7 spring nature activities for early years kids

1. Go on a Colour Hunt

Flowers bloom and wildlife come out of hibernation in spring, so there’s plenty of colour to be seen everywhere you look.

Take the children into the garden and see how many different colours they can spot! This activity will excite them, as well as helping them to differentiate between colours.

Can you see a yellow daffodil, pink blossom and the blue sky? Are there any leftover brown leaves to find? What colour is this flower? These are just some of the questions you make ask to encourage conversations.

2. Build a sensory garden

Playing in the mud is a favourite activity of many early years children – anything to get their hands dirty!

Building a sensory garden keeps the soil contained and helps develop fine motor skills as children dig deep to see what they can find.

Toy vegetables, mini animals, fake plants and beans or seeds all make for great natural items to find and feel!

3. Decorate a walking stick

If you are going out for a few walks this spring, you may need something to help you out!

Getting children to decorate their own walking stick is a fun art and craft activity that nursery children of all ages, from toddlers to pre-school can get involved with.

You can use anything you find outdoors, sticks, branches, and decorate with your art and craft materials including paint, glitter and felt.

Just make sure you have lots of glue!

4. Create a treasure hunt

One of the best ways to help little learners discover the new sights and sounds during springtime is by creating an outdoor nature treasure hunt.

You could write out a list of items for children to either find or bring back, or you could let them explore on their own and see what treasures they collect for themselves.

Some examples to find first include types of leaves, dandelions, daises, and acorns. Or see if they can spot things like a bird singing, a squirrel eating, or a bug sat on a leaf.

5. Grow some seeds or beans

Using cotton wool and a small glass, children can grow their own seeds or beans throughout spring, watching how the roots and stems develop over time.

Cress seeds only take a few days to grow, and they can be turned into fun ‘heads’ for children to take home with them.

6. Make some rock art

See how many rocks children can collect from outside, and then help them separate the smooth, flat ones. Using marker pens and other craft material, kids can create their own rock art.

If you want, you could assign different symbols or icons to each stone, and create an activity pot of rocks.

You could use a ball to represent playtime, a book for reading time and a bed for naptime! When it is time for a new activity, put your hand in the rock jar, and see what you pull out.