Engaging Preschool Activities for Spring

Spring has sprung, which means it’s a perfect time to celebrate the season with relevant, age-appropriate activities for your students.

Below are a number of engaging preschool activities for spring to get you and your students in the spring spirit.

Observe the Natural World

As the temperature starts to warm up, plants begin to bloom, insects begin to buzz and birds begin to sing. The change in season presents a myriad of opportunities for you and your students to observe nature, which is a great way to engage their senses and introduce basic science concepts.

Check out these fun first day of spring preschool activities that are perfect as we welcome nice weather:

• Growing Seeds: Part nature observation, part science experiment, growing seeds is a simple springtime activity that will capture your students’ attention. As they witness the miracle of nature, it’s the perfect opportunity to teach them major life lessons in an easy-to-understand way. Plants are also a great way to introduce the concept of responsibility to your class.
• Bird watching: One of the first signs of spring is the chirping of birds. Consider placing bird feeders outside your classroom window and teaching your students about different species found in your state. You can incorporate spelling lessons, such as learning letters that correspond to different species, like ‘C’ is for ‘cardinal.’ But don’t confine yourself to the classroom; make sure you take your students outside to watch and listen in the wild. Once the outside observation portion is over, bring your students inside for an easy craft that builds on the lesson.
• Art with found objects: There’s no shortage of arts and crafts supplies that can be found in nature. Have your students collect objects, such as dandelions, twigs, rocks and other items, to create nature collages. It’s a great way to engage their imagination!

Get Outdoors

Spring fever likely means an increase in energy among your kids. So why not take advantage of the warm weather with fun outdoor preschool activities for spring, such as:

• Nature walks: Taking your students for a walk and exploring the world around them is a great way to get a little physical activity while enjoying nature. Encourage your students to describe the sights, sounds and smells along the way. You can play ‘I spy’ focusing on different flowers, birds, insects and other natural objects.
• Scavenger hunts: To add to the excitement of a nature stroll, consider incorporating a scavenger hunt into your walk. Have your students collect the items to use later in collages and other artwork.
• Cloud shapes: Cloud watching is a wonderful way to encourage creativity. Lay in the grass with your students, look up and have them share what they see in the sky. Then, have them imitate and pretend to be the animals they see above. This is also a great activity to build upon once your back indoors through arts activities like finger painting and cotton ball crafts.
• Kite building and flying: There’s no better time than spring to fly a kite. Simple kites are easy to make and even easier to fly. You can find simple kite making instructions online and you’ll have your classroom flying in no time.
• Rainbow watch: Is there anything more magical than a rainbow? Keep an eye out following rain showers for these multi-colored arches, and when one appears, take your preschoolers outside to view it. Explain to them what makes a rainbow and when you return to the classroom, have them draw their own; it’s a great way to teach colors.

Incorporate Science Experiments

April showers might bring May flowers, but it also means outdoor time could be limited. If that’s the case, you might be confined to your classroom which means finding indoor preschool activities for spring to keep your students busy.

Science experiments are a great way to encourage curiosity and get kids interested in how the world around them works. There are a number of quick and easy experiments you can do with your students, such as:

• DIY Lava Lamps: This groovy DIY lava lamp from Hands On as We Grow, is super simple and only requires five items: vegetable oil, water, food coloring, Alka-Seltzer tablets and  a clear container. It also makes for a fun take-home item that kids can share with their families.
• Leak Proof Bags: This experiment is more like a magic trick, and requires even fewer items than the DIY lava lamp above. Here, you’ll fill a gallon size storage bag halfway with water. Next, you’ll poke a pencil straight through the bag, and voila! To your students’ amazement, no leaks! 
• Erupting Soda: Grab a package of Mentos and a Coca-Cola for this quick, fun experiment that demonstrates reactions. Pour the soda into a cup, then drop the candy into the soda and watch what happens!

Finally, as you continue to introduce your students to the world of science, it might make sense to help them create their own DIY science kits. Pinterest has a ton of great resources and we love this list from Playdough to Plato.

Whether you’re embarking on a nature walk or building lava lamps, be sure to capture photos and videos of your students celebrating the new season. Then, share them with parents so they can feel like they’re part of the action.

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