Fun Spring Activities for Pre-schoolers and Nursery Children
As the days get longer and the flowers start to bloom, spring offers the perfect opportunity to take learning outdoors and embrace the joys of the season.
At My Ohana, we love finding creative ways to bring the natural world into children’s everyday experiences - and spring is bursting with inspiration!
Whether you’re a parent, carer or early years educator, planning a few seasonal activities can make all the difference to how children connect with the world around them. From sensory play to nature crafts, there are so many wonderful spring activities for preschoolers that encourage learning through play.
In this post, we’re sharing some of our favourite spring activity ideas - all designed to support creativity, curiosity, and development in a fun, playful way.
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15 Spring Activity Ideas for Preschoolers and Early Years
These spring activities for early years are simple, engaging and easy to set up at home or in nursery settings. Many can be adapted depending on children’s ages and interests - and all of them are perfect for sparking imagination this spring.
1. Grow Your Own Cress Heads
All you need is a clean eggshell, cotton wool, cress seeds and a little water. Draw a face on the eggshell, pop in the seeds, and watch the hair grow! A lovely introduction to nature and lifecycles.
2. Nature Scavenger Hunt
Take children on a mini adventure to look for signs of spring: blossom, birds, buds, or bugs. This is a great activity to build language and observation skills, and ties beautifully into our holistic approach to child development.
3. Spring Colour Collage
Collect leaves, petals, feathers and more, and help children group them by colour to make a vibrant collage. A lovely mix of sensory and art-based play.
4. Easter Egg Matching Game
Decorate pairs of cardboard eggs with different patterns and colours, then turn them over for a simple spring-themed memory game.
5. Make a Mini Bug Hotel
Using twigs, pine cones and leaves, help children create a little shelter for garden insects. It’s a great way to talk about habitats and introduce early science concepts.
6. Spring Playdough Creations
Add natural scents like lavender or lemon to homemade playdough, then use flower cutters or nature tools to create seasonal shapes. Great for fine motor skills!
7. DIY Bird Feeders
Thread cereal hoops onto string or use a pine cone rolled in peanut butter and birdseed. A brilliant way to support local wildlife while exploring cause and effect.
8. Blossom Tree Painting
Use pom-poms or cotton buds to paint cherry blossom trees. This calming craft encourages creativity and can be extended into a story or role play.
9. Sing Spring Songs and Rhymes
Music is a huge part of learning at My Ohana. Singing seasonal songs like “Spring Chicken” or “Little Peter Rabbit” supports rhythm, memory and communication. Learn more in our blog on music and child development.
10. Sensory Spring Tuff Tray
Fill a tray with dried pasta, flower petals, toy insects and scoops for hands-on, imaginative play. You could even add small-world characters for an extended role play activity.
11. Leaf and Flower Printing
Use spring leaves and petals with paint to create bold, nature-inspired prints. It’s a fun way to combine nature walks with art and texture exploration.
12. Mini Garden in a Jar
Layer stones, soil, moss and a small plant inside a clear jar. Children love seeing the layers build up - and it’s a lovely keepsake of their planting efforts.
13. Spring Story Time Outdoors
Take your favourite spring-themed picture books outside for story time under the sky. Stories like “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt” bring a new magic when shared in the open air.
14. Craft a Butterfly Life Cycle
Use paper plates, pasta and cotton wool to help children explore the butterfly life cycle - from egg to caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly. A hands-on way to explore natural changes.
15. Create Spring Crowns
Make flower or leaf crowns with paper, glue and garden finds. A great mix of craft, imagination and dressing up that ties into expressive arts and play.
Free Nature Scavenger Hunt for Preschoolers
Exploring the great outdoors is one of the most joyful and enriching ways for young children to learn. That’s why we’ve created a free nature scavenger hunt – a fun, engaging activity designed especially for preschoolers and early years children.
This simple sheet encourages little ones to use all their senses to connect with the natural world around them. From listening for buzzing bees to feeling different textures like bumpy leaves or smooth stones, it’s a wonderful way to develop observation skills, vocabulary, and a love for the outdoors.
Download your free printable PDF below and take it on your next adventure to the park, woodland, beach, or even your own back garden!
👉 Click here to download the Nature Scavenger Hunt PDF
Spring Activities That Support Learning and Wellbeing
Every one of these spring crafts for pre-schoolers supports a wide range of developmental areas - from motor skills to emotional literacy. When we give children the space and freedom to play, explore and create, we’re not just entertaining them, we’re helping them grow.
At My Ohana, we see the value in integrating seasonal themes into our daily nursery routines. These little seasonal moments help children build an understanding of the world, develop self-confidence, and feel a deeper connection to nature.
For more inspiration beyond spring, take a look at our roundup of nursery activity ideas - you’ll find lots more to try across every season.
Looking for a Nursery That Makes Every Season Special?
If you’re searching for a nursery that sees every day as an opportunity to grow, learn and play - come and explore My Ohana. Our child-led approach encourages curiosity and creativity all year round, with seasonal themes woven into meaningful learning experiences.
My Ohana means family, and we’d love you and your little one to be part of ours. Find a My Ohana Nursery near you and see what makes our approach so special.