Crystallized Pansies
Kids will be thrilled to learn that pansies are edible. Make them taste even more delicious by adding some egg white and sugar. First, using a flat and clean paintbrush, paint a layer of egg white on the petals. Then sprinkle with sugar and leave to dry. Once they are hard you can add them to a spring salad or yummy confection!
Rainy Day Pillows
Teaching kids to sew opens up a whole new world of creativity. It's also inexpensive and a great boredom buster on rainy days! To start, cut out your shape from two pieces of fabric (or an old work shirt) and place the patterned sides together. Pin in place. Using a colored pencil, draw a line for your child to stitch over. Thread the needle and make a few stitches to get them started. Have your child sew using a running stitch (—), leaving an opening big enough for stitching. Turn the piece inside out by pulling it through the opening, then stuff it with cotton or whatever other soft material you have on hand, and tuck in the raw edges and close using a whip stitch (/ / /).
Garden Markers
Just as important as what you plant is remembering where you planted it! To help your blooming green thumbs keep track, grab some rocks and craft paint (I opted for paint pens, which are easier to use and less messy) and have the kids draw pictures of their plants. Once they are dry, take them out to the garden and place next to the appropriate plant or sprout.
Outdoor Forts
If you have a fort-building enthusiast on your hands, chances are you've spent the winter helping them perfect their skills. Now that the sun is out, you can take those skills (and some flat sheets) to the great outdoors! They'll have fun making a shelter for playdates, backyard picnics or some R&R. Rope and clothespins also come in handy. For a full tutorial on making a fort kit, head here.
Painted Doormat
Give a plain natural fiber doormat a personal touch with three simple supplies: acrylic paint, painter's tape and a sponge. Let the kids help you decide on a pattern for your mat, and tape it off. Then sponge on the paint. Once dry, lay in front of your door to welcome guests! (Another option is to skip the tape and cut your sponge into a shape to make a pattern, such as a circle for polka dots or triangle for a tribal design.)
Picnic Basket
Picnics are a common occurrence around our house in the warmer months. Instead of scrambling on our way out the door and just hoping we remember everything, I try to put together a stocked basket so that all I have to do is add the food. It's a lot of fun to get the family involved and picking things out, and also talking about picnic destinations and menus.
Sprouting Eggs
To make these fun eggheads, simply crack the top of an egg open, remove the insides and wash out. Then, have your kid draw a design or face using paint and a brush or paint pens (we love our paint pens!). Once paint dries, push a cotton ball through the top of the egg. Pour in enough water to soak the cotton ball and then add a teaspoon of quick growing seeds (try cress or purple radish). Water daily and watch the sprouts grow. When they get long enough, you can trim and add to your salad or sandwich!
Spring Bucket List
Another thing we like to do in the spring (or any season!) is make a bucket list. We used to do this on paper, but have been obsessed with Pinterest lately (whole family included) and started making seasonal boards. So, grab a little one, pin what you like from this gallery and then head to mom.me's Pinterest boards for some more fun ideas!
