SPRING FUN HAS BEGUN!

SPRING has sprung! I know, I know, it made a very cold appearance, but it is here and we are celebrating. Check out these fun ways to welcome in spring and stay busy during spring break:

S: Scavenger Hunt! Every year we do a spring scavenger hunt. I equip my girls with a clipboard, pen (pencils break too easy), camera, and a checklist. We then have a great time wandering the neighborhood looking for signs that spring has arrived. If we can’t find them in our neighborhood, we’ll often hop in the car and expand our search area to include a favorite park. The girls take pictures as we find things and then check them off our list. Often we hang the pictures up on a signs of spring poster along with words that describe spring or quotes about our favorite things about spring.
These are the things on our scavenger hunt list: a robin, sprouts of grass, flowers that are sprouting or blooming, puddle of water, buds on trees or bushes, person in short sleeved shirt, people outside doing something active, open window
Click here for the city parks website for helpful ideas of fun places to conduct your search in Lincoln.

P: Picnic! Every year we celebrate spring’s arrival with a fun picnic. We get out our basket and blanket and have a fun lunch together (I usually let the girls pick the menu or even pack their own lunch. Sometimes we picnic in the yard, sometimes at a park, sometimes at or near daddy’s work, and sometimes (if the weather demands it) in our living room. We just enjoy marking the beginning of picnic season together.

R: Rain! Inevitably it rains a lot in early spring so we play a fun game to helps enjoy this necessary part of spring. It’s called “rain dance”. All you need is a hula hoop for each participant and a lot of energy! Each player places their hoop anywhere on the playing area. We love to play outside, but you can play inside too. Once the hoops are placed the leader, usually me, calls out “storm” and everyone scatters and keeps running or moving at least until I call out “rain dance”. Rain dance means you run to YOUR hula hoop pick it up and hula! Once your hoop falls to the ground, you can sit down inside it until “storm” is called again. Keep running and hula-hooping until you are all out of energy and remember rain really is a necessary part of spring.

I: Ice Cream! One of our very favorite things about spring ice cream, we love to make our own or stop by our favorite shop for a treat. My girls have already enjoyed “superman and bubble gum” and we are only 2 official days into spring! Click here for some fun and easy ice cream recipes or check out our favorite spot, Ice Cream Shoppe at 4500 S. 70th St. St. 112

N: New! Spring is all about trying new things. Rollerblading is our new thing this spring. My girls are fabulous and fearless at it. They strap them on, buckle their helmets and go rolling down the side walk hand in hand (they figured out it’s easier to balance if they hold on to each other)! I am still learning this sport and truthfully, my balance is terrible, so I usually just enjoy walking beside them! Take the new challenge this spring and get out and try something new.
If you want to try a new shop, click here for information about a great new bookstore in the creamery building downtown.
If you are looking to unleash your inner artist click here for the details on a great painting place.
If you want to skate, click here to check out a fun place to practice and rent the skates before you buy them!
It doesn’t matter what you try, just summon your courage and have a blast together trying something new and different.

G: Garden! I love, love, love to garden. One of my favorite things is tending our butterfly garden. Last year, we branched out and planted a small produce garden. We got a little crop and we learned a lot about planting and caring for a garden. The girls loved harvesting food to use for dinner. Check out this site for great tips on all kinds of gardens or this one to see the neat community gardens Lincoln has to offer. Remember, it doesn’t have to be big or full of food. Any kind of garden can become a great experience for your family this spring.

We hope you have a new spring in your step as you find fun ways to celebrate the arrival of this great season!