Somehow it’s already spring and the kids are bouncing off the walls waiting for warmer weather!
Between soccer practice pickups, my oldest’s sudden obsession with some new TikTok dance, and trying to keep the cat from knocking over everything in sight, I’ve been collecting activities that actually keep my girls entertained for more than 10 minutes.
Spring break is coming up which means I need SERIOUS backup plans or we’ll all lose our minds.
My husband just told me he’s got another out-of-town job that week (of course) so it’s just me and three energetic girls with no school to tire them out.
I’ve tested these spring activities with all three kids – even got my oldest to put down her phone, my middle one stopped talking about becoming a vet for five minutes, and my little one made only a reasonable mess.
That’s basically the parenting trifecta in my book!
Some require a bit of prep but nothing crazy complicated.
Trust me, if I can throw these together between making lunches and finding missing soccer cleats, anyone can!
Plus I have my plan for those hot days with summer activities!
1. Coffee Filter Butterflies
Need a spring activity that doesn’t create chaos?
Coffee filter butterflies have saved my sanity more times than I can count!
You’ll need:
- Coffee filters
- Washable markers
- Spray bottle with water
- Pipe cleaners
- Newspaper (trust me on this!)
Have kids color all over the coffee filters.
My little one uses every color imaginable while my nature-loving middle child sticks to “camouflage colors.”
Fold the filter in half, then spray with water. The colors blend together like magic! Even my oldest thinks this part is cool.
Let them dry completely (we hang ours over the bathtub with clothespins).
Pinch the middle, wrap a pipe cleaner around for the body, leaving ends up for antennae.
That’s it!
They look impressive hanging in windows where light shines through.
This keeps my youngest busy for at least 30 minutes, especially when I let her do the spraying (with supervision – learned that lesson!).
Best part? Easy cleanup! Unlike the slime incident we don’t talk about…
2. Color Changing Flowers
Need a low-effort activity that keeps kids checking back all day? These color-changing flowers are perfect!
You’ll need:
- White flowers (carnations work best)
- Food coloring
- Small cups or jars
- Water
Cut stems at an angle (my middle child loves doing this part).
Fill cups with water and add different food coloring. My youngest always insists on rainbow colors.
Place flowers in cups and wait!
The magic happens over several hours as the flowers drink up the colored water and petals change color.
My science-loving middle child is obsessed with this experiment. We even split one stem and put each half in different colors – made a two-tone flower!
Takes literally 5 minutes to set up but entertains them for days as they check progress. Perfect for spring break when you need activities that don’t require constant supervision.
Just keep the cups away from your cats! Learned that lesson when Pepper knocked over blue water all over our counter last year.
3. Paper Bag Kites
Looking for a quick outdoor activity? These paper bag kites take minutes to make but keep kids running for hours!
You’ll need:
- Paper lunch bags
- String (3 feet per kite)
- Markers/crayons
- Tape
- Streamers or ribbon
Let kids decorate their bags.
My youngest covers hers in flowers while my middle child turns hers into animals.
Tape streamers to the bottom for the tail.
Poke two small holes near the open end of the bag (I do this part for my little one).
Thread string through both holes, tie it, and leave a long end for flying.
Head outside on a breezy day and watch them run! The bags catch air and float behind them like real kites.
My girls spent almost two hours with these last weekend while I actually got to drink my coffee while it was still hot!
Works for all ages – even my oldest made one with some “cool” designs.
Perfect for those spring days when everyone needs fresh air but you’re out of ideas.
4. Bubble Art
Need an outdoor activity that creates actual frame-worthy art? Bubble prints are always a hit!
You’ll need:
- Dish soap
- Water
- Food coloring
- Small cups
- Straws
- White paper
- Something to cover your surface (non-negotiable!)
Mix dish soap with water in cups. Add different food coloring to each.
Place paper on your covered surface (we use an old shower curtain in the yard).
Kids dip straws in the mixtures and blow bubbles onto the paper. When they pop, they leave amazing colorful prints!
My youngest thinks it’s magic. My middle child gets all scientific about bubble size. Even my oldest admits they’re “actually aesthetic” (highest compliment possible).
Fair warning: kids will get soaked and colorful!
But the artwork is gorgeous enough to display.
Perfect for warm spring days when you can handle some mess for the sake of an hour’s entertainment!
Just keep cats away – Sage ended up with a blue nose last time she tried to attack the bubbles!
5. Paper Squishies
Looking for a cheap activity that keeps little hands busy? Paper squishies are my girls’ latest obsession!
You’ll need:
- Paper
- Markers/crayons
- Scissors
- Tape or glue
- Cotton balls or tissue paper
Draw two identical shapes for each squishy.
Decorate both pieces, then tape or glue around the edges leaving a small opening.
Stuff with cotton balls or crumpled tissue paper, then seal completely.
That’s it! Perfect for rainy spring days when everyone’s stuck inside.
My girls made about 15 of these last weekend when soccer got cancelled.
They even trade them with friends – apparently there’s a whole paper squishy economy in the 3rd grade!
Best part? When they inevitably get lost or destroyed, no problem! Just make more without spending a dime.
The cats are weirdly scared of them which is an unexpected bonus in our house.
6. Sugar & Glue Crystals
Want to turn ordinary rocks into sparkly treasures?
This sugar crystal trick is so simple!
You’ll need:
- Rocks (collected from outside)
- White school glue
- Sugar
- Food coloring (optional)
- Wax paper
Clean rocks and let dry completely.
Mix glue with food coloring if you want colored crystals.
Paint glue onto parts of rocks where you want crystals.
While still wet, sprinkle sugar generously over the glue areas.
Let dry overnight on wax paper.
Shake off excess sugar in the morning and you’ve got “crystal” formations that look surprisingly like real geodes!
My middle child (the future vet who collects everything from nature) thinks these are almost as cool as her real rock collection.
They make great decorations but keep them inside – they’ll dissolve if they get wet!
And maybe don’t mention they’re made with real sugar unless you want your little ones trying to taste-test them like mine did!
7. Chalk Pastel Galaxy Art
Looking for art that’s actually impressive without being complicated? These chalk pastel galaxies are always a hit!
You’ll need:
- Black construction paper
- Chalk pastels
- Cotton balls for blending
- Hairspray (optional)
Start with black paper as your night sky.
Use white, purple, pink and blue chalk pastels to create swirls across the paper.
Blend everything with fingers or cotton balls – the messier the better!
Add stars by flicking white chalk against your finger or using a white gel pen.
Optional: Lightly mist with hairspray to set (outside or in well-ventilated area).
My middle child adds “scientific accuracy” to hers with constellations while my little one just loves getting covered in colorful chalk dust.
Takes about 20 minutes but looks so amazing my oldest actually asked to keep hers in her room!
Warning: chalk dust gets EVERYWHERE so wear old clothes and maybe do this outside if weather permits!
8. Water Gun Painting
Looking for an activity that combines art AND water play? Water gun painting is hands-down the most fun we’ve had making art outside!
You’ll need:
- Water guns (dollar store ones work fine)
- Liquid watercolors or food coloring mixed with water
- Large white paper
- Tape or clothespins
- Old clothes (this gets messy!)
Attach paper to a fence, tree or easel outside.
Fill water guns with different colors.
Let kids stand back and squirt their masterpieces onto the paper!
The colors splatter and blend creating amazing abstract art. My youngest gets completely soaked but creates the coolest paintings.
My middle child turns it into “target practice art” while my oldest somehow makes designs she claims are “actually aesthetic.”
Perfect for hot spring days when you need an activity that burns energy and creativitiy at the same time.
9. DIY Scratch Art
Ever bought those expensive scratch art sheets only to have them used up in minutes? Make your own for pennies with this super easy project!
You’ll need:
- White cardstock or heavy paper
- Crayons (the brighter the better)
- Black acrylic paint or black oil pastel
- Dish soap (tiny amount)
- Paintbrush
- Toothpicks or paperclips for scratching
First, have kids color the entire paper with bright crayons. Press hard and use lots of different colors! My youngest loves covering every inch with rainbows.
Once completely colored, mix a few drops of dish soap with black acrylic paint (helps it stick to the waxy surface).
Paint over the entire colored paper with the black paint mixture. Let dry completely.
Now for the magic part! Use toothpicks or unbent paperclips to scratch designs into the black surface, revealing the colorful layer underneath.
My middle child spends forever making detailed animal drawings. My oldest even made some cool geometric patterns that actually looked really impressive.
This keeps them busy MUCH longer than store-bought scratch art and costs practically nothing to make a bunch.
We made these on a rainy Saturday and it kept all three girls entertained for almost two hours! That’s practically a lifetime in mom-minutes.
Just be careful with the black paint on clothes – maybe use old t-shirts or smocks if your kids are mess-magnets like mine!
10. Paper Heart Flowers
Looking for a cute spring craft that’s not too complicated? These 3D heart flowers are adorable and even my craft-challenged self can make them look good!
You’ll need:
- Colored paper
- Scissors
- Glue or tape
- Green pipe cleaners (optional)
Cut out 5-6 heart shapes of the same size.
Fold each heart in half vertically (round parts meeting).
Apply glue to one half of a folded heart.
Press against half of another folded heart.
Continue adding hearts in a circle until you form a flower.
Add green pipe cleaners as stems if you want.
These look adorable displayed in a small cup or vase! My girls made a whole bouquet for their grandma who thought they were store-bought.
Even my craft-resistant oldest thought these were “actually kind of cute” – which is basically a five-star review from a tween.
Perfect for those days when you want something that looks fancy but doesn’t require complicated supplies or steps!
More Easy Spring Activities for Kids to Make
Looking for even MORE spring activities? Here’s another batch because my first list got used up faster than expected!
My three girls have already blown through all those coffee filter butterflies and bubble art projects, and we’ve still got plenty of spring break left!
These additional ideas use mostly stuff you already have at home (because who has time for craft store runs between soccer practices?).
Some are messy, some are calm, but all have kept my kids entertained long enough for me to enjoy at least half a cup of coffee while it’s still warm!
11. Flower Petal Perfume
Collect fragrant petals, soak in water overnight, strain into small spray bottles. My oldest surprised me by loving this “science experiment” and now sprays her concoction everywhere.
12. Mud Paint Masterpieces
Mix different colors of dirt with water for natural paint. Use on thick paper for amazing textured art. Warning: my youngest turned herself into a mud monster, but the shower was worth it!
13. Snail Racing Arena
After finding garden snails, my girls created elaborate race tracks with cucumber finish lines. Who knew watching snails could entertain them for an entire after
14. Shadow Art Time Capsule
Place objects on construction paper in morning sun, trace shadows, then again later. Shows how sun position changes! My science-loving middle child documented this for days.
15. DIY Bubble Wands
Bend pipe cleaners and wire hangers into crazy shapes. The giant bubbles from a hanger wand amazed even my “too cool” oldest daughter.
16. Backyard Sound Map
Sit quietly outside with paper, mark sounds they hear and where they come from. My usually noisy bunch actually stayed silent for 15 minutes straight!
17. Natural Tie-Dye
Use beets, spinach, turmeric to dye old t-shirts. Less predictable than store kits but the girls loved the “kitchen science” aspect.
18. Stick Raft Races
Collect sticks, build mini rafts with string, race them in gutters or streams after rain. The competition got fierce with my competitive soccer players!
19. Fairy House Construction
Not just any fairy house – challenge kids to use only materials within 10 feet of where they’re standing. My youngest built an entire fairy neighborhood with elaborate backstories.
20. Dandelion Slime
Add dandelion heads to clear slime for a spring twist. The yellow petals create a cool speckled effect that my middle child insists looks like “actual biological specimens.”
21. Melted Crayon Suncatchers
Shave crayon bits between wax paper, iron (parent part), then cut into shapes. Hang in windows for rainbow light! Even my tween thought these were “actually pretty cool.”
22. Bug Vacation Resort
Create luxury “bug hotels” from recycled materials. My wildlife-obsessed middle child added “room service” (leaves) and “pool areas” (bottle caps with water).
23. DIY Sundials
Plant bean seeds against glass jar sides with wet paper towels. Watch roots grow daily! My youngest named each seedling and gives them pep talks.
24. Puddle Maps
After rain, trace neighborhood puddle shapes on paper. Return days later to see which remained. Turned into a whole science investigation about evaporation rates!
25. Rock Balancing Challenge
Find flat rocks and see who can stack the most. Requires surprising focus and patience – even got my phone-addicted oldest outside for an hour!
26. Shadow Tag
Instead of tagging people, step on their shadows! Perfect for sunny spring days when regular tag seems boring. Burns so much energy!
27. Natural Obstacle Course
Use ONLY what’s in your yard – no bringing out equipment. My girls created courses using trees, garden edges, and even poor Pepper who became an unwilling “hurdle.”
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