Can you believe it’s almost April?! Spring is in full bloom and the kids are probably getting antsy with the end of the school year right around the corner.
When the weather is this beautiful, it’s such a great idea to find fun outdoor activities for the kids to enjoy. The great thing is that outdoor activities don’t have to be expensive! Check out this list for some inspiration on some frugal and fun outdoor kids activities for spring.
50 Outdoor Kids Activities for Spring
1. Hula Hoop Hideout via Handimania
These super cool backyard hideouts are hanging “tents” made from sheets and hula hoops! Kids will have their own little individual adventures involving play and snack time. Bonus: it provides shade on those hot sunny days.
2. DIY Giant Water Blob via Paging Fun Mums
Make a huge outdoor water bed with this easy to follow tutorial! And it costs under $10 to make! This is sure to provide hours of fun for kiddos.
3. Nature Scavenger Hunt via The Taylor House
This is such a fun idea to encourage educational outdoor play! And you can change it up for your specific geographical location and neighborhood.
4. Spray Chalk via The Clever Pink
Switch up the ole sidewalk chalk routine with something a little bit different! Super easy (and cheap) to make!
5. Garden Rock Caterpillar via Nellie Bellie
Well, isn’t this just adorable?! Gather a collection of rocks and paint to have kids make their very own caterpillar! How fun!!
6. DIY Pool Noodle Sprinkler via Babble
No sprinkler? All you need is a hose and a simple pool noodle to create lasting sprinkler fun in your backyard. How clever!
7. Giant Yard Twister Game via Instructables
Play a giant game of Twister right in your backyard, and there’s no slippery mat to worry about! You play it right in the grass.
8. Recycled Bottle Bowling via PBS Parents
You even get to be environmentally-friendly with this one! Save up your old plastic bottles and turn them into bowling pins! All you’ll need is a tennis ball.
9. Giant Pick-Up Sticks from I Heart Naptime
This giant game of pick-up sticks made from bamboo stalks is such a genius idea! Who wouldn’t love life-sized pick-up sticks? (I would!)
10. Backyard Oversized Memory Game from Dollar Store Crafts
Grab some poster board and make a giant memory game to play in your backyard. This is perfect for younger children just learning their numbers or ABCs!
11. Backyard Obstacle Course via Frugal Fun 4 Boys
Create your own competitive obstacle course (for boys AND girls)! These are tons of great ideas to customize it exactly how you want it with what you already have on hand.
12. Bottle Rockets via Science Sparks
You can’t ever go wrong with…rockets! And these are so easy to make with household objects you probably already have on hand. Kids will love this.
13. Exploding Sidewalk Chalk via Growing a Jeweled Rose
Here’s another fun variation on the regular sidewalk chalk. This one looks like so much fun! (And it’s sure to entertain.)
14. Melting Ice with Salt and Color via Artful Parent
This is a great educational science activity, plus it creates a beautiful result! This looks like it could potentially get messy, so I think it would be a great outdoor activity on a day when it’s not too terribly hot.
15. Squirt Gun Science via No Time for Flash Cards
Utilizing the reaction between baking soda and vinegar, this makes for a fun and colorful activity for kids! Just be sure you have protective eyewear.
16. Mentos Soda Rocket via Keeping It Simple
This is a classic one I remember doing as a kid. So much fun to see how high the soda will erupt!
17. Threading Leaves via A Little Learning for Two
What a simple and relaxing afternoon activity that gets the whole family out in the beautiful weather to enjoy nature together. And it’s pretty much free!
18. Build a Volcano via Kids Activities Blog
You can easily build a dirt mound volcano right in your backyard. With adult supervision, the kids will be super impressed when it erupts.
19. Fabric Clothesline for Kids via Meri Cherry
What small child doesn’t love running through clothes hanging up in a department store? Recreate that experience with an invitation to run through fabric outside!
20. Make and Play with Story Stones via A Crafty Living
These story stones are so cute! And they will provide continuous fun after they are made.
21. Backyard Picnic via My Kids Adventures
Picnics are always a great go-to option, and it’s great quality family time!
22. Rainbow Bubble Snakes via Housing a Forest
If you have little ones who love all things bubbles, these are sure to please. This isn’t just one bubble…it’s an entire SNAKE of bubbles! Super FUN.
23. Make Homemade Bouncy Balls via Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas
Make these bouncy balls using basic ingredients at home, and then take them outside for some fun bounce time.
24. Flower Painting via Nurture Store
Have your child pick out his/her favorite flower in your backyard, and then do a little flower painting! Such a unique idea.
25. DIY Homemade Wind Chimes via Hands On As We Grow
Guide kids in making their own handmade wind chimes! These look like so much fun and it’s a perfect outdoor activity.
26. Outdoor Water Painting via Tinker Lab
Let your kid get creative by painting with water on the outside sidewalk, tiles, deck, and other surfaces. The best part? NO MESS.
27. Paper Plate Frisbees via Crafts by Amanda
Another great craft activity that provides ongoing hours of fun after the finished product is made. Kids can get as creative as they want.
28. Catch the Comet Game via Crayola
This looks like a fun DIY game, and it’s easy to make for almost no cost at all. Just save an old milk jug!
29. Turn Your Deck Into a Board Game via Design Dazzle
Oh my goodness does this ever look COOL?! Wow — what an awesome idea!
30. Make Giant Bubbles via Busy Kids Happy Mom
I’m not sure which is better — this one or the bubble snake! Both are super cool for any bubble-loving kid. And this giant bubble recipe is so easy to make!
31. Toddler Color Hop via Learn Play Imagine
For the younger kids, this is a great color recognition activity that is also entertaining.
32. Edible Water Beads via Growing a Jeweled Rose
Kids love water beads, and this recipe is great because it’s completely safe to eat if younger kids try to go for the mouth. This is a great activity to take outside to avoid messes inside the house.
33. Make an Outdoor Tent via Kids Activities Blog
Here’s another great tent idea made from PVC pipe and sheets! So simple yet provides hours of fun.
34. Make a Pool Noodle Race Track via Ramblings from Utopia
This is an awesome way to use an old pool noodle, and kids will love it! Turn it into a race track for toy cars.
35. Outdoor Tic Tac Toe via Chicken Scratch NY
How creative and cute! Love this.
36. DIY Water Wall via Things to Share & Remember
This is such a cool idea, and it’s sure to entertain kids for a long while.
37. Ice Block Treasure Hunt via Macaroni Kid
Freeze some of your children’s favorite toys inside ice, and let them have fun hunting for them!
38. Balloon Dart Board via She Knows
So easy to make. Such a fun game!
39. Bean Bag Ladder Toss via Landeelu
Just set up your point targets on the rungs of a ladder and let the kids have their own game of bean bag toss.
40. DIY Slip ‘n Slide via Digital Misery
Save some money on a traditional slip ‘n slide and make it yourself with this easy tutorial!
41. DIY Sandbox via Stuff Parents Need
If you don’t have the money to build an official backyard sandbox, this is an awesome alternative for under $25!
42. Art on the Lawn via She Calls Me Mama Leisha
Spread out a sheet and let kids create their own art using paints!
43. Outdoor Play Boat from a Cardboard Box via Meri Cherry
Imagination takes the helm with this simple cardboard boat that provides hours of play!
44. Make Star Wars Lightsabers from Pool Noodles via Laughing Squid
This is a great idea! Kids can make their own lightsabers and go out back for some Star Wars style yard fighting. (Bonus: it’s “safe”…for the most part, anyway.)
45. Play Outdoor I Spy via Kids Activities Blog
This is a fun outdoor educational activity that requires no materials at all! And you can change up the theme or difficulty level any time you want.
46. Make Homemade Bird Feeders via National Audubon
Let kids help out with making bird feeders for your yard. Create a mini bird paradise. It’s so much fun watching birds come to the feeder each day!
47. DIY Hula Hoops via Six Sisters’ Stuff
Help your kids make their own hula hoops to play with outside!
48. Go on a Bug Hunt via No Time for Flash Cards
How fun and educational! Let your kids find and count bugs.
49. Chalk Dress-Up Dolls via The Iowa Farmer’s Wife
What a fun idea for little girls who love playing dress-up or love playing with dolls. It’s sort of a combo!
50. Frying an Egg Experiment via Growing a Jeweled Rose
This is always a simple and easy outdoor science experiment! The ultimate life question: is it hot enough outside to fry an egg on the sidewalk? 😉
What about you? What does your family do for fun? Do you have any tried and true outdoor kids activities that are sure to be a hit? Let’s hear in the comments!