Spring has finally sprung and, we don’t know about you, but we are releafed to be seeing longer and warmer days! We’re springing into the season by highlighting some truly fun springtime activities for families.
Read on to find out our top five picks for fun activities to try with your kids both at home and at Craigies and Little Farmers.
Picnic and play
Our cherry blossom picnic season is one of the most special times of the year when our Sakura (as they are known in Japanese) are in full gorgeous bloom!
Join us underneath the cherry blossom for a delicious picnic with your family and friends and enjoy some farm-fresh sandwiches, juicy fruits, sweet treats and drinks before going for a wee wander over to our Little Farmers adventure park! Here you can all burn off some steam and have some fun indoors at the park and outside in the messy play sandpit and water play area. Finish the day off with dessert – enjoy delicious ice cream from Craigies farm shop or tasty milkshakes from the Little Farmers cafe.
There is no better time to come up and play at Craigies than in Spring when our animal shed is home to many adorable farm animals – is there anything sweeter than a new-born baby lamb? Our little lambs are springing around the fields at this time of year, along with our well-known friendly farm animals, including pygmy goats, highland coos Isla & Skye, rabbits, guinea pigs, our donkeys Ruby and Velvet, Shetland Ponies, and Wendy our Clydesdale horse. Come down and say hello to them all!
Book your tickets for Little Farmers here.
Family cycle and nature scavenger hunt
Head to your nearest cycle path or park and head out for the day to enjoy a family bike ride and scavenger hunt. Many places have bikes for hire so there’s no need to miss out if you don’t have your own. Before you head out, make sure to pack some snacks and give your kids a list to start searching for and see what natural treasures they can find!
Spring is when nature reawakens after the cold and dark winter days. There is so much for your kids to go on a hunt for, from new green leaves to pieces of shells from hatched bird eggs to springy moss, pine cones and more! Maybe they can even make note of just how many different types of trees, flowers, birds, bugs and more they see on their walk. Even you might be surprised at how much variety you’ll encounter just outside your doorstep.
Not only will your kids enjoy this fun activity while they’re out and about but it will also be great for nurturing their curiosity and development. Check out our blog about the benefits of outdoor learning for more about the value of time spent outdoors with your kids.
Have some fun in your back garden
You don’t have to go very far for your kids to enjoy some springtime fun! There are many activities that you can do in the comfort of your own garden. Why not have your kids try a bug and beastie hunt? See how many different insects your kiddos can find in the garden.
Collect them in a jar or tub so that you can see them better with a magnifying glass – make a sketch of them and return them to the wild when you’re done! Your ‘little farmers’ could also start exercising their green thumbs by planting some seeds in the garden. Not only will they have some fun picking the types of plants to grow and thinking about where to grow them, but they’ll also learn more about nature and responsibility.
Visit a nature reserve or estate
If your goal is to get out of the house for the day, then we have a couple of ideas for places you can explore nature with your family. Hopetoun House is a great place for those located outside of Edinburgh, welcoming young visitors to explore the estate through a range of different indoor and outdoor activities and events like children’s trails, bug hunts, and interactive displays at the ranger centre, geocaching, and more.
And for those in the city centre, why not head on over to the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh? It’s a gorgeous place to take a walk around and have your kids learn about a wide variety of plants, and it also offers child-specific activities like their Seedlings and Sprouts: Baby and Toddler Groups and their summer clubs for kids if you want more guided experiences.
Tackle a nature-inspired art project
Maybe it’s a greyer spring day – not to worry! Get your little ones’ creative juices flowing with some spring themed art projects. The first project you can try is making art out of the leaves, flowers and more that your child found on their nature scavenger hunt. All you’ll need is a piece of paper, glue and their natural treasures and you’ll be ready to create some masterpieces. Another one to try is thumb print art – messy but fun, you can do all sorts of designs from four leaf clovers to flowers to bunnies! All you’ll need is some paper, non-toxic paint and your fingers for this fun project.
Last bud not least, you can try flower pressing. You just need some sheets of paper and heavy books. Have your wee ones go out in the garden or visit a nearby park or wood to choose different flowers – you won’t need many. Then, layer them in sheets of paper and tuck them in between the heavy books. After a few days the flowers will be neatly pressed and dried out and you’ll be able to make some beautiful cards or pictures – perfect as gifts for family and friends or to hang up in the house!
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We hope that you have lots of fun this Spring and that you find these tips for springtime fun with kids helpful.
If you’re planning a visit to Little Farmers, click here to plan your day and find out more. We are open every day for farm fun, adventure and good-mood food!