29 Spring Outdoor Learning Activities for Kids with FREE Printable

From robins and rain showers to buds and butterflies, spring is filled with life and new beginnings. Spring is the perfect time to get outside and explore all that nature has to offer. This collection of 29 Spring Outdoor Learning Activities will keep kids screen free and exploring the world around them.

From arts and crafts and scavenger hunts to science experiments and sensory play, there is a variety of outdoor activities to choose from. Don’t be afraid to get a bit messy and enjoy all that spring brings.

As a mom and teacher, I know the benefits of being outside and spending meaningful time together in nature. Spring is the perfect time because it holds so many incredible things to find and explore.

Children are always keen to learn about the world around them. Being hands-on in nature is a great, meaningful way to learn. So get ready to squish in the mud, grow something beautiful and smash some flowers and berries.

I hope that you find lots of ideas from these outdoor education activities that inspire you to get outside today.

spring outdoor learning activities shows a pinterest pin collage

Challenge your children to spend time outside this spring by completing a choice board filled with outdoor education activities. A free printable choice board is available below the list of 29 Spring Outdoor Learning Activities.

Spring Outdoor Learning Activities – Arts and Crafts

Children create their own paint with this DIY nature paint activity. This is also a great learning experience for children to see and understand how clothing and materials were colored throughout history.

spring outdoor learning activities shows grass, dirt, berries, and purple flowers. — Homemade Paint Spring Outdoor Education

Swap out paper for leaves this spring with this collection of 7 easy leaf crafts that kids will love. It is a great way to get kids looking closely at all of the different shapes and colors of leaves.

spring outdoor learning activities shows a butterfly made from leaves and paint — 7 Easy Leaf Crafts for Kids

Children burn some energy while making a spring art activity. Go for a nature hike and collect some beautiful things from nature to then use for this art.

outdoor education with hammers on flowers — Hammering Flowers Art Activity

Go on a nature walk and collect some colorful things. Use them to create something beautiful with this hands-on flower craft.

nature craft shows fabric dyed from flowers and plants — Fun Spring Flower Craft

One of the first signs of spring are seeing and hearing the birds come back out. Have some fun thinking about all of the birds with these adorable, and simple clothes peg bird crafts for home or school.

outdoor education activity with clothes pin birds and booklet — Spring Bird Craft

Nature is filled with learning opportunities, and you can use flowers and grass to create beautiful art and even learn a language! Check out these fun examples in English, Chinese, and Korean!

outdoor education craft with flowers to print names and letters — Nature Letters

More ideas for creating some beautiful art. Use a hammer to get some of the color from leaves and flowers to create these process works of art.

nature craft shows a collection of colorful leaves and flowers — Hammer Nature Process Art

Spring Outdoor Learning Activities with Seeds

Don’t throw that paper out! Reuse old paper and grow something beautiful with this recycled seed ball activity. Kids will love the feel of the mushy, paper pulp as they create different shaped seed balls. Simply plant and watch grow!

spring outdoor learning activities shows a few sprouts coming from a paper mulch ball — Recycled Seed Ball Outdoor Education

Spring is the perfect time for planting flowers. Learn how to plant flowers the easy way with these DIY seed bombs.

activities for spring include a hand sprinkling seeds on dirt on a circular base — Seed Bomb Outdoor Activity

How adorable would these caterpillars be to see in your garden? Plant your seeds in a whole new way this year to create these slinky, adorable grass caterpillars!

outdoor education shows four long caterpillar critters that have grass growing out the back — Grass Caterpillars

Plant a garden with children in the spring. Involving children in the process of planting seeds and taking care of the plants as they grow is an important learning experience that children will remember forever. Try planting peas with kids this spring!

outdoor activities shows a pinterest pin of how to plant peas with kids — Plant Peas with Kids

Dandelions are all over the place throughout the spring. Make a learning experience out of them with this dandelion life cycle activity. It is simple to do and will encourage children to look at and understand the different stages of a dandelion’s life.

science for kids shows a plate with six pieces of dandelions at various stages of growth like a life cycle — Dandelion Life Cycle

Make your own personal garden and watch it grow all summer long with this easy DIY terrarium!

science experiment for kids shows a plant growing in a pop bottle — DIY Soda Bottle Terrarium

What happens when you plant birdseed? This is a great experiment for inquiry based play.

outdoor education for kids teach kids with this pot with soil and bird seed — Planting Birdseed

I always love growing sunflowers. They are beautiful and easy! Plus, they tend to grow even if you forget to water them – or if they get overwatered, which is great for young gardeners. These step by step instructions will make growing sunflowers easier then ever!

spring outdoor learning activities shows a sunflower — Growing Sunflowers

Spring Science Experiments for Kids

Give kids a great sensory experience as they run around outside in their socks. This fun STEM activity will teach kids about how seeds can travel.

science experiment for kids shows two socks that look dirty and a pink spray bottle — How Seeds Travel Science for Kids

Any time of year, an explorer kit will make a child feel like a real scientist. Whether spring or fall, create a beautiful nature kit with children to use and explore nature.

outdoor learning activity for kids shows a suitcase with nature supplies inside and it is handmade — DIY Nature Explorer Kit

April showers bring May flowers! Beautiful flowers are a sign of spring. Try this science experiment using a handful of flowers. This experiment is beautiful to watch as the flowers change color. Show children how flowers and plants ‘drink’ water with this hands-on experiment. Free printable worksheet available.

spring outdoor learning activities shows a collection of multicolored flowers — Simple Flower Science Experiment

Spring Outdoor Learning Activities with Sensory Play

Get your hands dirty with this mud meatball activity. This is a great twist on classic mud pies. Hands are definitely going to get dirty, but it is worth it with this hands-on sensory activity.

spring outdoor learning activities shows two little hands holding a mud ball — Mud Sensory Play Outdoor Education

What better way to explore spring flowers then with this hands-on flower soup activity? Use a few materials from around the house for this sensory play.

sensory play shows two children playing with in a bucket of water and flowers — Flower Soup

Dandelions are one of the first signs of color during spring – find out some fun ways to use them in crafts and cooking with the kids! Get hands-on and look at dandelions in a whole new way with all of these activities.

outdoor activity shows a child blowing on a dandelion — Dandelion Activities

Continue your time in nature even after you get back home with this fairy forest nature play invitation activity. Allow children to collect any materials from nature that they find interesting and add some play dough to their collection.

With all of the nature items and play dough, children create a fairy forest or another small world play creation.

invitation to create a small world using items found in nature and play clay — Fairy Forest Nature Play

Spring Outdoor Learning Scavenger Hunts

Celebrate Earth Day this spring with this exciting Earth Day scavenger hunt. Children search nature for various clues. With each clue they find they also learn a little bit about taking care of the earth and what they can do everyday to help! A free printable activity sheet for children to following along with the activity is available.

outdoor learning shows a face on a tree — Earth Day Scavenger Hunt with Free Printable

Go on a scavenger hunt around the house, or school, with this FREE printable Earth Day scavenger hunt. Celebrate Earth Day any day this spring!

Grab a magnifying glass and have children explore all of the new life that spring brings. This is a great chance to talk about camouflage and other new things to find in nature.

outdoor education for kids shows three children bent over looking through a microscope — Camouflage Nature Hunt

A classic backyard scavenger hunt is an easy way for children to explore outside and all of the new life that spring brings. A free printable is available on the site below.

printable worksheets for outdoor education shows a spring backyard scavenger hunt worksheet — Spring Outdoor Scavenger Hunt

Go on a scavenger hunt to collect everything you need to create a bird’s nest of your own. This is a great way for children to experience what birds do to create their nest out of things available to them in nature.

spring outdoor learning activities shows a child looking at a robin and its nest that has been handmade — Build a Nest Scavenger Hunt

Look for the classic signs of spring with this spring scavenger hunt, and free printable. It is perfect for young children and ideal for classroom or home use.

outdoor education show clipart of a child holding flowers and a spring scavenger hunt sheet — Spring Scavenger Hunt

If you aren’t sure what to do this spring, but want to spend time outside, make sure to check out this Free Spring Bucket List filled with creative activities to do outside this season.

outdoor education shows 6 collaged photos of children play and doing spring activities — Spring Outdoor Learning Activities Bucket List

Encourage children to take a closer look specifically at their spring garden with this free garden scavenger hunt sheet. From a watering can to a caterpillar, find everything connected to gardening!

Spring Outdoor Learning Activities

Taking learning and play outside has endless benefits and is a great way to create memories together. Go on a hike and spend the morning collecting materials for one of the art activities listed above and then spend the afternoon working on the art.

There are so many thing to discover in spring. It is a season of new beginnings and children are often excited to get back outside after a cold winter. I hope that the 29 Spring Outdoor Learning Activities above have given you some ideas to try with your children at home or school.

FREE Outdoor Learning Activities Printable

When you have ideas and plans it is easier to get outside and spend time in nature. Subscribe to gain access to Hands-On Teaching Ideas Outdoor Activities for Kids choice board. Filled with a variety of hands-on activities to be done outside.

Use materials and things found in nature, or no materials at all to complete the activities. This choice board is also a great option to challenge your students or family to complete the choice board during the spring season.

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Printable Spring Escape Room

Escape rooms for kids are an easy and exciting way to mix learning with play. With this Spring + Easter printable escape room you can enjoy the outdoors while celebrating the season. Simply print and set up and kids will work to solve all of the puzzles and find their way to the end.

This escape room also works well as a fun way to celebrate Easter.

More Hands-On Teaching Ideas

As children grow they are eager to learn about the world around them. Make it fun and engaging with more hands-on teaching, and learning activities. From backyard escape rooms and more outdoor education ideas, to spring science experiments with eggs and Earth Day printables, there is lots to keep kids busy and engaged.