Springtime Activities For Your Homeschool

"And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from
the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:"
~Genesis 1:14~

The first day of spring this year is on Tuesday, March 20th.  During the season of spring, there is rebirth, regrowth and renewal in the earth.  In this post, I will share a list of fun activities you and your student can do, including a few fun field trips that demonstrate these three concepts related to spring.


1.  Visit the Tulsa Zoo on April 6th-7th for Springfest.  Investigate the zoos in your area.  I am sure many of them have activities or events related to spring.

http://www.tulsazoo.org/events/springfest/

2.  Visit the Butterfly Jungle at the SanDiego Zoo on April 9th-May 8th.  This is something else you can explore at the local zoo in your area.  I know at one time they had a butterfly exhibit you could walk into in Tulsa.

http://www.sandiegozoo.org/butterflyjungle/

3.  Visit a local greenhouse to kick-off the spring regrowth activity of gardening. If you don't have a local greenhouse in your area, check out this virtual tour-

http://academic.kellogg.edu/herbrandsonc/bio111/greenhouse.htm

4.  Visit a local farmer's market and learn about fresh grown produce.  If you live on Oahu in Hawaii, there are many to choose from. (To combine #3 and #4 of my list, start your own garden.  If your children are small, start off small, teaching them about seeds and just grow one thing.)

http://kapiolani.hawaii.edu/object/farmersmarket.html

5.  Visit a farm.  During the spring many babies are born. Fresh produce is being grown.  One such farm can be found in McBee, South Carolina.  Students can pick their own container of fruit on the field trip.

http://www.macspride.com/

6.  Grow your own butterflies.  You can buy a butterfly garden at Insect Lore. We have actually done this in my house and it worked out beautifully.  It was very bittersweet releasing them when it was time.

http://www.shop-insectlore.com/Butterflies/

7.  Read children's literature that pertain to the season of spring.  One good choice would be Charlotte's Web by E.B. White. You can discuss seasons, including spring, while reading the book.  There are many, many lesson plans on the internet to go with this book.  Here's one-

http://staffwww.fullcoll.edu/janderson/children's%20lit/sample%20lesson%20plan.pdf

I hope this list has given you some ideas about what you can do to teach your child about spring.  Do your own research.  Find out what is available in your area.  Google "spring activities."  There are so many hands-on activities we can do to teach our children about the beautiful season of spring.  If you cannot go on any field trips, take one in your own backyard.  Get dirty!  Find out what is happening in nature right outside your home.

Have a beautiful spring everyone!
~Beth

“Winter is on my head, but eternal spring is in my heart.” 
― Victor Hugo