All Our Kin Spring Network Celebration
Ideas for Spring
Spring cleaning
A common custom that accompanies this change of season, spring cleaning is a chance to move things around, shake them of their winter hibernation, and bring them into the light.
1. Prepare your yard. With warmer weather, get outside and remove the winter from your yard, making it safe and inviting once again for children to play and learn.
2. Change out your toys. Could your children be tired of the toys they have been playing with? Put a group of toys away and bring out another you may have stored away.
3. Rejuvenate your schedule. Make changes to reflect the new season – add nature/outside time to your daily routine.
4. Improve transitions. Add pictures to your schedule so even the little ones will know what is coming next.
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10 spring activities
1. Nature Walk. Bundle everyone up and head outside for a walk down the street or around the block. What elements of nature do the children see? Hear? Smell?
2. Collect, Sort, Collage. When outside, have children collect pieces of nature – sticks, stones, leaves, blades of grass. Inside, these can be sorted by color/shape/texture and then made into a collage.
3. Observational Drawing. Tape white paper to a piece of cardboard (clipboard), bring along colored pencils and crayons, head outside and have the children draw what they see. Scribbles are OK.
4. Plant Grass Seeds. Dixie cups are great but any small container works. Grass seeds are great because they come up fast so children can see the results of what they have planted.
5. Hold an Earth Day Celebration. April 22 is Earth Day. Hold a celebration, invite families, teach children to value and protect planet earth. Pick up litter, start recycling, plant a tree.
6. Clothespin Butterfly. Use white paper coffee filters, liquid droppers and watercolor or food coloring diluted in water to drop on filter for the wings, attach to clothespin and add pipe cleaners as antennae.
7. Invite an Insect. Spring is when insects being to appear, so why not invite one into your classroom? Create a terrarium with a secure but ventilated lid, add dirt, grass, and food and a large insect!
8. Streamers in the Wind. Tape or glue crepe paper streamers of different colors to paper towel tubes, take them outside, and see what happens in the wind.
9. Telescopes. Children become nature observers and bird watchers outside with a telescope or binoculars made from toilet paper rolls.
10. Egg carton caterpillars. Children can paint and decorate the bumpy side of an egg carton and add pipe cleaners to make a caterpillar or any insect they fancy. Older kids can add googely eyes.
Springtime books
Many of these books (and many others!) are available at your local library. Note that you can also contact
Read to Grow, 203-488-6800 or to request book donations.
the carrot seed
in the tall tall grass
all around us – Eric Carle
everything grows
the five senses
in my garden
what comes in spring
Chants and songs about spring
(chant or make up music)
Fuzzy wuzzy, creepy crawly
Caterpillar funny,
You will be a butterfly
When the days are sunny.
Winging, flinging, dancing, springing
Butterfly so yellow,
You were once a caterpillar,
Wiggly, wiggly fellow.
Little fuzzy caterpillar
In your warm cocoon
The cold winter's over
and you'll be hatching soon.
Then you'll spread your wings
On a warm summer's day
And wave us all goodbye
As you fly, fly away.
I Love the Flowers
I love the flowers.
I love the budding trees.
I love the chirping birds.
I love the buzzing bees.
I love the Springtime,
When the sun is warm and bright
Boom de-a-da, Boom de-a-da,
Boom de-a-da, Boom, Boom.
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