Spring Into Fun
Spring is such a delightful time of year! We have finally made it out of the brutal cold of winter and there are warmer days ahead. Everyone is excited to get outside and enjoy some much-needed sunshine!
I have always loved spending time outside as much as possible so I thought I would share some outdoor activities I enjoyed while growing up and what my family does now.
Going for a walk
This one sounds like a no-brainer, but it gets everyone out and moving around with some fresh air and sunshine. Ever since my son was born, we have been going on walks all the time. It is very relaxing for all involved. Sometimes we have conversations and other times it is nice to just soak in the peacefulness of being outside. Below are some of the places we have gone for walks and others are ones I would love to explore sometime! Some trails are also bike accessible!
- Cedar River Trail to Cedar Valley Nature Trail
- Sac and Fox Trail
- Cherry Hill Park Loop
- Prairie Park Fishery Trail
- Cedar Lake Trail
- Old Barn Loop
- Stumptown Trail
- Mount Trashmore Overlook Trial
- Cherokee Trail Park Loop
- Ellis Trail
- Indian Creek Nature Center Woodduck Way Loop, Bena Loop, or Penningroth Paths
- Seminole Valley Park Loop
- Edgewood Trail
Playground
Going to the playground is always fun! It gets the little ones’ energy out and their imagination flowing too! Cedar Rapids has so many parks to choose from and even ones that are ADA accessible. I personally cannot choose a favorite park; we love all that we have been to! Below I have some playgrounds/parks that you should check out.
- Noelridge Park
- Bever Park
- Guthridge Park
- Thomas Park
- Ellis Park
Scavenger Hunt
Who wouldn’t love an outdoor scavenger hunt? This is a great way to get out and be adventurous. Kids can explore their surroundings and learn about new things too! Parents could make a card or list of items that need to be found and let the kids begin the fun. One example would be nature items like rocks, acorns, seeds, bugs, worms, leaves, flowers, and much more. After the scavenger hunt, have your kid(s) find a leaf or two. Give them plain white paper and some Crayons. Place the leaf under the paper and begin coloring lightly over the top. Then you will have your leaf tracing! I remember doing this many times as a child and I loved it!
Reading Outside
Reading has always been a big part of my life. Growing up I would have times that I said I “hated” reading but I honestly have always enjoyed a great book. One thing that I enjoy most is reading outside. There is just something about the fresh air along with getting absorbed into a good book. My son has too many books for his own good, but we read all of the time with him! Now he likes to “read” himself. We will take a blanket and a few books outside to have some relaxing time. A neat idea would be to rotate the books based on holidays, seasons, or other topics for kids to have something new to read and learn about.
These outdoor activities are simple and not to mention free, but some of the most memorable ones at that!
I hope these will give you some ideas, new or old, to take the kids and make some wonderful memories now that the sun is starting to shine more!
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