Spring is such a great time for Montessori work. There's so much you can do with items found in nature and it's a good excuse to slow down your walks, talking the time to explore and notice all the little details. 

Most children going through the Sensitive Period for Small Objects (~3 months to 4 years) really enjoy noticing and collecting small items so many of these activities will satisfy that need. 

Outdoor practical life work also satisfies children's needs for maximum effort work, where children use all of their mental and physical energy to complete a task.

1. Flower Nomenclature Cards - print out two sets and play matching or memory games, identify the flowers on walks, or cut off the word and match the name to the flower (for children that are reading). 

We've created two sets so that you can hopefully find at least some on your neighbourhood walks - typical garden flowers and pollinators.

Click on the pics below to download them. 

2. Help with spring maintenance in the garden or yard.

Raking leaves, pulling weeds, or planting flowers are all great practical life activities. Add a wheelbarrow and you’ve got a great maximum effort activity. 

Note that pulling weeds is only recommended for older toddlers+. Younger children may have trouble differentiating between weeds and flowers and it could end up frustrating having to correct them repeatedly. 

Blog Posts that may be of interest:  

Montessori Gardening Activities for Infants + Children

4 Reasons Gardening is GREAT for Children - Plus How To Choose The Right Plants

List of Child-Friendly Plants + Plant Care Sequencing Cards

An Easy and Fun Toddler Gardening Activity - Germinating Bean Seeds

3. Spring Colour Hunt - go outside and look for something in each of the colours in the colour hunt page. Click the image below to download the colour hunt. 

4. Make a bird feeder from an orange peel and watch the birds that come to eat.

To make the feeder:

1. Cut an orange in half and remove the fruit.
2. Cut four pieces of string, twine, or yarn, each about 10" long. 
3. Tie a knot at the ends of each piece of string. 
4. Poke 4 holes in an orange half.
5. Thread a string through the inside of each of the four holes so the knot is on the inside of the peel. 
6. Tie the four pieces of string together at the top.
7. Fill peel with seeds and hang in your backyard. 

5. Make a spring sensory bin. You can use items found in nature, flowers, and use brown rice for dirt. There's no rules for sensory bins. It's just an opportunity for your child to work with their hands. You could even add in small garden tools. If you're reluctant to do sensory bins because of the mess, now is a great time to do them outside.

1. 
   

6. Go for a walk and cut wild flowers for a flower arrangement. All you need are scissors, a basket, a small vase, and a funnel. Any flower or even dandelions will do.

Simply follow the child and let them show you what they think is beautiful, even if you end up with a bouquet or vase of dried leaves and tall grass :)  

This is great for children 2.5+.

7. Paint with fallen objects in nature, i.e. small sticks, rocks, flowers, leaves, pinecones, etc. Talk a walk to collect items in nature. You can bring a small bag or basket so your child can collect and carry items independently.  When you get home, set up a few washable paint options and a blank sheet of paper and let your child get creative. 

8. Take a set of the Backyard Birds TOOBs outside (or explore them inside).  Look for the different birds and identify their songs. You can also play with the figurines outside, i.e. sandbox, grass, etc. 

9. Look for worms! After a rainfall, take a magnifying glass and popsicle stick (or small stick or let them use their hands) and dig through the mud for worms. 

10. Play in the rain! Jump in puddles to explore cause and effect. This is also a great sensory and gross motor activity. 

11. Do a Spring Scavenger Hunt. Download the scavenger hunt below and take it on your next walk.