Reduce Screen Time This Spring

With the flowers blooming and the sun emerging from the grey skies of winter, you’re probably itching to get outside. As you know, spring weather can be unpredictable with winter cold one day, and summer heat the next. No matter the temperature, we have a list of spring ideas for you and your kids to reduce screentime and make the most of family time!

Get Creative in the Cold  

Create a summer schedule.  

When it’s too cold to go outdoors, set some goals for what you’d like to accomplish when the weather cooperates. Creating a list of summer activities will give you a visual reminder of things that you’d like to do. Make it a family challenge to work toward completing each activity.

To start, grab the kids and some markers and make a poster containing all the summer activities you’d like to complete before the start of the next school year. 

Examples include: 

• Have a fire and make s’mores.
• Eat outside once each week.
• Go to a public pool to swim.
• Visit an outdoor splash pad.
• Visit a new park. 
• Go to a drive-in movie.

Hang your poster somewhere special and cross out each activity you do. 

Bake something delicious.

There’s no better way to warm up on a cold spring day than by baking. Freshly baked cookies or cupcakes are sure to make your kids smile—and make your house smell amazing!

No cake mix? No eggs? No problem! Try this easy, gluten-free vanilla cake mix recipe. You can also use baking as an opportunity to practice math skills with the kids. Our Add A Dash of Math blog offers ideas for practicing math in the kitchen with children of all ages.

Spring clean.

The idea of cleaning may not make the top of your fun activities list but think of spring cleaning as something different from day-to-day cleaning. It’s diving into the things that you put aside all year.

Here are some ideas for spring cleaning projects to tackle.

• Clean out the overstuffed hall closet.
• Go through your basement and fill a box with items to donate.
• Organize your pantry.
• Clean out the refrigerator. 

Spring cleaning leaves you with a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. When you are done, don’t forget to reward yourself.

Have Fun in the Sun

Try these outdoor spring activities on days when the sun is shining.

Fly a kite.

Windy spring days are perfect for teaching your kids the art of flying a kite. Quality kites can be a lot of fun. X Kites, available at Costco, are simple to control, and they fly extremely high. They are also easy to bring down. 

Try photography.

Nature is full of beautiful surprises when you’re seeking them out. Plan a day to take the kids hiking, grab your phone, and search for photo opportunities. For younger children, make it a game of I Spy. Everyone will get some exercise while making family memories. 

Have a picnic.

You’ll probably work up an appetite while you’re hiking. Pack some easy outdoor food and drinks, take a blanket along, and keep your eyes peeled for the perfect picnic spot. When you're done eating, find some sticks and play tic-tac-toe in the dirt. Soak in some sun while you search for shapes in the clouds.

Start checking off that schedule.

When the weather gets warm, start checking off the summer schedule you made on that cold, rainy day. Remember, the summer schedule doesn’t need to be extravagant.

Here are some simple ideas to get you and the kids out of the house.

• Go for a walk.
• Go fishing.
• Take the kids to feed the ducks.

No matter what you do, get outside and enjoy the beautiful spring days ahead.

Heather LiVorio has 14 years of combined online and classroom teaching experience. She currently teaches Science and Family Consumer Sciences for Lincoln Learning Solutions and has been employed with the company for more than 7 years. Heather enjoys spending time with her three boys and family, vacationing at the ocean, and going on adventures.