10 Activities to Embrace Every Season

No matter the time of year, each season brings its own kind of magic, and there’s no better way to enjoy it than with fun, engaging activities that the whole family can do together.

Whether it’s celebrating the fresh blooms of spring, lounging under the long, sun-soaked days of summer, exploring nature with the crisp change of fall air, or skating through the frosty beauty of winter, there is always something to do!

You can plan these activities for their respective seasons or do them all in one weekend – the choice is yours! So, get ready to experience the outdoors, create amazing seasonal crafts, and make lasting memories. 

All Seasons

1. Seasons Scavenger Hunt: Create a checklist (with pictures!) of different sights and sounds to find for all the different seasons of the year. Whether it’s baby birds in nests, apples growing on trees, or leaves changing colors, there is always something to find when in nature. Bring along a magnifying glass to ensure no tiny details are overlooked! This is an outing that can be done over and over again throughout the entire year. This activity fosters observational skills and teaches kids to appreciate the changing seasons in their environment.
    
2. Storytelling Picnic: Have a picnic in your local park. Bring along books or create your own stories to match the season. Enjoy delicious snacks and take a moment to appreciate the wonders of nature all around you! This activity nurtures creativity, strengthens family bonds, and encourages outdoor exploration.

Fall

1. Falling for Autumn: Go on a leaf hunt during a family walk and collect as many colorful leaves as possible. Once home, make leaf rubbings by placing a sheet of paper over a leaf and rubbing a crayon over the entire leaf to create an imprint. Use as many different leaves on one sheet of paper as space allows and talk about the details of each one. This activity teaches kids about plant diversity, enhances fine motor skills, and promotes creativity all in one.
    
2. Family Tree: Draw the outline of a tree on a large sheet of paper. Within the space of the tree, work with your children to create a family tree! Each member of the family can be represented with a leaf. The leaves can be taken from your backyard or drawn on paper before cutting them out. This is a great way to teach your kids about family heritage while also enjoying the beauty of fall foliage. 

Winter

1. Snow Olympics: If you are lucky enough to get snow, organize a family winter Olympics. Challenges can include timed snowman building, snowball tossing, and even sled races! If no snow is to be had in your area, create your own indoor winter oasis with fake snow (cotton balls!) and do fun activities such as sock skating on hardwood floors. Create teams, don’t worry about points, and indulge in silly moments. This activity encourages physical activity, family teamwork, and celebratory winter fun.
    
2. Falling Snow: Whether you get snow or not, you can always create your own winter wonderland indoors by making paper snowflakes. Fold a sheet of paper any way you wish and experiment with cutting shapes and lines over all the edges to create snowflakes that are as unique as your family! Attach a piece of string and hang it from the ceiling to mimic the soft snowfall. For a rainbow winter, color the paper before folding and cutting it into snowflakes. This activity is a fun way to boost fine motor skills and creativity while bringing the magic of winter indoors.

Spring

1. Spring Rainbow: Celebrate the spring rains by creating rainbows at home in this color-mixing experiment. Using clear cups, water, and food coloring, can you recreate all the colors of the rainbow? As a refresher, the seven colors are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. After this fun experiment, bring out paper and crayons and draw rainbows! This activity introduces basic science concepts and encourages artistic expression.
    
2. Baby Puppets: On a rainy spring day, stay indoors and create paper bag puppets of animals that symbolize spring in the air. From baby birds to rabbits and black bear cubs, there is no shortage of animals that are born in the spring. Use these paper bag puppets to create a puppet show that tells a fun spring-themed story! This activity combines art and storytelling while teaching about wildlife.

Summer

1. Summer Day Water Play: Cool down with a water play day. First, designate an area where you are okay with getting slightly wet. Second, gather all sorts of open containers, from cups and bowls to pots and pans to jars and vases. Pair them with scoops, spoons, tongs, and even measuring cups. Then, add a little fun in the form of food coloring and watch the magic unleash. For an additional dash of imagination, add pom-poms, sponges, cut-up pool noodles, or even ice! Weather permitting, enjoy this activity under the blazing sun. This activity promotes sensory play, strengthens fine motor skills, and keeps the kids cool in the summer heat.
    
2. Backyard Campout: Skip the trip to the woods and camp out at home instead! Set up a tent in your backyard or a blanket fort in your living room, and have a mini family campout. Complete the setup with storytelling, flashlight games, and s’mores. As an extra treat, stay up late and identify constellations! This activity encourages family bonding time, sparks imagination, and teaches kids about the night sky.

By engaging in these activities, you’ll help your kids discover the magic of each season while also making wonderful memories as a family!