Hey guys! I have definitely been slacking on posting regular blog posts since the quarantine started! So, to make up for it, I’m giving you guys free 2020 calendar printables for the rest of the year!
Am I the only one who feels like they can’t keep up even though we’re home literally all of the time? I hope not, because I’ve been SO overwhelmed. Between working from home and having all of the kids home, it’s been chaotic around here.
I’ve honestly been enjoying it, though. We’ll likely never get another chance to be home with our families for so long. I’m trying to embrace every minute of it, although that’s easier said than done.
Even though I’ve been feeling overwhelmed, I have still been super productive in other ways. These 2020 calendar printables are one instance of my productivity. Normally I’m making them the week before the month begins!
Free Calendar Printables
Alright, here are the next seven months worth of 2020 calendar printables. No download necessary, you can just right click and save the image. Feel free to share them with everyone you know, too! 🙂
Use The Calendar Printables For Many Purposes
The reason I make my own calendar printables rather than just buying a calendar is because I use them for multiple purposes.
Each month, I print four copies of the same calendar. I use one to track our monthly bills, then another to track my blog schedule. The third copy is to keep track of parenting time, and the fourth is to plan dates with parents.
I’ve been thinking about doing a 5th calendar to keep track of freelance writing deadlines and things for my regular job. I keep all of these inside of page protectors in a small binder to stay organized.
What would you use the 2020 calendar printables for? Which one is your favorite? My favorite is definitely July! Drop a comment and let me know. 🙂
Hey everyone! I hope you’re all staying healthy and safe. If you’re an essential employee, thank you for running things! Everyone else, please stay home so we can get the world running normally again ASAP! You can occupy yourself while you’re at home by printing and filling out the April 2020 calendar that I’m sharing below!
If you need some ideas for how to keep your kids busy during this social distancing quarantine, I wrote a blog post full of fun ideas to keep kids busy. Some of the ideas will require assistance, but many of them can be done by the kids alone while you work or get some alone time.
Now, back to that printable April calendar that this post is all about. I create these printable calendars each month for my own use, but I’ve been thinking about what a waste it is to not share them with my readers!
They can be used to keep track of parenting time, blog posts, social media posts, family or school events, dinner plans, bills, and so much more. I left the title spot blank so you can fill it in as needed.
Feel free to download this printable and share it with anyone who may need a calendar in their life. I sometimes even print a copy for my littles so that they can become familiar with calendars and filling them out.
Printable April Calendar
I’ve left the image as the full size image here, so all you have to do is right click and hit ‘save’. Who needs complication in their lives right now!? Definitely not me, so I wanted to make this easy on you.
What will you use your printable April calendar for? I use 3 copies of this to keep track of things, will you be doing the same? Leave a comment and let me know!
One of my New Year’s resolutions was to create a simpler chore chart than what I’d previously been using. My original one was literally four pages long. Well, when I decided to buckle down and create the simple chore chart I was wishing for, I decided to come up with one other freebie, bringing you the two free printables I’m sharing today.
Simple Chore Chart Printable
The first printable, the easy chore chart, is intended to make it easier for my kids to get their chores done each day.
I wasn’t kidding when I said my original chore chart was four pages long. It definitely didn’t make it easy for the kids to pick chores each day, and it definitely didn’t inspire motivation.
Luckily, the new one has been a much bigger hit. It makes it easier to keep up on chores, and the kids know exactly what they should be doing that day.
I’ve noticed that the chores are getting done more quickly, sometimes before I even make it home from work.
Paycheck Budget Printable
Since I was simplifying my life with the chore chart, I was inspired to simplify my budgeting method, as well.
Before, I had been writing my budget out on notebook paper every single pay period. Not a very organized method, I admit. It worked for me for a while, but I needed something a bit easier to wrap my head around.
I have a master list of when all of our bills are due, and each week I sit down to plan out what will need paid that week. I do this before I get my paycheck, and then the day I get paid, I reference my list and pay everything.
This printable can be used for weekly or bi-weekly budget planning and monthly budgeting, whichever you prefer.
In “other expenses” I put things like food, gas, and cheerleading (which we pay weekly). In the “savings” section I put upcoming holidays and our emergency fund, which I distribute money to weekly, as well. “Extras” is for any extra money I’m putting towards debt.
Then, the final box titled “leftovers” is to figure out what I’m left with at the end of the pay period. I take our total income and subtract the total amount of money going out.
Final Thoughts
Printables make my life so much easier, and simple printables are essentials. I can’t keep up with multiple pages for a budget or chore chart. I need simple ones that allow me to keep all of my thoughts on that one page.
What do you think – do free printables help you simplify your life?
MLK Day is approaching and as I was planning a Martin Luther King Jr craft and activity, I decided to quiz my kids a little to see what they knew about him. My littles really had no idea and their answers were as follows:
5: I saw him at my school once. Me: Like, a picture of him? 5: No, the real him. Me: I don’t think that was him, kiddo, Martin Luther King Jr isn’t alive anymore.
4: Umm, I knew when I was a baby but I forgot now.
2: I see those M&M’s mom. Can I have an M&M, please?
With those kinds of answers, our 12 year old was on his own. He was the most knowledgeable, of course, and gave us the run down. In case your kids are still a little too young to already know, here is a run down you can summarize for them.
Who is Martin Luther King Jr?
Reverend Martin Luther King Jr had a dream of equality and worked hard to make that happen in America. As a husband and father of four, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr wanted his children to live in a world where they wouldn’t be judged by the color of their skin.
To give his kids the life he dreamed for them, MLK lead the civil rights movement by leading peaceful protests, marches and bus boycotts. His most famous march was the March on Washington where he gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech in front of 250,000 people.
He went on to receive the Nobel Peace Prize and, after he died, the Congressional Medal of Freedom. Since 1983, we celebrate MLK Day in honor of his birthday. While his birthday was the 15th of January, however, we observe MLK Day on the 3rd Monday in January.
Martin Luther King Jr Book
We started our MLK activities with a book called Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It focuses on the dream idea and kids in the book tell what their dreams are. I think it really helps kids understand that Martin Luther King’s Dream speech wasn’t about dreams when you’re sleeping because my littles struggled with that at first.
Our craft, like the book, went with the dream idea.
Materials:
Blue cardstock or construction paper
White paper
Glue sticks
Markers
Glitter
Directions
1. Cut the blue paper in half
2. Cut out a cloud from the white paper.
3. Write the dream on the cloud
I wrote Josie and Liam’s for them. Syas insisted on doing his own and who am I to say no, so a translation is on the back. He dreamed that everyone would be nice. Liam was just not participating well and only wanted the M&M’s that we were going to use on the experiment.
4. Glue the cloud to the blue paper, leaving space at the top to write.
5. Write “I have a dream…” at the top of the blue paper, above the cloud.
6. Add glitter.
Martin Luther King Jr Experiment
I’ve seen so many of these experiments that use one brown egg and one white egg, but since my little guy has an egg allergy I needed a different option. We decided to use some Christmas M&M’s we had leftover. You could use any color M&Ms, and I honestly would have preferred using a regular pack with more colors.
In the first box of the printable, the kids laid out their different coored M&Ms and drew what they saw. Then, they took one bite of each M&M and put them in the second box where they drew what they saw on the inside.
Once they were done, we talked about how, like M&Ms, we all look different on the outside but the same on the inside. The kids loved this and really seemed to get it!
Heres the free Martin Luther King Jr printable that I created! Feel free to print it for personal use or to share.
Final Thoughts On Martin Luther King Jr Day Craft and Activity
I feel like Martin Luther King Jr Day doesn’t get enough attention sometimes, so I want to ensure that my kids know and understand the sacrifices Martin Luther King Jr made and how much courage he had. MLK changed America for the better and left us with an amazing message to pass on to our kids.
What do you and your family do to observe Martin Luther King Jr Day? Tell me about it in the comments.
I’ve always loved trivia so when I found out that January 4th is National Trivia Day, I knew I had to celebrate in some way. I decided to create a kids trivia printable, and then I became inspired to create one for adults, too! So — here are two free trivia printables.
Free Trivia Printables
Trivia for Kids
This printable is perfect for siblings or for parents to quiz their kids. You can even play parents vs. kids and read the kid questions to the kids and the adult questions (see below) to the adults.
The Answers:
1. How many points are scored during a touchdown in football? Answer – 6
2. Which famous painter cut off a part of his ear? Answer – Van Gogh
3. Which character’s nose grew bigger each time he lied? Answer – Pinocchio
4. What is the world’s largest mammal? Answer – Blue whale
5. What is a baby goat called? Answer – Kid
6. Where can you find the Eiffel Tower? Answer – Paris
7. What is the money called that is used in Germany? Answer – Euros
8. Who sings the song ‘Shake it Off’? Answer – Taylor Swift
9. Who was left alone in the movie ‘Home Alone’? Answer – Kevin
10. Who was the first president of the United States? Answer – George Washington
Trivia for Adults
For a night with friends or an easy date night with your partner, trivia is a fun way to spend your time together. This trivia printable has questions for everyone, so feel free to split up into teams and determine a winner at the end!
The Answers:
1. In which year was the first iPhone released? Answer – 2007
2. What is the shortcut for the “paste” function on a computer? Answer – Ctrl + V
3. In what year was Tupac killed? Answer – 1996
4. When did the Great Depression occur? Answer – 1930’s
5. What is the diameter of the earth? Answer – 8,000 miles
6. Where is the largest desert located? Answer – Antarctica
7. Which author first became a billionaire by writing books? Answer – J.K. Rowling
8. In which state did Roseanne and the rest of the Connor family live? Answer – Illinois
9. What is the Richter scale used for? Answer – Measuring earthquakes
10. On the TV show Family Ties, who did Michael Fox play? Answer – Alex P Keaton
My Favorite Trivia Games
Trivia is a common game night theme in our house, and we have two trivia games that we play over and over again.
I honestly couldn’t choose between the two, it really depends on who I’m playing with.
This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.
Final Thoughts: Free Trivia Printables
Trivia is such a fun game, and it’s a great way to bond with your kids, your spouse, or your friends. Do you like to play? Is there a certain trivia game you prefer? Tell me about it in the comments.
Fall is one of my favorite seasons… probably my most favorite if I’m being honest with myself. While I love all things summer, fall has a sweet place in my heart. It’s the first sign that the holidays are coming, there are so many fun things to do in the fall, and you’re not as likely to sweat your butt off doing outdoor activities. This fall bucket list will ensure you complete all of the wonderful fall activities you desire.
Cute clothes, warm drinks, family time, pretty leaves, football, getting cozy watching movies, pumpkin everything, apple everything else…. I could go on and on. I made a list of all the things I want to do this fall, and I decided to share my fall bucket list and printable with you!
This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.
25 Things to do This Fall: Fall Bucket List
1. Apple picking
Find a local apple orchard and make a day trip out of it! Bring home all the apples you need to make apple pie, apple crisp, apple strudel, apple bars, apple sauce… be prepared to share with your friends and family!
2. Pumpkin patch
This is another day trip you can do with your entire family. Not only can you pick out your own pumpkins, some pumpkin patches offer tractor rides and corn mazes.
3. Corn maze
There is nothing that says fall quite like a corn maze. I let my kids take turns picking which way to go, and it doesn’t always turn out well. It sure is fun, though, no matter how long it takes!
4. Tractor ride
Our favorite pumpkin patch offers a tractor ride that takes you to the corn maze. Convenient, right?!
5. Jump in leaves
This is one of the most simple and easiest fall activities you can do. You’ll feel like a kid again.
6. Fall photo shoot
Get your kids cute one day (or make yourself cute… no one said it has to be a kid photo shoot), and take pictures in the leaves. Get beautifully colored trees in the background, put some pumpkins in there… get creative! Fall offers all the free backdrops.
7. Haunted house
It’s not Halloween time without a haunted house. You can’t skip out on this one.
8. Halloween craft
My kids and I love to do crafts. I like to decorate my kitchen with crafts that they’ve made. It might look cluttered, but they love to see their artwork on display, and it really gives a festive feeling to the house.
9. Thanksgiving craft
Think turkeys and thankfulness… you can’t go wrong there. Use Thanksgiving craft time to talk to your kids about the meaning of Thanksgiving and how it originated.
10. Carve a jack-o-lantern
You didn’t go to the pumpkin patch just to look around, did you? Use those pumpkins for something scary!
11. Watch a scary movie
Better yet, make it a marathon with all your favorite snacks. I like to make this a date night for the hubby and I after our kids go to bed.
12. Go for a scenic walk & look at leaves
We love to take quick walks around our neighborhood in the evenings to look at the leaves changing and falling. Sometimes we head downtown and explore, as all of the businesses look so pretty when the leaves start to change in front of them.
13. Make home made soup
Nothing says fall like a bowl of hot soup. Find a new soup recipe, throw it in the crock pot, and have yourself a delicious fall meal.
14. Paint nails a fall color
Fall colors are so much fun and can really set the tone.
15. Watch It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown
This is a favorite to do with my kids!! We eat our favorite fall treats and cuddle up to watch together.
16. Bake pumpkin bread
Share some with your neighbors, friends, or family.
17. Make apple pie
Don’t share this. Keep it all to yourself. Just kidding, kind of.
18. Drink cider & eat donuts
You can’t have cider without donuts. Well, I guess you can, but it’s not the same.
19. Chili & football night
I choose a day when my husband’s favorite NFL team (even though the Raider’s suck) is playing for chili and football night. I also make a few yummy finger foods and get a variety of drinks so that everyone enjoys it… even my hubby when his team is losing.
20. Caramel apples
I’m really excited to do this. I’ve never done it with my kids before, and I plan on slicing the apples into wedges, putting them on skewers, dipping them in caramel and offering a couple candy options.
21. Read “October” by Robert Frost
This made the list because of my love for Robert Frost. I read it aloud to my kids, hoping to instill a love for his work in them, too.
22. Have a bon fire
Fall is bon fire season. Not too cold, but cold enough to enjoy sitting next to a hot fire. S’mores anyone?
23. Create a craft using materials from nature
Our favorite thing is to gather leaves from our yard to use for fall wreaths, sensory bottles, and just gluing onto paper.
24. Go for a nature walk
We like to find nearby trails that we can explore. If your kids are joining, do a nature scavenger hunt with them. You can make a list of items and challenge your kids to collect these while walking.
Your list can include small insects, flowers, and even stones. Add an exciting twist to the activity by allowing the kids to examine what they have gathered, and discover what these are made of through an easy-to-use kids microscope.
This activity is a great way to enjoy the outdoors while learning and having fun at the same time. Also, using a kids microscope would guarantee a 100% wow-factor for the whole family.
25. Donate to a food bank
Fall is the time to really show how thankful and appreciative you are of all you have and to give back to those who are less fortunate.
Free Fall Bucket List Printable
Final Thoughts On Fall Bucket List: Things to do This Fall
Printing this fall bucket list and displaying it on my refrigerator has gotten me so excited about fall. Next up, pulling out all of my fall decorations!
What is your favorite thing about fall? Tell me about it in the comments!
Can you believe summer is coming to an end and another year of school is upon us? Less than 3 weeks and my kids will be back to school again. Unlike many parents, I am so not happy about this.
I love having my kids home, as weird as that may be. Plus, my firstborn is starting kindergarten!! We have two older kids (bonus kids for me), so I’m definitely not new to back to school, but it’s different when you’re doing the kindergarten thing for the very first time.
Anyway, although I’m dreading the kids going back to school, I have to get ready for it regardless. I’m working on getting all 3 of the kids ready.
Nevaeh is going to be a sophomore this year, Peyton is starting 6th grade (his first year of middle school!!), and Sylas is starting kindergarten. Needless to say, we have quite the preparation ahead of us.
*This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.*
Ways to Get Ready For Back to School
1. Adjust bed time.
Summertime means staying up late… sometimes way too late. Back to school means a “normal” bedtime and waking up early. Bummer, right?
It’s another unfortunate aspect of back to school. To set your kids up for success, begin getting them back on their school schedule at least one week in advance.
2. Make a list of what you need.
Each grade requires different items but, for the most part, they all have similarities. Figure out what each of your kids needs (I found lists for my kids on their school’s website), and start making a list for yourself.
School clothes and shoes are other things you need a list for. I just went through my 5 year old’s closet to see how many pairs of jeans he has, how many t-shirts, etc. From there, I was able to determine how many new school clothes he needs.
3. Watch for back to school sales.
This year, Amazon has been my go-to. It’s actually become my go-to for pretty much everything, so you’re probably not surprised.
Seriously, though, you can find pretty much every brand and every price range on Amazon, and you can find awesome stuff that you can’t find in most stores.
4. Get into a routine.
This routine should be similar or exactly like the routine you use during the school year. My family got WAY off schedule this summer, so we have started our back-to-school schedule already! I just want them to be ready and start the school year on a good note.
Our back-to-school routine is more than just bedtime. It involves reading or writing around 4:00 pm, dinner at 6:00 pm, baths and stories at 7:00, and then bedtime (7:30 for the littles, a little later for our older kids).
5. Take your child to see their new classroom and meet their new teacher before the first day of school.
Most schools have open houses where this can happen but, if yours doesn’t, ask if you can bring your child in so that they are more comfortable on their first day of school.
6. Talk to them about all the exciting things they can look forward to.
Seeing their old friends, making new friends, field trips, recess, riding the bus, etc. Mention anything that excites your child about school.
7. Find another kid in your neighborhood who can be your child’s bus buddy.
With my little man starting kindergarten, I kept saying that I would never let him ride the bus. I feel that there isn’t enough supervision on buses and with him only being 5 years old, I still get a little bit crazy about how he is treated or if his feelings are hurt. (Don’t judge me, this is a judgment-free zone LOL!).
He reaaaaallly wants to ride a bus, however, and it would honestly make my life a million times easier. His big brother won’t be on that bus anymore since he is moving on to middle school, so I talked to another older kid in the neighborhood about keeping an eye on Sylas for me.
This other kid was actually really excited to help me out, and I think it made them feel even more mature. Plus, Sylas is excited to have a buddy on the bus already, especially since it is someone he has known (literally) his whole life and has looked up to.
Now, I’ll probably follow the bus to school the first couple of days, but at least I’m letting him get on it. 😉 The rest will be an adjustment for mama, later on, I suppose.
8. Discuss safety, bullying, respect, and other important topics with your kids.
When it comes to safety, you should make sure to talk about how to be safe on the bus, how to be safe when walking to school or to the bus, and even how to be safe in the classroom. Discussing bullying is SO important, as well, and I’m sure we all know why.
Talking to your kids about respect can cover almost any topic from following directions, respecting their teacher even when they disagree, respecting themselves and others, not doing gross things such as picking their nose, helping out when they see a need, etc. Whatever your definition of respect is, make sure you are instilling it into your children.
Bonus Tip
I have found that the best way to get kids in the back-to-school mindset is to get them their school supplies and back-to-school clothes. This gets them excited for the inevitable and helps them with the transition.
Back to School Checklist – Free Printable
Whatever grade your child is going into, I’ve got you covered. I created THREE free printables just for you guys, in order to make the process easier for you.
Click to enlarge
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Where to Buy Inexpensive (but great quality!) School Supplies
My go-to for everything else is, of course, my go-to for school supplies, too. Amazon has AMAZING back-to-school deals, and you can buy packages of school supplies that contain almost everything your kids will need. Check out some of the deals I’ve scored this year down below.
Final Thoughts On Ways to Get Ready For Back to School
The end of summer is approaching quickly, and now is the time to begin preparing. These tips for getting ready for should help you, and the printables will help you make sure you have everything that your kids need for the first day.
What tips would you add to this list? What school supplies would you add to the free printables? Let me know in the comments!!
Updated 9/20/2019 to add my Christmas gift to you – a free Christmas list printable!
As I was preparing for the upcoming holiday season, I decided I wanted to give my readers an early Christmas gift. I hope you and your children enjoy it!
Happy National Give Something Away Day!! Today I encourage you to find things in your home that you could do without and give them to someone who could use them. My kids and I will all be giving a few things away, but I also want to give something to all of my readers!
Have You Thought About Starting a Blog?
If you have ever thought about starting a blog but life got in the way, there is no better time than right now!! It’s not as hard as you think, and you can do things at your own pace. Trust me, I have 5 kids, work a job outside of my home, and I still find time to run this blog.
It’s so possible to have an awesome blog even with a busy life, and it’s FUN. When I have time to myself to relax, I choose to work on my blog. You won’t regret taking the plunge!
If you already have a blog or you decide to start one today, this blog checklist printable will be perfect for you! Now, this is the checklist I follow on a daily basis, meaning after work and spending time with my family. When I have some free time, I will likely spend way more time on each category.
Final Thoughts On National Give Something Away Day
Now, after you start your blog, download the printable, and get started on setting everything up, find something in your home to give to someone else. The things that get little to no use in your own home may make a huge difference in someone else’s life.
We get 18 delicious summers with our children. This is one of your 18. If that’s not perspective, I don’t know what is.”
-Jessica Scott
Believe it or not, summer will be here before we know it. My big kids only have one week of school left, and my preschooler has been done for almost two weeks now. Our summer shenanigans are so close to starting that I can already feel it, hence the need for a summer bucket list.
This is the first summer in 3 years that I haven’t been a stay at home mom, but that isn’t going to stop us from having all the same fun as usual. I just have to plan a little more strategically to get in all of the same activities. One bonus, though, is that since I’m working this year, we’ll have a little extra money to do stuff we’ve had to miss out on in the past.
Since my littles are getting older and are able to express what they want, I’m excited to get their input for our Summer Bucket List. If you have been following my blog already, you know that I love printables, so, of course, I have a printable for my kids to fill in their own bucket list.
I created these printables last year, and my littles were still too small to understand the concept of filling in their own. My big kids loved it, though, so we are just using the same one again this year. I’m hoping my littles (ages 5, 3, and 2, BTW) will love it just as much this time around.
Summer Bucket List Ideas
Go to the beach
Go to the zoo
Make lemonade
Have a water fight
Have a bonfire, roast hot dogs, and make s’ mores
See a dollar movie
Go to a splash pad
Have a cookout
Visit a nature center
Watch fireworks
Watch a parade
Catch fireflies
Visit a library
Go to a garage sale
Play soccer
Play mini-golf
Go camping
Make homemade pizza
Go on a trip
Summer Bucket List Printables
To start, I know these printables have more than 19 activities on them. I made them last year, and we loved them so much that I didn’t want to recreate a new one.
All 19 activities are on the list, so you can think of the rest of them as bonus activities. 😉 If you’d prefer to only do the 19, however, you can print a blank template and just write in the 19 activities to do this summer.
Since I have to plan a little more effectively this year, I created and printed some blank calendars for the summer months. I then looked at my summer bucket list and picked a date for each activity. I spread the activities out throughout the entire summer so that the fun can last the entire three months.
Final Thoughts On Things to Do This Summer – A Summer Bucket List
Summer may seem like it will go on forever, but it’ll be over before you know it. You only have three short months to make memories with your kids before they go back to school, start a new grade, and grow a year older. Make the most of it this year so that you can look back with no regrets. What activities do you make sure to do every summer with your kids?
Spring is FINALLY here and while the temperatures in Michigan still keep slipping into the high 30’s, I think we will soon get some relief. Since next week is supposed to be significantly warmer, I knew I had to move quickly and take the list of things to do this spring out of my notebook and turn it into an actual printable.
I swear, in Michigan, we get 6 months of winter temperatures, 2 WEEKS of spring temperatures, and then the summer temperatures come in full force. It’s a little insane if you think about it.
We have already knocked out a few of the suggestions on the list, but I had only been keeping track in my notebook before creating the free printable. My kids were super excited to check things off the list when I printed it to hang up, though, so I’m glad I let them take over with the tracking!
Anyhow, without further ado, here is the list of 30 things to do this spring:
Things to Do This Spring
1. Go on a nature scavenger hunt.
Sylas (4) LOVES scavenger hunts. Any type of activity where he has a to search, hunt, or follow a map is right up his ally. Since spring brings on a whole new range of textures, sights, and smells, I thought a nature scavenger would be best. This gives the littles a chance to explore the fresh earth and all that it has to offer.
A quick Pinterest post led me to the perfect nature scavenger hunt. I planned on creating one myself, but since this one was so perfect, I didn’t bother.
Spring is pretty breezy, which means it’s the perfect time to fly a kite. Find a spot that’s slightly higher than just a flat area of land, and the flight will soar so high.
We are lucky and have a park just minutes away from our house with a huge hill. My kids go to the top of the hill to fly their kites and from down below, it is pretty magical. When they do it, the kites rarely hit the ground, either, which is pretty awesome.
3. Play tag at the park.
It’s true that you can play tag at home without ever leaving the house, but it just isn’t as fun. By going to the park to play tag instead of doing it the usual way, you are allowing your children to play one of their favorite games in a totally new environment, and how cool will that be for them?!
4. Jump in puddles.
Make use of all the rain that spring brings with it, and have some fun jumping in those puddles. This is the perfect time to pull out the rainboots but, if you don’t have any or don’t feel like looking, just go barefoot!
5. Plant or tend a garden.
Believe it or not, kids LOVE to learn about the land we live on. This is the perfect way to allow them to learn, have fun, and do something productive. I have many flower gardens throughout our yard and half of them were planted by my kids over the last few years. It’s so much fun for the kids to see their hard work pay off when the plants grow into something beautiful.
You can plant flowers or vegetables. Kids tend to try new foods if they made them, so I’m thinking that if they were to plant and grow their own vegetables, they may be more likely to eat them? I’m not sure if that logic works but it’s worth a shot!
6. Have an ice cream bar.
On one of the warmer nights, set out the ingredients for an ice cream bar. This could include multiple flavors of ice cream, chocolate syrup, bananas, candy pieces, sprinkles, chocolate chips, cherries, whipped cream, and anything else that you enjoy on your ice cream. To make this one even more fun, you can take your kids to the store and let them choose their own toppings.
This may be one of the easiest suggestions on the list, to be honest. This is because it’s free, easy, and there is no prep work involved. You can take a walk around your neighborhood, or you can venture out and find some good hiking trails in your area.
8. Have a game night.
My kids LOVE game night. We get out all the kid games and play them one after another until the kids get bored or I bribe them with a movie. Come on… as much as we love game night, you have to admit that we can only settle so many arguments before we’ve had enough.
Anyhow, we choose some yummy snacks (mostly store bought, but we also let the kids choose a few homemade options).
9. Feed the ducks.
This is something that I have never done before, which is pretty crazy if you think about it. I’m super excited to take my kids to do it. There is this super cute park in my city that is pretty popular for feeding ducks (and it has a super old train that kids love!), so I plan on going there.
Now that I think about it, though, I don’t even know what to feed ducks. Is it bread? I’ll have to google that in a minute.
10. Have a barbeque.
Make sure it’s kid friendly! Unless you don’t have kids, that is. Then make it 100% grown up friendly. Since I have kids, however, mine will have to be kid friendly.
That means hotdogs, hamburgers, and lots of kid friendly side dishes. I’ll probably do this one with a bunch of the other outside, at home ones while the food is cooking. No one says you can’t combine multiple ideas from the list at one time. 😉
11. Spend time star gazing.
Honestly, I feel like I don’t spend enough time simply enjoying the outdoors, especially at night time. Instead, I go inside the minute the sun is gone, preferring the bright warmth of my home.
This spring I plan on changing that and enjoying nature a little more. Disconnecting for a while and spending calming time with my kids while learning about our world sounds so peaceful. I also have a star gazing book I’ve been dying to put to use, so this will be the perfect time for that.
12. Blow bubbles.
Kids love, love, love to blow bubbles. All ages. Take some time to do this WITH them, and they’ll love it even more.
13. Draw with sidewalk chalk.
This is the perfect time to practice letters, numbers, sight words, name recognition, and art. The possibilities with sidewalk chalk are limitless. You can also pull out some classic sidewalk chalk games such as tic tac toe and hopscotch. Another fun idea is to draw lines on the ground and have your kids walk on them.
14. Have a picnic.
Kick off your shoes, settle back on a blanket, and unpack your picnic basket. Kids love to have picnics, and it is the perfect time to simply talk and unwind with your littles.
15. Read books outside.
So this probably won’t go as planned, but I envision all of us sitting calmly, relaxing while reading books outside. My kids will probably run around instead, but it gives me a good excuse to read outside and maybe, just maybe, my kids will join me for a little while.
16. Play hide and seek outside.
Face it, everyone in your house knows all of the hiding places inside. It isn’t even fun anymore when you already know where to look. Take the game outside now that the weather is nice!! Set a few ground rules to ensure that everyone remembers to be safe, pair a grown up or big kid with the toddlers, and search for new hiding places!!
17. Watch the sunset.
Is there anything more relaxing and breathtaking than a sunset? End one of your perfect spring days this way, and invite your kids to enjoy it, too.
18. Have a movie night.
Make it complete with popcorn, movie theater candy, and a yummy drink. Let loose a little and let your kids have a fun night laughing at their favorite movie with you and their siblings. It’ll be a night they’ll remember for years to come.
19. Make a spring craft.
I never need an excuse to make crafts, and if you give me an excuse, I may go a little bit crazy. Spring is the best time to do crafts because you can get a little bit messier than normal by moving craft time outside.
Paint a little more, use nature-inspired items on crafts, and maybe even incorporate some ice cubes or squirt guns. Luckily, Pinterest has TONS of options to choose from, and if you follow me on Pinterest I have a board already dedicated to it.
20. Play catch.
Baseball, football, whatever kind of ball you’ve got… just get outside and play catch. So many memories and bonding moments can happen during these seemingly little moments.
21. Paint rocks outside.
Go on an adventure and find your own rocks to paint! This will make them even more special. When you’re done you can save them or head out and hide them around town for others to find later.
22. Run barefoot in the grass.
My kids have already done this a million times this spring, so I think I can cross it off now.
23. Look for shapes in the clouds.
This is another time to lay back, unwind, and give your kids a chance to talk to you. Even better, it may just be a good time to laugh and be silly with them.
24. Shaving cream play outside.
Wear play clothes (or work clothes if you’re an adult), and get messy with shaving cream. I intend to work on letters, numbers, and sight words with my kids, but I know it’ll eventually turn into kids being covered in shaving cream. If it’s warm enough, you can just use a hose to clean off.
25. Have a bonfire.
In the spring, the evenings can be pretty chilly, so after the sun sets, light a fire and put on a hoodie to stay warm. Make it an even better night by roasting some marshmallows and making s’mores.
26. Go to yard sales.
Yard sale signs are the first indicator that spring is here. Stop by a few and let your kids grab a couple toys that may or may not break by the end of the day. You might get lucky and find some super cute home décor, a new patio set, or something even better.
27. Have a toy car carwash.
Get some hot wheels cars dirty and let your kids clean them with toothbrushes, soap, and water. If your kids are anything like my kids, they LOVE water play. Add in some cars and soap and it’s going to be the best day ever.
28. Watch a sports game.
This should be easy to do if you just hit up your local sports field on a Saturday morning. You’ll likely find soccer, baseball, tennis, or track this time of year.
If you have kids in spring sports, you’ve likely already watched a sports game or two this year. I’m in your boat, and I’ve written a post about how to survive spring sports season.
29. Go for a drive and find a new park.
I’m pretty sure that we’ve already played at every park near me, so this may take a trip to a nearby city. I love to explore and I know that my kids do, too, so I think it’ll be fun!! This may just have to be our picnic day.
30. Collect plants and other items to make into artwork.
You can make a collage, a picture frame, letters or a name, or anything else that you little artists come up with. Let them choose their own materials and follow their own ideas. It’ll be fun for everyone, and it is the perfect time to teach them (show them) about trial and error.
Things to Do This Spring Bucket List – Free Printable
My kids always LOVE to check items off of a list. They likely get this trait from their list-loving mother, but I’d say she isn’t that bad. 😉
Since we all agree that lists are awesome, I tend to create bucket list printables for every occasion. To thank you for reading my blog, I’m giving the printables away for FREE. Feel free to download and print the spring bucket list printable so that you never forget the 30 things to do this spring, and please send it along to a friend who may like one, as well!!
Okay, I may have gone a bit crazy and created three different printables, but I couldn’t help myself. Choose whichever one you like best!!! The link for each one is below the corresponding picture, just click where it says “Spring bucket list”.
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