The flowers are blooming, the birds are singing– winter is over and spring is here! We are loving the later sunsets and great weather, too.
If you are looking for some fun springtime activities to engage your whole family (no matter their ages), look no further. We’ve rounded up some of the easiest and most fun family activities online for you to try with your littles at home– even if your littles are big!
For Littles and Preschoolers
One of the best things our little ones can do for their bodies and minds is to get outside into nature– and what better way to celebrate the return of beautiful weather? If you’re looking for something more engaging than a simple walk through the neighborhood, try this Nature Scavenger Hunt from The Taylor House. Depending on your child’s reading level, you may need to add photos or help them read. (We love asking older kids to be the “expert readers” for the younger ones!) For particularly inquisitive kids, you can also try looking up what you find to identify local plant species.
For Elementary and Up
If your little scavengers at home are ready for the next challenge, look no further. Budding scientists will love this Baking Soda and Vinegar Earth Day Experiment from Carrots are Orange. Spoiler alert: kids use the safe chemical reaction of baking soda and vinegar to produce carbon dioxide, salt, and water. The gas release inflates a balloon in front of their eyes! While this is a perennially fun activity, here are some questions you can ask your little scientist to get their gears turning:
- The balloon was empty at the beginning, but now it’s full. What do you think it’s full of?
- Where did that stuff come from?
- We started with only vinegar and baking soda. What was produced when the two substances reacted? (Try to examine and identify the remaining salt and water, if possible)
- If your child has started learning about states of matter (solid, liquid, gas): What state of matter filled the balloon? Then, when they identify ‘gas’: What kind of gas do you think it is? Does it seem heavier or lighter than air? How can we test it?
The best way to guide children into scientific thinking is to encourage them to follow the scientific method:
- Create a hypothesis.
- Make a plan to test the hypothesis.
- Run the test.
- Record results.
- Reflect: Was my hypothesis correct?
And remember, great scientists don’t care if they were right or wrong, they care about what they learned along the way!
Happy experimenting!
Springtime at Little Scholar
Are you interested in learning more about how we incorporate learning about the seasons at Little Scholar? Contact us today. Enrollment is available for preschool, kindergarten, K-6 after school care, and tutoring for grades 1-6.