Reading
Spring Stories and Poems
Echo and Narcissus
Writing
Poetry Writing Resources
Having trouble finishing your poem because of rhyming troubles? This interactive Rhyming Dictionary allows you to enter the word you're trying to find a rhyme for... hit go... and magically get a list of words that will rhyme with it! Pick the one that fits your poem and away you go.
Use this writing prompt from BogglesWorld to write a creative story about a strange seed... (Note: this is a .doc file and you will be prompted to "open" or "save".)
Math
Spring Themed Math Challenges
Spring Math Riddles
Science
Order your own tadpole and watch it develop into a frog. This particular kit features a captivity-bred frog with translucent skin, so you will observe not only the external growth, but you will also see the frog's internal development. The Grow-A-Frog kit includes the aquarium, handbook, growth food and a coupon for 1 Grow-A-Frog tadpole. Upon receipt of the kit, simply mail in the coupon to receive your tadpole. Please note, there is no extra charge for tadpoles.
Study Bird
Migration
Learn About the Desert No biome responds more dramatically to Spring than the desert! Cactuses and other plants come briefly into bloom, animals take advantage of the brief boost in moisture to become more active and to reproduce.
Plant some seeds!
Buy an
assortment of seeds and potting soil. Reuse old butter or cool
whip tubs as pots (you could paint them with acrylic paints first,
if you wish). Have kids read the back of the seed
packets to see how deep to plant each type of seed, how much light
and water it requires, and how many days until germination and
maturity. Plant the seeds and label the containers with
the seed type and the date planted. Water the seeds.
Cover the containers with plastic wrap (you might need some rubber
bands to help secure it) to help keep the soil warm and speed up
germination. Place the seeds somewhere warm, and make sure
they have the proper amount of light once they sprout and begin to
grow. This is the classic bean sprouting activity. Tips for using this in a school science project are included. This lesson has students using observation and experimentation to think about the different ways plants get spread from their parent plant to a new location. Magnifying glass or microscope recommended. From Scholastic.
This is a simple project -- for
anyone who can use a hammer and saw. You just need a little
wood and a small piece of cheap Plexiglas from the hardware store.
Although instructions are not posted, you can just look at the
picture to see how it was done, or email the author for more help.
Help detective Leplant and his partners Bud and Sprout unlock the mysteries of plant life. (Grades 3-6) Sponsored by the University of Illinois Extension. How Plants Grow: What Do Living Things Need to Survive? This lesson revolves around building a terrarium. A trip to a botanical garden or farm is also recommended. (Grades 4-8) A comprehensive lesson plan for primary grades in which students learn all about the different parts of the plant, and what plants need to thrive! (Grades PreK-3)
All About Eggs
Kids know eggs
don't really come from bunnies. But few have stopped to
consider all the different kinds of animals that DO lay eggs, and
those that don't. Get yourself a copy of
Chickens Aren't the Only Ones,
and read it to your children. The illustrations are beautiful
and amazing, and the book ably communicates the diversity of
creatures that do lay eggs, from birds to insects to fish and
beyond. Even children as young as 3 will appreciate this book,
however you may need to paraphrase some of the text and focus on
discussing the pictures. They will still get the idea, and the
wonder. For even more egg-citing ideas, check out this page of Oviparous Animals lesson ideas. A nice page from Enchanted Learning with plenty of explanation and even diagrams. Includes printouts and worksheets.
Mixing Food Colors to Dye Eggs
History/Social Studies
Songs & Games
Play with Bubbles!
Spring is a great time to play
with bubbles. The frisky spring wind catches the bubbles and
carries them on unpredictable eddies this way and that, provoking
gales of giggles from young children. Check out these recipes
for
bubble liquid.
For more bubble fun,
click here! Science springs to life when little ones move with the breeze! All you need are paper streamers (see below) and a windy day. From Scholastic.
Art Baker's Clay Flowers In this fun activity flowers are cut out of Baker's Clay. Then when dry and hard they are mounted with a glue gun onto craft sticks. Then, children can paint them with tempera paints. Lovely! Start by choosing one of our Baker's Clay recipes (click here) and whipping up a batch. Place your dough atop some waxed paper or pastry paper, then roll the dough flat. Get out a flower shaped cookie cutter and carefully cut out the flower shapes. If you don't have a flower shaped cutter, try use a large coffee mug to cut our a round shape, then with a knife (plastic works) you can cut out little wedges of the clay to give the appearance of individual petals. Transfer your "flowers" onto the baking sheet and follow the recipes instructions for baking. Afterwards, let your flowers cool completely before attaching them to the craft sticks with the glue gun. Finally get out some pretty paint colors and get decorating! You can even paint the craft sticks a nice green. (Note: you can use either popsicle sticks or tongue depressor sticks for this project, depending on the size of the flower.) For more fun, paint some tiny flower pots and fill them with Styrofoam. Then "plant" your flowers in the pot and display them to brighten up a room or a patio for springtime.
Egg Carton Caterpillars For this craft you'll need to save up some old egg cartons-- preferably the grey papery variety as these hold the glue better. Cut off the carton lid and discard it (or save for another activity). Then cut the egg cup side into sections -- you'll want about three bumps (or cups) person section. Each section will be a caterpillar. Next, cut some fuzzy pipe cleaner into pieces about 3 or 4 inches long. You'll poke one through the end of each segment of egg carton -- to form the caterpillars antennae. Bend the tips of the pipe clean over, for safety. Now turn the children loose with collage materials and glue! Show them how to drizzle on the glue and layer on tiny pom poms, colored craft feathers, confetti, glitter, and etc. The end result is a very "fuzzy" and colorful caterpillar.
Coffee Filter Butterflies What you'll need: Liquid watercolor paint in various colors, large coffee filter papers, and wooden clothespins -- the old fashioned type that don't pinch open and shut. Take a large coffee filter paper and paint it using either small paint brushes or eye droppers of liquid watercolor. Let filter paper dry, then bunch it up, pinching the middle and insert the middle portion into the slot of the wooden clothes pin. You're done! If you like you can paint the wooden clothes pins ahead of time -- or even decorate them with markers. You can also glue gun a bit of fuzzy pipe filter onto the "head" of the caterpillar ahead of time -- but be sure to bend the tips over, to prevent accidents. Caterpillar Puppets These are great fun to do with preschoolers or young school age children. Start with some clean socks -- white cotton tube socks work best. Glue gun a 4 to 6 inch length of fuzzy pipe cleaner a few inches from the toe of the sock. Children can decide how to "style" the antennae in wacky twists and turns. Next, provide the children with markers (permanent can be used if children are in "painting clothes"), as well as thick craft glue, fuzzy pom poms, googly eyes, scraps of yarn, and colorful craft feathers. Encourage children to start out using markers, drawing a face and fanciful stripes and spots -- then have them finish up by gluing on additional materials. Let finished projects dry overnight (might take longer depending on type and amount of glue used). When puppets are dry, have a puppet show! Note that older children (5th grade and up) might be able to use small low temp glue guns instead of craft glue.
Egg Carton Tulips You'll need: fuzzy, green pipe cleaners, large pony beads, and egg cartons. Cut the egg carton up to create individual cups, that resemble the shape of a tulip flower. Poke a hole in the center of each "tulip" and thread a pipe cleaner through the hole -- and through a pony bead. Wrap end of pipe over pony bead and back through hole. Then twist or fold end around pipe cleaner stem to tie off. Now let children paint "tulips" in bright colors. Show them how to hold the tulip carefully by the stem to get color both inside and out without slopping too much onto stem. For added effect, sprinkle flower with glitter. Make Your Own Streamers You'll need: Crepe paper party streamers in bright spring colors, tape, cardboard tube. First, find yourself a cardboard tube -- an empty toilet paper tube or paper towel tube works fine. Then cut lengths of party streamer; about 18 inches works well. Have children select their colors and tape 3-6 streamers on to one end of the tube. They can decorate the tube with markers and stickers. (Be sure to write their name on the tube!) Now play! If there's no wind, put on some music and dance around with the streamer tubes.
Here's a great mix of crafts, plus some printable worksheets. Assorted Spring Crafts from ChildFun
Lots of fun crafts with Spring themes plus songs
and snacks. Printable Coloring & Activity Pages
Send us some email!
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Preschool Plant Books
The Tiny Seed
From Seed to Plant
One Bean
Miss Rumphius
The Carrot Seed
Vegetable Garden
Jack's Garden
Spring Curriculum Books
MonthbyMonth Poetry: March April May & June
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