Spring Fever: 4 Great Ways to Play This Spring

Photo by Wellspring Community School (Flickr)

Spring makes my heart sing! I love the chirping birds, blossoming plants, and warmer temperatures. This spring, my girls and I plan to enjoy some playful activities that are unique to the season. They're sure to cure spring fever!

Enjoy Your First Picnic of the Year

As soon as the temperatures warm up, my girls and I head outdoors for our first picnic of the year. There's something about fresh air that makes food taste better! For our menu, we usually pack tasty foods that are easy to transport like cheese and crackers, apples, and nuts. You can customize your picnic lunch to include your favorite foods.

The backyard, neighborhood park, or a local picnic spot can provide the perfect setting for your picnic. Consider picking a spot with plenty of open space to play and run, and make sure you have bathrooms nearby, too.

Games are next on our list. My girls enjoy Frisbee, and we sometimes take cards, a football, or even art supplies.

Remember to plan for the weather. Sunscreen is a must! I also recommend extra sweatshirts or jackets and umbrellas, since spring weather is unpredictable. And here's one more tip: Consider making a checklist so you don't forget anything. One year, I forgot to take silverware and a trash bag, so now, I always make a "picnic essentials" list!

Attend a Tulip or Cherry Blossom Festival

I enjoy seeing all of the new plant life blooming in the spring, especially cherry blossoms and tulips. My bucket list includes visiting an international cherry blossom or tulip festival in Holland, Spain, Japan, Istanbul, or Ottawa.

Until then, we're considering a road or bus trip to Tulip Time in Holland, Michigan, this year. I'm looking forward to seeing all of the tulips, and my girls are excited about the entertainment, which includes parades and dancing. Join us or visit one of these festivals as you celebrate spring with the beauty of nature:

• National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC
• Albany Tulip Festival in Albany, New York
• Wooden Shoe Tulip Fest in Woodburn, Oregon

Decorate a Birdhouse

A variety of birds fly through my neighborhood every spring, and they're fun to watch. This year, my girls suggested we decorate birdhouses for our feathered friends. I decided to buy a pre-assembled birdhouse at our local craft store, but we also considered kits we could assemble ourselves. For the decorations, we'll use our imaginations. I find inspiration in nature and plan to glue stones, moss, and twigs to my birdhouse. Meanwhile, my older daughter wants to paint her birdhouse bright colors, and my younger daughter will paint her birdhouse to look like a real house, complete with windows, doors, and shingles. When we're finished decorating our birdhouses, we'll hang them in the backyard and have fun bird-watching.

Plant a Container Garden

For some reason, spring makes me hungry for fresh tomatoes! It might be because we plant tasty tomatoes and other veggies and herbs in containers every spring. A container garden is convenient because it doesn't require tons of space or time, and it's fun. Follow these steps to plant a container garden of your own.

• First, choose your plants. We grow veggies and herbs, but flowers would also work.
• Then, choose a location. Certain plants need lots of sun, while others only need a little. Consider your plants' needs as you determine whether to place the containers on your deck, windowsill, or patio.
• You're now ready to prepare the containers. Almost any container works as long as it has excellent drainage. After placing the containers where you want them, fill them at least two-thirds full with a quality potting soil and fertilizer mix from the garden center.
• After arranging your plants in the soil, fill the container to within two inches of the top with soil. Water generously and enjoy watching your plants grow.

Do you have spring fever like me? Try one of these four activities. They're playful and fun for your entire family!

Find more about the author: Kim Hart

Playgrounds

• Pour In Place Rubber
• Child Care Playground Equipment
• Outdoor Learning Equipment
• Gas Station Playhouse
• Playground Rubber Mats
• Toddler Playground Set

Swing Sets and Slides

• Indoor Monkey Bars for Adults
• Stand Alone Swing for Toddler
• Handicapped Accessible
• Play Slides
• Adaptive Swing Seat
• Tire Playgrounds
• Indoor Tube Slide

Structures and Furniture

• Picnic Tables
• Play Structures
• Stackable Kids Chairs
• Chain Cutter Tool
• Plastic Tunnels for Kids
• Swing Cribs
• Recycled Plastic Benches for Schools
• Swing Mat

Commercial Play Equipment

• Commercial Playground
• Adult Play Ground
• Spinning Park Equipment
• Tether Balls
• Church Playground Equipment
• Runabout Stroller