Spring brings an opportunity for renewal and refreshment, making this season a great time to think about introducing new activities into your curriculum. It can be especially energizing to introduce infants and toddlers to spring’s vibrant colors and interesting textures. In this article, we share sensory experiences, art projects and activities to share and enjoy with the youngest learners in your care.
image & activity from French Family Montessori
This craft allows young children to explore the vibrant colors of spring flowers in a unique way. It is easy to set up and requires minimal materials. All you’ll need is child-friendly mallets (if you don’t have these stored with other toys and supplies, they are inexpensive and available online), wax paper, construction paper, Ziploc baggies, and flower petals from your yard! If you work with younger children, you might even offer this activity without the mallets, and encourage children to squish the petals with their hands and fingers.
Encourage children to transfer color markings to the construction paper by using a mallet to smash the flower petals. This simple activity is a STEM, art, fine motor skill, nature discovery, and color exploration opportunity all in one! Click here to find more detailed instructions about setting up this activity with the children in your care.
image & activity from Kids Craft Room
These brightly colored bottles include colored rice, cotton balls, and rainbow ribbons. Encourage children to investigate the colors of the rainbow by putting all of the materials into a water bottle.
This activity could also be done by placing all of the items into a bowl or large container so that children can feel the different textures of the hard rice pieces next to the soft cotton balls. This activity is especially fun on a rainy day! Talk to children about the weather and rainbows, and see if they can find one in the sky. Click here to find out more about setting up this activity.
image & activity from Hands on As We Grow
This activity incorporates sensory experiences, textures, and colors. Sensory bags are made with hair gel and colorful items found in nature such as flowers and leaves, all placed in a gallon-size Ziploc bag. If you work with older children, you might even encourage them to help fill the bags and tape them on the window. If you are caring for infants who are not yet mobile, these bags can also be taped to the floor, so that they can explore this activity while lying on their stomach.
When the sensory bags are hung in the window, the sunlight shines through the flower petals, creating an eye-catching activity that will encourage children to explore. Click here to find more information about setting up this activity.
image & activity from Elated Momma
Another activity that combines flowers and sensory exploration is this frozen flower activity. Using an ice cube tray, place flowers of different colors in each square, add water, and freeze overnight. The next day, you will have ice cubes filled with flowers for children to explore.
This activity can be done in a large bin so that children can explore together, or in individual bowls for children to work individually. Invite children to use magnifying glasses to look closely at the flowers, and encourage them to notice how the ice melts into puddles of water. Click here to find more information about setting up this activity, along with a few other toddler-friendly activities for exploring flowers.
Another easy way to enjoy the Spring season is to simply get outside! Bring a blanket and enjoy a picnic or talk a walk around your yard or through your neighborhood. Encourage children to look at the bright colors of the flowers, and the moving shadows as sunlight shines through the trees. Being outdoors, even just for a few minutes, can help to increase peacefulness for you and the children in your care!
