After a cold and dark winter, many of us are looking forward to springtime. While there are many beautiful aspects of winter, there are also many wonderful things about spring. If you prefer warmth over coldness, spring is something you anticipate. Most of us love the springtime flowers and longer days, but how many of us have tried new activities specifically because it is springtime?
Throughout the seasons, there are unique activities that we can enjoy with our families. As a child, my mom planned seasonal activities to keep my sisters and me engaged with a particular time of year. Whether your family does this or not, there is something fun about participating in seasonal activities. If you want to try a few ideas this spring, here are five activities to try:
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1. Gardening
Starting a garden is one spring activity for the entire family. I have known many people who absolutely adore gardening. I have a loved one who is very knowledgeable about all kinds of plants and flowers. They have their own garden outdoors as well as many indoor plants. While I have never been a gifted gardener, gardening is always relaxing, rewarding, and joyful. Starting a garden is great for those who like to see a return for their hard work.
Many of us believe that gardening is only for seniors, but this is a misnomer. People of all ages can enjoy gardening, including your children. As a kid, my mom had my sisters and me start gardening, and even though it was hard at times, it was something I looked forward to doing each day. Springtime is the perfect time to start a garden because most flowers and plants thrive during this time. Even if you have never had a green thumb, you can still give it a try.
If you or your family member struggles with depression, getting out in the morning to do gardening will be beneficial. The early morning sun is great for those who have depression and can help alleviate some of their symptoms. As someone who personally struggles with depression, I can attest that this is true and will help put you in a more positive state of mind if you are outside during the morning hours.
Even if nobody in your family struggles with depression, gardening is a great springtime activity. It can be an entire family activity to go get the seeds, pick out the flowers, and decide as a family where to place each plant. Your family will learn how to work as a team as you each take turns taking care of the garden. Not only will this be a great springtime activity, but it might turn into a long-term family garden.
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2. Book Club
A second springtime activity for the whole family is a book club. I understand that not everyone loves books, but give books a chance. Personally, I was never interested in reading until my mom homeschooled mel. The first book that got me interested in reading was Dr. Dolittle by Hugh Lofting. Just give a few books a try and find the match for you or your kids. When you pick out a book for your family book club, try to choose one that your entire family will be interested in.
If finding a book that everyone thinks is interesting is impossible, let everyone read their own book and discuss them each week. Starting a book club doesn’t have to be a huge task. Even if one of your children is not fond of books, still encourage them to try to participate in the book club. Due to the Internet, imagination and original thought have come to a halt. Through having a book club, maybe some of the beauty of imagination and original thought will return.
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3. Tour de Parks
A third springtime activity for the whole family is tour de parks. Named after the Tour de France, my mother came up with this idea when my sisters and I were children. The idea was that we would go to a different park each day within our city and see which ones were our favorite. This was a fun activity that all of us enjoyed during the spring months. Spring is often cooler than summer, but it is warm enough to be able to spend long amounts of time outdoors.
If your family loves the outdoors or simply loves parks, this is a great activity for this spring. Plot out all the parks ahead of time and keep them on a document. After you have been to a park, you can check it off, rate it, and add any comments surrounding the family’s feelings about the park. If your family really enjoyed the park, give it a 5/5 stars, but if it was not the best park, give it a lower rating. If the park was absolutely terrible, write a note beside the park that it would be best not to return. However, if the park was really great, include a note beside the park’s name that it definitely needs to be a park to return to one day.
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4. Evening Walks
A fourth springtime activity for the whole family is evening walks. During the winter months, going outside after dark for a walk is not reasonable. However, during the spring months, evening walks are a true blessing. For most working adults, we do not get off until after 5 pm, and children can be released from school at various times. After a busy day of work, school pick-up, and homework, everyone will need some time to get outside and stretch their legs. An evening walk is the perfect way to fulfill this need.
Evening walks are a great way to catch up with your loved ones and give them a safe space to share their feelings. Even if your entire family does not want to take a walk, try to walk with your kid or kids who want to go for a walk. If none of your kids are up for a walk, try to take a walk with your spouse and spend some quality time with each other. Perhaps the kids could ride their bikes while the adults take a walk. That way, everyone gets some exercise and sunshine.
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5. Rainy-Day Crafts
A final spring activity for the whole family is crafts for rainy days. Springtime is known for its rainy days. While this might not be true for everywhere in the world, there are many places where springtime is the rainy season. If this is true for where you are in the world, rainy days can be a great excuse to spend the day doing crafts. Even if your family is not a craft family, doing a few crafts might be a fun way to pass a rainy day.
There are endless crafts you can try during the spring months. Search online or purchase a craft book from a bookstore. Crafts can be challenging at times, but they are rewarding. If your family is artsy, this might be the perfect springtime activity for your family. Even if your family is not artsy, it does not mean you cannot participate in crafts. Crafts are for everyone. Try to pick a craft that is not too difficult at first and then you can progress to more difficult crafts. Consider hosting crafting contests and frame each other's work, commemorating memories even on those rainy spring days.
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Originally published Wednesday, 21 February 2024.
