Fun things to do with little kids this spring

Disclaimer: Please note that this post was sponsored and written by Karimums with my own editing. 

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Spring is a beautiful time of year: the weather is warming up, the flowers are blooming, and the days are getting that little bit longer. Spring is the perfect time to spend more time with your kids outdoors, or even just a great opportunity to do something new and different to change up that tired winter routine. If you're stuck for ideas on what to do with your little kids this spring, use these ideas as inspiration for a fun season.

Spend more time outdoors
Remember when you were going through your pregnancy, and you spent plenty of time outdoors amongst nature? Well, spring is the perfect time to rekindle your family's love affair with the great outdoors. You don't have to go hiking or climb mountains; instead, take your kids to the local park every night, or take a long weekend and drive up to the beaches - your kids will love having the space to run around, and you'll love the feeling of getting out of the house or the office. If that's still difficult, then try to make use of your backyard or courtyard - have your children help you with a bit of flower picking, or sit with them and make some daisy chains again.

Get the creative juices flowing
With so many beautiful flowers and insects around, your kids won't be lacking creative inspiration. Put that inspiration to use, and get them to strap their artistic cap on! Whether it's finger-painting, making butterflies out of coloured paper, or taking some photos of the local flora and fauna, there are a myriad of ways to get your children back in touch with the Picasso within. If your kids like writing, take them out to a local bush and then have them write about what they did and saw while they were there; on the other hand, if you have some budding cooks, then bake a few cupcakes and ask your kids to decorate them in a way that reminds them of spring.

Try something new
Spring is a time of new beginnings, so why not get your children to try something they've never done before? Make a 'spring bucket list', and spend some time putting together a few new things that they want to do before the season is up. Maybe your child wants to learn how to rollerblade, or to get really good at goalkeeping. By making a spring bucket list and crossing off things once they have been completed, you'll also teach your children about the benefits of setting goals - it'll give them a sense of accomplishment when they cross it off, and that can come in handy at all stages of their life.

No matter what you decide to do with your kids this spring, make sure to take advantage of the beautiful sunshine and inject some extra positivity into your family's day. Remember - summer's just around the corner!

Taylor Jacobs is a mummy who is trying to get into the habit of writing and scrapbooking. Her favourite thing about spring is the beautiful flowers - she's going to make a trip to see the Floriade festival this year.

Guest Post: Household Contribution Schedule + Free Printable!

When there’s a job to do … there’s just a job to do!

If there is one life-lesson that I want to teach my kids before they leave my nest it is WORK ETHIC.

I want for them to experience the pride and satisfaction that comes with a job well done. I want for them to have the knowledge and belief that working hard brings pay offs – sometimes these are external rewards but much more often they are warm and fuzzy ones.

This all starts at home.

Work ethic is not always an easy principle for us, as parents, to teach and nor is it a given that kids will readily learn. We do have to try though, don’t we, and at our place organisation and persistence are key strategies.

I try to think of our household as a mini society. It’s a little world within the world and a place that can only function smoothly when each citizen aka family member fulfils their responsibilities. To do this, I have replaced the traditional “chore chart” with an outline of what each family member is expected to contribute to the running of the household. It’s then my hope that the kids will learn that the privileges they enjoy are not God-given rights, but rather the reward resulting from contributing to running of the family.

I’ve attached a sample chart – very similar to the one on display in our kitchen ;) – that shows how our schedule works. I’ve tried to make it very clear that contributing to the functioning of the household is a given and is expected by adults and kids alike.

In keeping it real, I’ll readily admit that we are on draft upteen-thousand of this and as the kids grow, and our household routines alter, I make tweaks and changes where necessary. Sometimes these changes are in consultation with the kids – but nope, not always. I figure they may as well learn now that there will always be times in their lives where they just have to do what they have to do. Whether they like it, or not, sometimes it’s just suck-it-up-time.

When nominating what I expect each child to contribute to the household, there are a number of factors I keep in mind ….

1. Age appropriateness – increasing the number and/or complexity of contributions as the kids grow and mature (and likewise the privileges are upped accordingly)
2. Geared towards success – never so many things to do it’s overwhelming, nor are tasks too difficult
3. Leading by example to ensure I also contribute what I’ve committed to
4. Discussing the expectations to make sure they are clearly communicated and understood
5. Honouring the privileges and rewards and consistently following through with consequences when contributions are not made.

Do your kids chip in and help around the house? Do you have a chore chart or have you just made them aware of what you require them to do? Would love to hear how your household works!

View my sample Household Schedule here.

Download your own Household Schedule here.

Author Note:

Shari Brewer is an educator, writer and the blogger at http://www.familysurvivalcoach.com . It’s a place for exploring a whole range of household and family stuff and topics include – budgeting, reviews, family stories, organisation and more.

Just remember that it’s really about surviving it all!

Linking up with Diary of a SAHM for IBOT