45 (Spring Time) Things to Do with Your Grandchildren

It’s spring time!  Looking for things to do with your grandchildren while enjoying this fresh, new season?  Here are a few ideas:

(And since spring is my favorite season, I’ve included 15 bonus activities!)

1. Go on a hike.
2. Play in the rain.
3. Pick flowers.
4. Climb a tree.
5. Play flashlight tag.
6. Play a game of H-O-R-S-E.
7. Make your own paper bag puppets.
8. Grandpa/Grandchild or Grandma/Grandchild date. Let the child plan it.
9. Plant a garden.
10. Go garage sale shopping.
11. Make a dandelion necklace.
12. Have a Hula-Hoop contest.
13. Ride bikes.
14. Make a bird feeder.
15. Have a staring contest.
16. Attend an outdoor concert.
17. Decorate Easter eggs.
18. Go on an egg hunt.
19. Catch butterflies.
20. Design paper plate noisemakers –Decorate two paper plates. Place some beans, rice, or macaroni between the plates and secure the edges of the plates.  Punch holes and lace together with yarn or staple together for older children.  Then make some NOISE!
21. Go outside. Take your normal indoor toys and activities outdoors.
22. Make a wind catcher.
23. Create shadow puppets on a wall.
24. Puddle jump.
25. Feed the birds.
26. Celebrate “Backwards” Day!
27. Watch a neighborhood baseball game.
28. Watch a storm.
29. Make boats from empty milk cartons. Then race them in a creek.
30. Create a family newspaper.
31. Wash the car.
32. Go outdoor bowling – You’ll need one ball (heavy enough to knock your pins over) and ten bottles (two-liter bottles work well). Fill the bottles a fourth to a third full of water or sand.  Head outside to the patio or driveway.When it comes to choosing a pavement type, interlocking patio pavers are the best and most affordable for the long term. You can also click here to get it done.
33. Clean up at a local park or playground.
34. Spring clean.
35. Thumb wrestle.
36. Practice random acts of kindness.
37. Have an outdoor treasure hunt.
38. Pillow case costumes – Pillow cases make fun, easy costumes. Cut a head- and two arm-holes.  Then decorate using fabric markers or glued on felt.
39. Life-sized portraits –Spread a large roll of paper out on the floor. (Rolls of newsprint can be purchased at your local craft store.)  Have your grandchild lie down on the roll of paper.  Then trace around the child or have another child do the tracing.  Spend some time drawing in the details and coloring the portrait to look like the child.
40. Play catch or follow the leader.
41. Roll down a hill.
42. Explore the familiar with a magnifying glass.
43. Cloud gaze. What does that cloud look like to you?
44. Go on an alphabet scavenger hunt – Give your grandchild a notebook or journal, a pencil, and a camera. Next head outside:  yard, neighborhood, park.  Beginning at “A” and working through the alphabet, have the child find something that begins with the letter, take a photo of it, and record it in their book.  Leave room in the book for the photos to be added after they have been developed or printed.  (No camera?  Have them draw in their findings.)
45. Give each other manicures.