Spring Activities for Toddlers: 30 Ideas Your Little One Will Love
Spring is a beautiful and hopeful time of year, as the days get longer, warmer and plants begin to sprout. You can be outside more often with your little, though some days are still quite chilly, so you’ll also be playing inside. If you’re looking for indoor and outdoor spring activities for toddlers, you’ve come to the right place. Here are our top 30 spring ideas for toddlers to help you and your family embrace the season ahead. Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
Top 30 Spring Activities for Toddlers
Outdoor Activities
Looking for outdoor spring activities for toddlers? Get outside, rain or shine, with rain jackets and boots this season. Here are a few great options to help you enjoy a little time with mother nature after the long winter months:
- Have a family picnic. This is a great way to embrace the arrival of warmer weather. Looking for ways to make it an extra-special event? Here are 30 great family picnic ideas you can try out.
- Plant flowers in the garden. Head to the garden center to buy some flower bulbs you can plant together and encourage your little to help care for them as they grow.
- Go on a nature scavenger hunt. Encourage active spring activities for toddlers. Layer them in a rain jacket and organic cotton clothing so they can play no matter the weather. Scavenger hunts are a great option, as you can head out together and look for signs of spring.
- Play with bubbles outside. If you’re looking for spring activities for toddlers that will keep your little ones entertained for hours, you can’t go wrong with bubbles.
- Create an outdoor obstacle course. This is a great activity that your child can help set up. To up the ante, invite the neighbors over and offer some prizes!
- Go on a springtime hike. Find an easy, kid-friendly trail, pop on their rain boots and head out for a hike. Don’t forget to bring snacks and water!
- Have a backyard tea party. Cut some tulips from the garden for your centerpiece and set up a tea party for the kids, complete with party sandwiches and a few sweet treats.
- Visit a local farm. Spring is a great time to visit your local farm to learn more about how farmers grow and harvest their crops.
- Go on a bug hunt. If your little one isn’t bothered by creepy crawlies, spring is a great time to go on a bug hunt to see what insects are emerging from hibernation.
- Play with sidewalk chalk. We love easy spring activities for toddlers. Hand your little one a few pieces of chalk and let them go to town on your driveway or sidewalk.
- Learn how to ride a bike. Whether your child is just starting out or learning how to ride without their safety wheels, spring is a great time to get in the saddle!
- Learn about tree tapping. Visit a sugar shack to learn about how maple trees are tapped to make maple syrup. Tapping usually occurs between early March and late April.
Indoor Activities
Spring weather can be unpredictable. While you’re probably eager to spend more time outside, on cooler days, you may want some indoor spring activities for toddlers. Here are a few great options:
- Create a sensory bin with spring items. Put spring-themed items like birdseed, gardening tools, bug catchers and plastic bugs in a pom pom bin for little hands to explore.
- Cozy in for storytime. When it comes to spring activities for toddlers, it’s good to have some more relaxed activities to enjoy too. Cuddle up with a book, for instance, about the different seasons.
- Get moving with a yoga session. It’s never too early to start learning yoga! Grab some yoga mats, find a video and follow along in your living room.
- Make springtime slime. Add some flower confetti to your regular slime recipe for a fun springtime twist on an old favorite.
Arts & Crafts
- Design a birdhouse. Make a birdhouse with supplies you might already have at home like a tissue box and popsicle sticks. Craft one together and hang it under an awning for your feathery friends!
- Make a butterfly feeder. Is your little one more into butterflies? Another great option on our list of spring activities for toddlers is to make a butterfly feeder with household items like a sponge and a mason jar.
- Paint with springtime colors. This is one of many great spring crafts for 1-year-olds. It’s easy to set up and allows your little one to freely explore their creativity.
- Assemble paper flower crowns. Nothing says spring like a flower crown! If the garden isn’t in bloom yet, make some paper flowers instead.
- Make a kite. Put this craft together indoors with thin dowels, paper and string, then head outside to watch it fly!
- Have a backyard puppet show. This is another great activity option! Craft your puppets and stage indoors and then head outside for the performance.
- Create a homemade pinwheel. Nothing says spring like a pinwheel. Craft one together and place it in your garden to teach your child about the wind. If they’re old enough, you can also teach them about windmills and electricity.
- Create a homemade wind chime. Teach your child about the elements while making a playful wind chime using colorful beads and shells.
- Make a flower press frame. Once your garden is in bloom, pick a few blooms and press them between two panes of glass. Add a frame and hang up your child’s creation in their bedroom.
Spring Baking
- Prepare homemade ice cream. Summer and ice cream are synonymous, but who says you can’t get a little jump on this treat?
- Create homemade popsicles. With so many flavors and colors to choose from, your little one will have a blast perfecting their popsicle recipe.
- Decorate flower cookies. Bake some flower-shaped cookies and set out a few icing and sprinkle colors that your little one can use to decorate them.
- Have a backyard campfire. If your toddler’s eager to spend more time outdoors but the weather is still chilly, set up a campfire and make some s’mores together.
- Make a lemonade stand. Looking for spring activities for toddlers that’ll keep them busy for hours? Build a homemade lemonade stand, make a few pitchers and set up shop in your neighborhood.
Spring Essentials
- Diaper Bag. Spring is a great time to get outside and go on some adventures with your little one. Make sure you have the perfect diaper bag filled with all of the diaper bag essentials you need for a great day of exploring.
- Spring Wardrobe. The weather changes a lot in the spring, so make sure you’re prepared with cozy, breathable clothing for your little one. Embrace time outside!
- Play Mats. From tummy time to playtime, a great play mat is essential! Your little one will be comfy and cozy as they explore one of our adorable prints in timeless colors.
- Blankets. For those cooler days when you want to be inside and cuddle, having a cozy blanket is a must. Our beautifully made, 100% cotton Chambray Blankets are designed to be family heirlooms you’ll treasure for years to come.
- Rain Gear. Your little one may want to get outside, rain or shine, so make sure you have a pair of reliable rain boots and a rain jacket. This way they can play all day, while staying warm and dry.
We hope this list of spring activities for toddlers has you feeling excited and inspired for a great spring season. It’s a beautiful time of year, filled with great symbols of hope and renewal, so take lots of pictures and embrace the season to the fullest!
Frequently Asked Questions
As the season shifts from winter to spring, there are lots of changes to observe in nature. The days get longer, the snow melts, animals emerge from hibernation, the temperature rises and plants start to bloom. Help your child understand more about spring and the changing seasons by pointing out these shifts in nature.
Here are a few activities you can try if you need help calming your child:
Learn some kid-friendly breathing exercises that you can try out with your toddler. Even something as simple as blowing bubbles can encourage your little one to take some deep breaths.
Find a quiet area in the house where you can play soft, calming music and set your little one up with a soothing toy to help them calm down.
Have storytime with their favorite book, as reading is a great spring activity for toddlers who need a quiet moment.
Activities that help your toddler develop skills are a great option if you’re looking for stimulating tasks for your little one. Here are a few activities you can try:
To develop problem-solving skills, create a pattern using blocks and ask your child to replicate what you’ve built.
To develop thinking skills, try matching games. One simple option is to draw different shapes on a board, cut a series of matching shapes out of construction paper and encourage your little one to find the pairs.
To develop concentration skills, any kind of stacking activity is great challenge your toddler to build as high as they can.
The first day of spring, also known as the spring equinox, takes place on March 20th in the northern hemisphere and on September 23rd in the southern hemisphere. The sun shines directly on the equator, so the daytime and night are close to equal. Here are a few ways to celebrate this occasion with your little one:
Teach your child about different cultures from around the world and how they welcome spring.
Take time to connect with nature and observe signs of the changing seasons.
Watch the sunset together.
Create spring-inspired art to hang in your home.
Cook a meal or bake a treat with seasonal ingredients.
Keeping up with a toddler can be challenging, so it’s important to teach them how to play independently. You can do this by setting up a box of toys that your child can play with alone. Only pull the box out and give it to them when you need a moment to yourself to handle another task. That way, the novelty of the ‘special’ toy box doesn’t wear off as quickly. It’s also helpful to remember that boredom is not always a bad thing and it can actually help your little one to develop skills like creativity, self-esteem and resourcefulness. Don’t worry too much about having an activity planned for every minute of the day. As you and your toddler fall into your weekly routine, you’ll find the right balance between activities and free play to help keep your little one engaged.
