Fun! Spring activities for children: recreation and hands-on play
We’ve gathered springtime games and activities we’d love children to experience.
After making it through winter and with the weather getting warmer, it’s the perfect season to get moving outdoors.
Many children have probably been eagerly waiting for this time of year.
In this article, we’ll introduce recommended games and recreational activities, focusing on those unique to spring.
We’ve included activities you can enjoy near home as well as leisure outings ideal for spring, so please use this as a reference when planning family trips, everyday play, or outdoor activities at daycare or kindergarten!
- Indoor games and recreational activities recommended for spring
- Make cherry blossom viewing even more fun! A collection of recreation and game ideas to play with kids
- Recreation Activities That Excite Kids’ Clubs! Plans and Ideas Children Will Love
- Play ideas kids can enjoy from 1st to 6th grade [indoors & outdoors]
- [For Kids] Outdoor Recreation Games: Fun Outdoor Play
- [Elementary School Rec] Recommended Games and Performances for a Fun Party
- [April] Spring Origami for Kids: A Collection of Simple and Cute Ideas
- Liven up your children’s club event! A collection of ideas everyone can enjoy
- [For Kids] Fun Indoor Game Ideas for After-School Day Services
- [Elementary School] Quick and Easy! Indoor Recreational Activities Perfect for Lower Grades
- A collection of simple indoor recreational games
- Indoor and outdoor activities that avoid crowding. Enjoyable for students from first to sixth grade.
- [For Kids] Today's Recommended Recreation Idea Collection
Fun! Spring Activities for Kids: Recreation & Hands-on Play (41–50)
Cherry picking
In spring, it’s not just strawberry picking—cherry picking is also in peak season.
Only during cherry picking can you enjoy freshly picked, sweet-and-tart cherries right on the spot.
It’s also fun to buy juice and jam as souvenirs.
Surrounded by greenery and soil, you can fully enjoy nature, and it will be a delightful experience for children as well.
Bamboo Shoot Gnocchi
Let’s pretend to be spring seasonal ingredients and play! Here are some ideas for the “Bamboo Shoot Gnocchi” game.
The game starts with the chant, “Takenoko takenoko nyokki-ki!” Jump out with a quick “nyoki!” without overlapping with anyone else.
Call out your number in order—“One nyokki,” “Two nyokki,” and so on—and if you end up going last, you’re out.
It’s a thrilling game that both kids and adults can enjoy.
Watch the timing, ride the momentum, and pop out with a lively nyoki!
Play by blowing dandelion seeds into the air
When you think of spring, you think of dandelions.
Dandelions grow everywhere, and blowing their fluffy seeds is fun even as an adult.
For children, many probably enjoy gathering lots of them and sending the seeds into the air.
It might be fun to let them play to their heart’s content, blowing the fluff in a place where plenty of dandelions grow!
Horsetail gathering
When we think of spring, it’s the season when winter ends and we can feel the warmth of nature.
One iconic sign of spring is horsetail shoots (tsukushi), isn’t it? How about going out to pick some while taking a stroll? Even if you live in the city, you might be surprised to find them growing nearby.
After you pick them, be sure to try using them in your cooking.
There’s also a fun little game: remove one of the joints, put it back on, and then guess where it breaks apart!
Easter Festival
Easter isn’t very familiar in Japan, but in recent years its recognition has been gradually growing and you hear about it more often.
In fact, in countries with Christian traditions, it holds an even more important place than Christmas.
Although the exact date varies, it’s enjoyed every year as a spring festival.
Why not try making Easter eggs with your children and take this opportunity to learn about the history of Easter?
camp
Camping, which was tough in winter, becomes much more pleasant in spring when fresh greenery spreads out and the temperature is just right.
When you go camping, kids naturally brighten up, and even those who aren’t usually very active get a great chance to run around.
Whether you go with a big group of friends or enjoy quiet, quality time with just the family, it’s an event where you can have fun and get creative either way.
Cycling
Even if you don’t own a proper bike, there are more and more places where you can rent one and casually enjoy cycling.
There are many types available, from kids’ bikes to unusual three-seaters.
How about going for a bike ride with your children—whether as a quick outing, part of a trip, or just to explore the neighborhood?
A clover flower crown
When you go to a park or riverbank where lots of flowers like white clover and dandelions are in bloom, kids can have fun just by picking flowers.
Since you’re there, gather plenty of blossoms and enjoy a springtime activity by making crowns and rings together.
The children will be thrilled with their lovely crowns and rings.
It’s also nice to keep them on display until they become dried flowers.
Go to a tulip field
Spring is the season not only for cherry blossoms but also for tulips.
If you don’t have any large tulip fields nearby, it might be fun to take advantage of the holiday and go on a trip.
If your child loves flowers, they’ll likely be overjoyed, and it can also be enjoyable to stop by a local shop and grab something to eat.
Dodgebee
Dodgebee is a game played with a thin, lightweight disc.
It has rules similar to dodgeball, where players throw the disc within the court and try to hit members of the opposing team.
There are official rules, and it’s popular enough to have tournaments.
The Dodgebee disc is made of a material that doesn’t hurt when it hits the body and it even floats on water.
It’s a game that lets you move your body to the fullest and is fun both in a gym and for outdoor play in spring.