5 Themes for Spring Family Walks (+ Free Nature Bingo Printable)
When spring arrives here in New England, there’s nothing I want more than to be outside! I love taking family walks around our neighborhood, but oftentimes, my daughter would rather go to the playground or ride her bike than go for a simple walk. To get her excited for neighborhood walks, it helps for us to have a theme. Having a walk theme also helps us explore our neighborhood and nature in new ways, practice observation skills, and learn about the seasons. Below are some ideas that I’m using this spring to get my daughter excited for family walks!
1 | Seasonal Changes
Talk with your child about the seasonal changes while you walk and encourage them to describe what they see. What happens when spring arrives? Are the trees changing? Are there different animals outside than there were during the winter? How are the animals behaving? Do you notice if people are doing different things outside than they did in the winter?
2 | Fairy Walk
Look for places where fairies might hide! Holes in trees, in gardens, under leaves and sticks. It’s a fun way to help your child notice small details in nature. Take it up a level by hiding some simple fairy doors for your child to discover along the path where you take your family walks (I made some out of popsicle sticks and twigs).
3 | Sensory Walk
Talk about all the senses or choose just one sense to focus on. Explore the outdoors and talk with your child about the different textures of nature items like leaves, sticks, pinecones, moss, lichen, and flower petals, etc. What sounds do you hear in springtime, like birds singing, insects buzzing, the wind rustling the trees, or the sounds of people doing yard work (I’m currently listening to someone trimming their hedges outside). Does the air smell different in spring than in winter? Smell flowers and talk about how the scent of flowers attracts pollinators.
4 | Scavenger Hunt
Print out a scavenger hunt for your child to complete on a walk. I have a free download for a printable nature bingo below. A simple nature scavenger hunt is always a hit with my child!
Nature Bingo Printable
This download comes with one printable page that can be cut into four simple scavenger hunt bingo cards. I like to print on heavy card stock so that it’s easier to carry around and write on while on our walks.
5 | Bird Watching Walk
Are there different birds outside than there were during winter? What are the birds doing? Listen to the sounds that the birds are making, and observe what the birds are doing in spring. Bring a bird identification book for your region or find a printout online, and try to identify some birds with your child. There are also several phone apps that can help you identify birds based on a photo or a sound (I use the Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab).
I hope you found these ideas helpful! I’d love to hear about your family walks and if you have any walk themes to add to this list! :)