Spring Activities to study nature for all ages

 

Spring activites can fill your days with things to do and observe.

Spring is a time of high activity. So much is happening it can be overwhelming. In spring I learned to be choosy. I like to decide early in the season what to focus on for nature study.

Last year I noticed the beauty of tree blossoms and began to photograph them. I will do a more in-depth study of tree blossoms in the coming year. I decide to focus on cloud formations and patterns and predicting weather.

So, to help you chose spring activities to study, I have divded the list into topics.  These nature actitivies are suitable for a wide range of ages. Some are great nature actitives for kids. Choose one topic area or several.

Weather and Ecosystems Spring Activities

1. Is it really rainy? How many rainy dyas are there?
2. If there is a vernal (spring) pond near you, record thechanges and happenings there. 
3. If you travel in spring notice wherre spring has startedand what is happening in places away form your home. 
4. Keep track of the lengthening dyas. what time does the sunrise and set?

Plants Spring Activities

1. Draw or photograph the new buds on trees.
2. Keep a nature calendar of spring blooming flowers. Leaarnabout blooming sequences and phenology. 
3. How many wind pollinated trees are in yourneighborhood? 
4. Draw the parts and structure of flowers. 

Animals

1. Keep an eye out for roadkills. Roadkills can tell you whatanimals share your home area with you. 
2. Keep a list and draw the spring butterflies. When do theyemerge?Study their life cycles using butterflyidentification and naturalhistory guides. 
3. What insects emerge first?
4. Listen for the first chorus of frogs
5. Learn the differences between bumblebees, honey bees andother bees and wasps. 

Birds

1. Keep track of which migrating spring birds arrivefirst. 
2. Listen for the start of bird song. tyr to learn the songsof two or three species. 
3. Take notice of the shrubs and trees where birds build theirnests and establish territory. 
4. Watch birds has they go about their life cycle ofmigration, courtship and raising young.