Spring Activities for Family Fun

Fill an activity jar for the spring season with these fit and fun ideas

Put some spring in your step this season with a spring activities jar. It's an easy way to collect a bunch of ideas for family fun. Pull them out any time you're ready for some active play! Kids usually enjoy helping you brainstorm the ideas, but it's also fun to include some options they don't know about. Nothing beats the element of surprise. See below for lots of categories to get you started. Then supplement with your favorite hobbies, games, and local hangouts.

Walk This Way

Colorful umbrellas - spring activities
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There's more sunlight and warmer weather in the spring, so enjoy it with a walk. Mix things up by finding a new path or trail to explore, adding letterboxing or geocaching, singing songs, or playing walking games. If your kids have pedometers or other activity trackers, don't forget to bring them along for some pedometer activities.

Family Game Day (or Night)

Father and son racing inside
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Play some old-fashioned backyard games: Anything from Red Rover to catch, croquet to statues, ladder ball or dodgeball. List them separately in your jar, or make entries like "family game tournament—kids pick first game" or "play 3 kinds of tag." Gather some friends or neighbors for a kickball game, or try nighttime flashlight games. Or pick from this huge list of quick brain-break games.

On Wheels

Father teaching son (10-11) skateboard
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Spruce up your wheeled toys after a winter in storage and take them for a spin: Inline skates, skateboards, scooters, bicycles, tricycles, wagons, jogging strollers, or a combination of all of these! Or hit your local roller rink for public skating hours.

On the Water

Family on a canoe trip together at Econfina Spring, Florida, USA
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Spring is all about melting snow and April showers, so add ways to play in and on the water to your activity jar. You could rent a canoe, kayak, rowboat, or paddleboat or go fishing. You could take a walk in the rain and splash in the puddles, or find a creek or pond and wade in it or skip stones and float sticks.

Nothing But Net

girl playing table tennis
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If you have the equipment to do this at home, great! If not, look for places in your community where you can play table tennis, badminton, volleyball, or tennis. Never played before? Learn together!

Sports Report

Boy with soccer ball
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Take advantage of spring weather by playing pickup basketball outside, trying some soccer-inspired games together, playing golf (regular, mini, or driving range), or smacking some line drives at the batting cages.

Up in the Air

girl Ropes course
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Take advantage of those spring breezes to fly a kite or play some of these beach ball and balloon games. Or take things up high by visiting a ropes course, zipline, or trampoline park.

Spring Activities 50-54 Clean It Up

Boy in living room using vacuum cleaner
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Okay, so it's not all fun and games. But taking on some springtime chores together can make them more fun. You can even add an element of competition: Who can find the strangest treasure in the yard after the snow melts? Who is the champion window-washer or stick-picker-upper? Can you take on a big project like painting a room or planting a garden?

Old Toys, New Tricks

Dad and daughter with hula hoops
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No need for pricey new toys. Just use these simple objects that you probably already have for tons of fun games and activities:

Or, if you have a dog, make it a project to teach him a new trick!

Seasonal Eats

Mother and daughters preparing food
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Celebrate the new fruits and vegetables of spring: Find out what's in season in your area, then have a taste test or recipe contest. Bon appetit!

By Catherine Holecko
Catherine Holecko is an experienced freelance writer and editor who specializes in pregnancy, parenting, health and fitness.