Say ‘Sayonara’ to Winter and HELLO to Spring!!!

Dare we say it…Spring may have finally sprung! The sun is out and we hope it stays that way! If you have young ones in your family this is an especially exciting time, as you may be coming to the end of your rope for ideas to keep them entertained while having them cooped up indoors. Keep reading for some great suggestions to get your little ones exploring the outdoors and enjoying the change of the seasons.

Go see a Blue Jays Game!

Nothing says the nice weather is here like going to watch a baseball game! Get your hats and sunscreen on and head down to the Rogers Centre to catch the Jays as they start their regular season, you might even want to see if you can score tickets to the home opener this Monday, April 13th! This is a great activity for everyone in the family and will inspire your little ones to get active. Visit the Blue Jays website to check out the game schedule and to find more information about tickets!

Check out TIFF Kids

After playing in the sun, going to catch a movie with your little ones at the TIFF Kids film festival is a great way to cap off the day. The festival began April 7th and runs until April 19th, 2015! There is a wide variety of programming for young fans of any genre — and their parents too! This is one of the largest children’s film festivals in the world, and is a great opportunity to have your little one actively engage in filmmaking and the story telling process with other kids and get the most out of a day at the movies. Tickets are $13 for adults, $10.50 for students & seniors, and $9 for children! Check out the TIFF Kids website here for more info.

Appreciate the beauty of nature at the High Park Nature Centre

If you are looking for a more immersive nature experience for your little ones than a simple walk in the local park, check out the High Park Nature Centre. With programs for little ones as young as 6 months old, the Nature Centre has something for everyone who is interested in learning how to build a sustainable relationship with nature. Your children will not only get to experience a wide variety of wild and plant life (a feat that can sometimes be difficult to achieve in the concrete jungle), but they will also learn about how to give back to the environment so that it can be preserved in all its beauty for generations to come. Check out their drop in family nature walks — the next one, ‘Trekking & Tracking’ will be held Saturday, April 25th from 1:30-3:00 pm! Visit the High Park Nature Centre website for more information.

Do a fun outdoor spring craft!

If you have any kind of outdoor space to utilize, an outdoor craft can be a nice way to enjoy the weather right from your very own home. Check out this awesome ‘Can-o-Lantern’ craft tutorial  from the Making FUN arts & crafts web series for something that will make a great decoration for your backyard throughout the spring and summer season! This is just one example of many outdoor crafts, from tie-dye to sidewalk chalk to homemade bird feeders – that will keep your little ones busy and creative. For other sources of inspiration for your spring crafts, have a look at the wealth of ideas available on pinterest.

Plant some flowers in your garden!

April showers bring May flowers — so get to planting this month and you may see some beautiful blooms in a few weeks. Flower planting is a great spring activity because it celebrates the rebirth of nature, and adds a little beauty to your garden. Bring your little ones to one of the many garden centres throughout the city, have them pick out flowers with you and then get your hands dirty and plant them in your yard! Your children will be fascinated when they see the progress of their hard work as the flowers grow.

Go tree planting!

If you don’t have a yard or private outdoor space that you can plant your own flowers in, there are still opportunities abound to bring some greenery to the city through Toronto Parks, Forestry & Recreation’s volunteer tree planting programs! You can take your children to City of Toronto parkland naturalization sites to help give back to your community by planting a tree, and it can be a special site for your children to visit as the tree grows for years to come. Check out the ‘Trees Across Toronto’ event on Saturday, April 25th from 10:00 am — 12:00 pm! Visit the Parks, Forestry and Recreation department’s website  for more information.

We hope these ideas help to get your family up and at it as this beautiful season is upon us! Happy Spring!