Spring is in full swing! Here are some great ways you and your family can enjoy the outdoors this season.
1. Picnic in the park
Kids will have a great time packing their ideal picnic lunch. Set them up with a cute basket, a blanket, and their favorite snacks and head off to a nearby park for the day. Getting away from electronics, the TV, and video games will encourage kids to find new ways to have fun outdoors.
2. Build a campfire
You don’t have to go far to have a camping experience. You can make a fire pit and pitch a tent in your own backyard, and kids will love roasting marshmallows and hot dogs for dinner. If you’re feeling extra adventurous, take your camping out into the wilderness. State and national parks often have well maintained campgrounds that are great for beginners.
3. Plant a garden
Spring is the perfect time to test out your green thumb. You can get a planter or block off an area in your yard to start your own small garden. Leafy greens like lettuce, spinach, and kale are perfect to plant in the spring. Other springtime veggies include broccoli, artichokes, and onions. As the weather gets warmer toward the end of the season, try your hand at tomatoes, squash, peppers, beans, and corn. With a backyard garden, you’ll always have fresh veggies available and you’ll be able to cut down on grocery expenses.
4. Take a bike ride
Most cities have a list of bike trails that will keep you off busy roads and take you on a scenic ride through nearby parks and nature areas. This can be a fun activity for the whole family! Do a quick Internet search to find a trail that’s the right level of difficulty for you and your little ones.
5. Pick some berries
You don’t have to wait until fall to visit the apple orchards. There are tons of great fruit to be picked year-round. Berries, cherries, and peaches are all in season during the spring and summer, and strawberries are especially popular in June and July. Many fruit orchards welcome visitors with wagon rides and farmyard activities, and there’s nothing the kids will love more than roaming the berry fields to their heart’s content.
6. Go stargazing
Warm evenings are perfect for laying outside and looking at the stars. If you live in a rural or suburban area, grab a blanket and head out on a clear evening. If you live in a city with lots of light pollution, you might need to make a road trip out of it. Many state and national parks are designated “Dark Sky” areas that are meant to give you the best possible view of the Milky Way. You can get a guidebook or even download an app that will help you identify the constellations. Kids will love to hear the stories and myths associated with the stars they see in the sky.
Spring is the perfect time to get outdoors before the weather gets too hot. Sometimes we all need a reminder to step away from our screens, our electronics, and the business of everyday life to appreciate nature.
