Spring into Family Fun! 
After experiencing a very cold February with temperatures below zero, many of us are looking forward to the change in seasons. The good news is the first day of spring is March 20th and daylight saving time begins March 14th when we move clocks forward one hour. The change in seasons will bring us warmer temperatures and more daylight hours. It also brings us new ways to spend time with our children.

Spring provides us with natural activities that we can use to have fun and teach our children. During springtime, the landscape changes colors, and new growth is seen on trees and plants. The weather changes to more warmth, wind, and rain. Insects begin to appear and baby animals are born. All these new changes provide families with an opportunity to teach children a variety of concepts around spring. 

You can learn and explore with your child by participating in the following activities:
Nature Walk
As you take a walk with your infant or toddler explore the leaves, twigs, and flowers. Name the items and describe their color and texture. With preschool children, you can expand their learning by counting and sorting the items you collect along the way. Families can also play guessing games like, “I see something that flies, likes flowers, and starts with the /b/ sound. What is it?”
Read Books
There are many different books about spring concepts. Books introduce children to many new words and help children understand the natural things they see and experience. Reading together is also an enjoyable way to spend time together while promoting pre-reading skills. Click here for a suggestion of spring books to purchase or look for at your library.
Experiment
Extend your child’s learning with hands-on activities. If you read a book about seeds or planting, then plan a time to plant a seed and discuss what a seed needs to grow. On a windy day, introduce younger children to the wind as you blow bubbles and expand with older children by discussing which direction the wind is blowing. You can line up items of different weights and have your child predict if the wind will be strong enough to move them. 
Incorporate Spring Concepts
As you play, you can use spring concepts to engage in a variety of activities. You can encourage movements like hopping like a bunny or wiggling like a worm as you get the mail or pick up toys. You can use parts of flowers or trees for art projects.
Ask Questions
As you play, read and experiment with your child ask some open-ended questions to encourage their language and thinking skills. These are questions that involve more than a one-word answer like “Yes” or “No”. Click here to learn four open-ended questions you can ask your child.
For more ideas on springtime activities to do with your child, click on the following links:
Reminder: Closely supervise your infant and toddler during activities that involve small parts which are considered choking hazards. Consider offering a similar item larger in size.
Happy Spring!