This week’s spring kids activities are: growing flowers, color hop and a rain cloud craft. Don’t forget to check out our tasty treat idea at the end!

Growing Flowers

Our first activity is growing flowers! This is a very hands-on activity with an outcome everyone is sure to enjoy! There’s no need to be a seasoned green thumb to do this either! Start by picking out what flowers you want to grow. Here is a list of easy flowers for kids to grow:

• Marigold
• Morning Glory
• Zinnia
• Impatiens
• Sunflowers
• Geranium

Some materials you will need:

1. Potting soil
2. Tray
3. Small seed starting pots
4. Permanent marker
5. Scoop of some sort
6. Seeds
7. Water
8. Popsicle sticks and marker for labeling (optional)

Instructions:

1. Add soil to your tray and spread out into an even layer (this step is to make it easy for your kids to fill the pots with soil).
2. Place the seed starting pots in the tray and scoop the soil into the pots.
3. Poke a small hole (~1/4” deep) in the soil and place the seed in the hole. Cover the seed with a thin layer of soil.
4. Moisten the soil by adding a small amount of water to the pot.
5. Label the pot by either writing on the pot itself or use a popsicle stick to write the name on it and place it into the pot on the side.
6. Repeat for as many pots as you want!
7. Set all the pots in a windowsill and water daily to keep the soil moist.* 
8. Watch them grow!

*You can also water thoroughly and then cover with some sort of plastic lid to make a mini greenhouse. If you do this, you don’t need to water as frequently. 

Color Hop

Our second activity is a color hop with chalk! The only item you need to do this activity is sidewalk chalk. Start by drawing flowers in different colors (4 or 5 colors is a good place to start) on your driveway/sidewalk close together. Draw at least a couple of each color (more kids, more flowers!) Call out colors and the kids hop from flower to flower of the appropriate color. This is a great activity for expanding your kids’ motor gross skills.

Rain Cloud Craft

The last activity for this week is a rain cloud craft. This is a fun indoor craft for when you may have a rainy day. Materials and instructions listed below!

Materials:

1. Paper plate
2. Cotton balls
3. Glue (bottled glue will work better than a stick)
4. White card stock
5. Watercolors
6. Yarn or string (blue preferably)
7. Tape 

Instructions:

1. Cut a paper plate in half.
2. Apply glue to the paper plate and add the cotton balls.
3. Draw four raindrops.
4. Using the watercolors, paint the raindrops and allow to dry.
5. Cut four different lengths of yarn (these will be how far the raindrops fall from the cloud)
6. Once dry, cut the raindrops out and hang them from the cloud. Use tape to attach the piece of yarn to the back of each raindrop as well as the back of the paper plate.

This week’s snack idea: Apple Nachos!

Ingredients:

1. Apples
2. Creamy Peanut butter (can also use sunbutter or almond butter)
3. Chocolate chips (mini are the best option)
4. Cinnamon
5. Lemon juice (optional)

Instructions:

1. Prep the apples by washing and drying them. Cut them into quarters and remove the core. Slice the quarters into thin slices, about ¼- ½ inch.
2. Drizzle with lemon juice (helps keep the apples from browning).
3. Layer the apples on a serving plate in a circular fashion.
4. Top the apples by drizzling the peanut butter over them and placing the chocolate chips on top! (You can warm the peanut butter slightly in the microwave if needed to make it easier to drizzle)

Simple, sweet, what a treat!

We’ve got one more week of Spring activities and treats for you – be sure to check back in next Monday! Until then, we pray you have a joyful week!

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11 

This week, we have a scavenger hunt, flying kites and a fun indoor activity! Of course, a delicious snack to make together as well! Enjoy!

Scavenger Hunt

Our first activity is a scavenger hunt! This is a great activity for all ages in the family and so simple! There are a lot of different types of scavenger hunts you can do but a favorite is the “Nature Scavenger Hunt”. You can find the template on freekidcrafts.com here. Take the kids on a walk and have them find as many of the items on the list as they can. Not only are their thinking caps on but they are spending time outdoors, BONUS!

Flying Kites

Next up is flying kites! This you need a windy day to do but such a fun activity for all ages. You can either buy yourself a kite or make one of your own! You can find instructions and materials for making your own garbage bag kite on instructable.com here. Either way the kids will have fun doing an activity that they do not get to partake in very often. Happy Flying!

Floor is Lava

For the last activity this week we have an indoor game for the kiddos. This is called “Floor is Lava”. This is as simple as pretending the floor is lava! Place pillows, blankets or any other items you can stand on around a room in your house. Play the song “The Floor is Lava” by The Kiboomers and let the kids go! The song incorporates different movements for the kids to do including dance, wiggle and crawl. Once they count down the floor becomes lava and you have to get off the floor! Play the game with your kids as they will have a blast seeing you try to balance on a pillow to avoid the LAVA!

Finally, for our snack this week we have veggie boats!

This is a fun and nutritious snack for everyone. Just a few ingredients and simple directions to create the boats.

Ingredients:

1. Cucumber
2. 2 or 3 bell peppers (color of your choosing)
3. Cherry tomatoes
4. Hummus
5. Small skewers or toothpicks

Directions:

1. Cut a cucumber in half lengthwise. Using a potato peeler, cut long thin slices for the sails. Cut these slices in half and put them on skewers/toothpicks to make them into sails.
2. Cut the bell peppers lengthwise into 2 inch thick pieces.
3. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half.
4. Spoon hummus onto the bell pepper bases and stick the cucumber sail into the pepper on one side.
5. Place one half of a cherry tomato on the other half of the pepper base.

Bon voyage!

Check back next week for week 3 of our Spring Kids Activities series. Until then, we hope you find encouragement and joy in God’s word:

“I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.” John 16:33