5 Fun Activities to Celebrate Spring

By Denise Yearian

March marks the beginning of spring, a time when plant and animal life emerge from the earth to bask in the warmth of a new season. Following are five activities to help you celebrate spring.

Ladybug Paperweight
• Smooth, round or oval rocks
• Acrylic paint (red, orange, yellow, black)
• Wiggly eyes
• Permanent marker (black)
• Pencil eraser
• Acrylic matte sealer spray
• Tacky glue

1. Paint rocks a solid color. Let dry.

2. On one end of the rock, paint a black circle that covers about one-quarter of the surface for the ladybug’s head.

3. With a permanent marker, draw a line down the middle of the rock beginning at the back of the head.

4. Dip the pencil eraser into black paint and create dots on the ladybug’s body. Let dry.

5. Spray with acrylic sealer spray. Let dry.

6. Glue on wiggly eyes.

Bird Feeder
• Empty plastic soda bottle (20-ounce)
• Large nail
• Hammer
• Two twigs (9-inches)
• Birdseed
• String

1. Place the plastic bottle on its side. With a hammer and nail, gently tap a hole about half way up one side of the bottle. Repeat this step on the opposite side of the bottle, making the hole the same height as the first one.

2. Repeat step 1 on the lower side, making the holes a quarter turn from the first set.

3. Poke several more holes randomly around the bottle.

4. Insert a twig through the first set of holes, leaving at least three inches of the twig to overhang on each side.

5. Repeat step 4 with the second set of holes. (Bird will perch on twigs; additional holes release seeds.)

6. Remove bottle cap and place birdseed through the top. Screw the lid back on.

7. Tie a string around the bottle cap and hang bottle from a tree branch outside.

Pansy Planter
• Small terra cotta planter
• Acrylic paint (yellow)
• Faux jewel stones (purple, yellow)
• Glue gun (low setting)
• Permanent marker
• Aluminum foil
• Small stone
• Potting soil
• Pansies (purple and yellow)

1. Paint the planter. Let dry.

2. Glue jewel stones around the upper, outer rim of the planter, alternating colors.

3. Around the lower section of the planter write, “Welcome Spring!”

4. Place aluminum foil around the outside of the planter to protect it from getting dirty.

5. Place the stone over the planter’s interior hole to keep soil from leaking through during watering.

6. Fill the planter one-third full of potting soil.

7. Place pansies in the center of the planter then cover the roots with potting soil, gently pressing around the plant to secure in place.

8. Remove foil.

Signature Garden
• Grass seed
• Flat box lid or aluminum pan
• Potting soil
• Pencil
• Water spray bottle

1. Spread a layer of potting soil into the box lid.

2. With the flat end of a pencil, write your name or initials in the potting soil.

3. Carefully sprinkle grass seed into the grooved letters the pencil made.

4. Place pan in a sunny location and mist the soil daily. Within five days “signature grass” will begin to grow.

Crazy Critters
• Cardboard egg carton
• Tempera paint (various colors)
• Tacky glue
• Wiggly eyes
• Miniature pompoms (colored)
• Hole punch
• Pipe cleaners (various colors)
• Pencil

1. Cut and trim the egg cups from the carton bottom.

2. Paint the outsides of the cups with tempera paint. Let dry.

3. Glue two wiggly eyes and a pompom nose on one side. Let dry.

4. Trim pipe cleaners to 4 inches.

5. With a sharp pencil, punch three holes on opposite sides of each carton cup. Push pipe cleaners from the outside of one hole through the inside of the opposite hole, bending pipe cleaner ends to create legs.

6. Poke two holes on top of the cup near the eyes and insert pipe cleaners to make antennae.

5 Fun Activities to Celebrate Spring

5 Fun Activities to Celebrate Spring

Central California Parent is the #1 FREE parenting resource for Central Valley families.