Fun and creative activities for your classroom and outdoor time
As Spring arrives, the classroom can feel limiting for the restless children ready to explore the changing weather. It can also be a wonderful opportunity to guide these young minds in age-appropriate activities.
Here are some indoor activities that could spice up the classroom routine this Spring:
Arts and crafts:
Using a poster board, cut out a moderately large square into the center. Have 4-5 children at a time use paint, crayons, or other art supplies to decorate and explore the canvas while thinking about weather, such as rain, or rainbows. Give them cotton balls or crumpled pieces of paper to glue onto the frame to be the “clouds” of this exploratory activity. Let their creativity flow! While some students are decorating, give the others simple drawings of people to color, then glue them onto popsicle sticks for a puppet show.
Story Time and Puppet Play:
Using that weather-decorated poster board, get into a cozy corner and put on a puppet show, incorporating puppets for interactive play. Have a book selection that is all about Spring, such as Raindrops to Rainbow or The Very Hungry Caterpillar (in Spanish La oruga muy hambrienta) that goes over the change and growth of spring.
Music:
Discover old and new songs that will get kids talking about the outdoors! Some examples could be “The Itsy-Bitsy Spider,” “Mmmm Ahh Went the Little Green Frog” by Jbrary, “Mr Sun” by Raffi. Some Spanish options could be La Primavera (Spring) by AglaE, Cucú Cantaba la Rana (Cuckoo Sang the Frog) by Toycantando, or El Pollito Amarillo (The Yellow Chicken) by Leoncito Alado. These songs (and so many more) incorporate fun sounds to practice for the little ones and/or can give the kids a chance to move their bodies and hands.
Sensory Play with Playdough:
Create or buy non-toxic playdough for sensory exploration. Find different cookie cutters that are shaped like plants, bugs, clouds, raindrops, and more!
Indoor Yoga Obstacle Course:
Set up a simple obstacle course using cushions, tunnels, and soft play equipment, helping with gross motor skill development. Have a picture of a yoga pose that is Spring themed at each landing spot, such as “bee,” “rabbit,” “chick,” etc.
Below is a list of outdoor activities to try:
Nature Scavenger Hunt:
Take the children outdoors and create a list of items for them to find, such as pinecones, rocks, and leaves. Encourage exploration and observation of the natural environment through sound, sight, touch, and smell.
Sidewalk Chalk Art:
Provide colorful chalk and let the children create artwork on the pavement. Have them draw their favorite weather or bug! This activity promotes creativity and gross motor skills.
Water Play:
On a warm day, set up a water play area with buckets, cups, and water toys to splash, pour and explore! If there are puddles, have them jump into a puddle until the water is gone: how many jumps did it take until it disappeared?
Bike Riding or Scooter Play:
Allow children to ride bikes or scooters in a safe outdoor area to promote balance and coordination skills. For younger children, pull them in a safe wagon while having them play iSpy.
Picnic in the Park:
Pack a simple picnic and take the children to a nearby park. Enjoy outdoor snacks, play on the playground, and have a relaxing time together.
There are endless opportunities for little ones to explore and discover the ever-changing world throughout March. With the weather changing and the flowers blooming, let your own creativity blossom along with your students!