafts- Toad Aboads, Rock Animals, Nature Journals, and MORE!
Mama Teaches has a fun way to make Nature Bracelets!
12. Make Fairy Gardens
Every year since my children were little, we’ve spent the first day of spring making or cleaning up the fairy garden. I’ll continue the tradition when they move out. A fairy garden is fun for all ages.
There is no one way to build a fairy garden. The fairies don’t care if you use rocks and sticks. There is no need to buy expensive fairy furniture unless you want to. We’ve found the best supplies in our craft bin and backyard.
13. Learn about Herbs with Herb Fairies
Speaking of fairies, if you’re looking for a wonderful resource, Learning Herbs Herb Fairies books are magical treasures!
14. Learn about the Science of Spring
Another awesome unit by Kristen Moon Science, kids learn how plants know it’s spring.
15. Explore Ecology
Still some of our favorite picture books, these are wonderful additions to your home library! The post includes activities for each book.
16. Head to Dimwood Forest
Follow Poppy the mouse and her family on their journeys through Dimwood Forest. Meet evil Mr. Ocox, Ereth the porcupine, Ragweed, Rye, and Ragweed Jr. An exciting adventure with tender moments and hilarious alliteration make every book a treasure! The Dimwood Forest series also includes- Poppy and Rye, Poppy Returns, Ereth’s Birthday, Poppy and Ereth, and a prequel, Ragweed.
17. Take on the Wilderness with Gary Paulson
When Brian’s plane goes down in the middle of a deserted island, he has no choice but to learn how to survive. Hatchet is a thrilling tale of endurance and ingenuity. Because it moves quickly and is action-packed, it is also a great book for children and teens who don’t love to read. Other books in the Hatchet series include Brian’s Winter, Brian’s Return, The River, and Brian’s Hunt.
18. Learn about Birds
Kristen Moon’s lessons on birds and robins are a great place to start!
19. Get Musical
Music in our Homeschool has a course to help us bring spring music into our days.
20. Explore State and National Parks
We love and highly recommend doing the Junior Ranger programs, but a local hike can be a great way to explore too!
One tip, having hiked a lot with kids of all ages, gear matters.
21. Play Games
- Spring Word Search and Puzzle Book by Jodie the Mom
- Wildcraft by Learning Herbs
- The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel was a favorite when my daughter was small
- Freeze tag, hide-n-seek, this post is full of backyard games
- We love and use our badminton, tetherball, and cornhole sets.
Springtime, love it or not, is all about transition, and transition is not always easy! The weather’s changing, and we’re in the home stretch; summer is almost here. You might feel eager to finish things up or ready to throw in the towel. Your kids might be acting antsier than usual or feeling bored with the curriculum. If you’re in my house, it’s allergy season, so everyone feels a little run over. We’re also all about spring and looking for more ways to get outdoors and do spring-related hands-on projects. No matter how you feel about spring, I hope these twenty-one springtime sanity savers help you have a lot of fun homeschooling this season.
