Spring Bucket List: 15 Fun Activities for the Whole Family!
Spring is almost here and we can’t wait for the warmer weather. We love a cozy day spent indoors watching movies and playing board games, but by the end of the winter, we’re itching to spend more time outside enjoying nature. For those of you who live somewhere with year-round sunshine – we’re jealous!
Here are 15 of our favorite springtime activities that the entire family can enjoy together:
Have a picnic. Pack yours and your kids’ favorite snacks, sunscreen, and blankets and head to a local park. Bring along a game or two for a day of outdoor fun.
Plant something. Get the whole family to try their hands at gardening. Plant flowers in your garden, in a pot, or at a local community garden. Or grow your favorite fruit or veggie then share in a sense of accomplishment when you include homegrown produce as ingredients in family dinner.
Go on a nature hike. Whether you live near the beach or mountains, you can always find somewhere new to explore.
Do some spring cleaning. We know what you’re thinking – that’s not a fun family activity! But it can be if you make a game out of it. Have kids fill up a bag with items to donate then reward them with a trip to get ice cream or their favorite restaurant. Check out this blog post for more info: Chores to do with Toddlers and How to Keep Your Sanity
Take your craft outside. Choose a craft from this list that the whole family can partake in. Bringing the supplies outside makes clean up easier!
Visit a farmer’s market. Choose ingredients for lunch then let kids help with the cooking.
Fly a kite. This old-school activity is perfect for a breezy day.
Ride a bike or learn how! (Don’t forget the helmets.)
Draw with chalk. Just a few sticks of colorful chalk can lead to hours of outdoor fun. Decorate the sidewalk or draw hopscotch in the driveway for added exercise.
Make a lemonade stand. Here’s an opportunity to teach your kids some business basics.
Try a new ice cream shop or make your own ice cream.
Go on an Easter egg hunt. Create your own or find one that’s put on in your neighborhood.
Feed the ducks at a nearby lake or pond.
Learn a new sport or activity. Baseball, rollerblading, mini golf? The options are endless.
Take family photos! Find the prettiest spring foliage and have fun getting the family dressed up for photos. Find a Bella Baby Photographer near you to capture the moment.
January Photography Contest
We love to show off the work of our amazingly talented photographers. Take a minute to enjoy the slideshow below. Check back each month to see more unique and beautiful photos. Congratulations to all winners and honorable mentions!
To get your own Bella Life or Bella Baby photos, contact us to see if we are in your area!
Our Favorite Resources for Working Moms
Going back to work, whether part-time or full-time, can be a challenge for new parents. Leaving your new little one for the first time is hard even if you think you’re prepared. We asked our community about their experiences.
Go easy on yourself.
“I just wish I had been a little easier on myself. You feel like you are failing at life because you miss your little one when you’re at work and feel like you are dropping the ball/not working to your potential when you are home,” says Sharon B.
“I didn’t really have a lot of support as a new mom so I would recommend leaning on family and friends a lot. It is better if they have kids and can truly understand what you are going through and what those first weeks/months are like for new parents. I used Baby Center and now I’m using The Bump’s app to keep me informed of milestones to watch out for articles to help me through different situations.”
Set realistic expectations.
Laura K. says, “What I wish I’d known and what I tell new-parent coworkers: your brain is TRASH when you first come back to work. It’s ok. It will return.”
Look into alternative childcare options.
There are some creative and lower cost methods of finding childcare. Consider family, friends, or neighbors first before paid alternatives. There might be a group of moms in your neighborhood who trade off watching each other’s kids.
Find out what resources are offered by your workplace – you might be surprised!
Laura K: “People help each other out with daycare and school recommendations, borrowing winter clothes for families temporarily in the area, suggesting nannies, clothing swaps, and even varsity-level pumping and milk storage advice (a lot of us travel internationally for work).”
Some of our Favorite Resources for Working Moms
- Care.com – Whether you’re looking for a full-time nanny or just someone to watch the kids during date night, this site makes it easy to find child care in your area.
- Baby Center – a great resource for all stages of pregnancy, postpartum, and infancy
- The Bump – We love this site – especially their parenting tools for tracking breastfeeding and baby’s sleep.
- Facebook groups! Search for your local neighborhood Moms group.
- The Longest Shortest Time Podcast – Listen to funny stories from other parents.
Flexible and Creative Career Opportunity with Bella Baby
If you’re looking for a creative and flexible career opportunity, we might have just the thing! Bella Baby is hiring new photographers. If you love snapping photos of your little one or have always thought you have an eye for photography, we would love to connect. From the start, we offer training, followed by professional development and quarterly workshops that educate and challenge you on various topics to help you grow as a photographer and become a role model and mentor to aspiring photographers. You will have the opportunity to work independently with a flexible schedule. We have openings all around the country.
Take a look and apply here.