Spring Has Sprung

By Lisa VanWilliams

It was a long cold winter.  The daffodils and tulips are in full bloom, the Blue Jays and Cardinals are back, perennials are slowly waking and beginning to sprout, and soon the budding New England trees will be green with leaves again.  It's a great time to get outside and do some creative activities with the kids.

Here are 5 fun Spring ideas that can keep your little ones busy and teach them some skills at the same time:

1) Go to your local craft store and pick out some unfinished bird houses (usually 50% off coupon avail online or in your Sunday paper). Let your children be creative with their colors. Let them paint and design their own house and then once it's dry they get to pick a tree outside to hang it on. 

2) Take them to the dollar store to pick out some pots and then let them help you plant herbs and their favorite vegetables, or a special flower they picked themselves. This year my daughter and I are going to attempt another pumpkin patch..the wood chuck that ate them last year is still lurking so we are going to have to relocate our patch :(  We planted them as seedlings and she was excited to watch their daily progress and help water.   Sunflower seeds are also an inexpensive alternative that creates a beautiful end result.

3) Take the whole family to your local flower farm. My daughter walked with me through all the green houses and she looooveed looking at all the different varieties and picked her own special Gerbera we planted together. 

4) Outdoor picnic/tea party !  We set up a little table in the play yard and we have been having tea time a few days a week. The kids love to pour their own water into cups. I can get them to eat vegetables and fruit at snack time without them realizing and they ask for more!!

5) Take them fishing.  We have our Princess pole !! Daddy has to go dig some icky worms and put them on the hook for us.  We are going to hit up the local pond and see what comes up.