Spring is a great time to enjoy the outdoors, reconnect with friends, and set up new traditions. Check out this list of fun things to do this spring!
Summer may boast its pool parties and barbecues, but that doesn’t mean it’s the only fun and playful season around. Spring’s fresh energy sets the stage for exciting activities that also enhance our well-being.
Whether you’re looking to connect with friends, spend quality time with your family, bond with your partner, or indulge in some much-needed self-care, we’ve curated a list of spring activities that support your overall health.
Ready to have some fun?
Things to Do with Friends This Spring
1) Go for a Hike and Picnic
Skip the brunch reservations and pack up a picnic to go! Planning a hike and picnic is a great way to enjoy the beauty of spring, catch up with friends, and get a little exercise.
First, choose a trail that matches your group’s fitness level and interests. Then, pack essentials like water, a first-aid kit, and a healthy lunch. How about Chicken and Apple Kabobs with Mango Avocado Salsa and Chips and Fudgy Avocado Brownies?
Beyond getting to spend quality time with friends, you’ll also improve your cardiovascular health and significantly reduce your stress levels. Studies show that both socializing and spending time in nature have powerful mental health benefits.
2) Host a Spring Meal Prep Party
Spring is the perfect season to refresh your eating habits with healthy, vibrant meals. But when the weather is nice, you’ll likely want to spend your evenings taking a walk or relaxing outdoors rather than be stuck in the kitchen. To free up your time, host a Spring Meal Prep Party with a few friends (aim for 4-7 friends to give everyone a week’s worth of meals).
To get started, choose a variety of spring-inspired recipes that are both healthy and freezer-friendly. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Then, organize a list of recipes and have each friend bring the necessary ingredients for everyone to make that dish. Set up stations in your kitchen for different tasks (like chopping, cooking, and assembling) and rotate roles to keep everyone engaged. Don’t forget music and snacks!
Not only do you get to enjoy the company of your friends and the process of cooking together, but you also ensure that your freezer is stocked with healthy meals for spring. This activity cuts down time on daily meal prep, saves money on groceries, and reduces the temptation to opt for less healthy food choices – it’s a win-win for your wallet and waistline!
3) Volunteer Together
Bonding over a shared purpose can be incredibly fulfilling – and good for you, too. Studies show that volunteering regularly can have a significant, positive impact on your heart health and blood pressure. So, why not rally a few friends, neighbors, or colleagues and pitch in for a shared cause this spring?
Start by researching local organizations in need of volunteers. A community clean-up is a great way to make a difference while enjoying the spring weather, or helping out at a local pet shelter can boost your feel-good hormones.
Things to Do With Your Kids This Spring
4) Visit a Botanical Garden
Nature can be enchanting, especially for young minds. Encourage an interest in nature and our outside world by taking a day trip to a local botanical garden, conservatory, or greenhouse near you. Many gardens will be in bloom in spring, and may even feature some interesting insects, butterflies, and birds. To keep kids engaged, create a simple photography challenge to capture what they see.
You’ll benefit from your botanical adventure, too, as studies show that spending time in green spaces actively reduces blood pressure and serum cortisol levels – two factors that reduce stress.
5) Visit a Farmer’s Market or Start a Veggie Garden
Do your little ones know where their food comes from? Could they distinguish between a turnip and a radish? By introducing children to fresh fruits and vegetables – and showing them how they’re grown – we can set them up for a lifetime of healthy eating habits and gratitude for food.
A visit to your local farmer’s market is a great way for kids to explore different types of produce and learn how they are grown. Make it a game by challenging your child to find a fruit or vegetable they’ve never had before. Take some home and learn all about it before making a delicious healthy dish with your bounty.
You can even take it one step further and start your own veggie patch at home. Not only will your whole family enjoy eating foods you’ve grown yourself, but researchers have found that children who have contact with soil (from digging, gardening, weeding), have improved motor skills and immunity, reduced anxiety and better moods, and increased self-esteem.
6) Create a Home Obstacle Course
Want to encourage your kids to get off their devices and play, but don’t have time to take them to the park? Create a fun obstacle course right at home.
You can create your obstacle course indoors or outdoors, depending on your space. To start, use household items like chairs for weaving, cushions for jumping, ropes for skipping, and towels for hopping over. Ensure the course is safe and matches your children’s ability level.
A simple obstacle course like this not only keeps kids entertained, but improves gross motor skills, spatial awareness, and problem-solving abilities. It’s a fantastic way for kids to stay fit and active in spring, while also offering a simple way for your family to bond and work together.
Things to Do With Your Partner
7) Take a Dance Class
Dance lessons can be a romantic and fun way to connect with your partner. Choose a dance style you both are interested in and find local classes (or online tutorials if you prefer to learn at home). Dance also improves your physical fitness while melting stress and strengthening your emotional bond.
Don’t like to dance? Have two left feet? Enjoy another fun physical activity instead, like yoga or pickleball. The key is to get moving, together!
8) Have a Spring-Inspired Date Night
In spring, love is in the air. Set aside a special night to reconnect and enjoy the new season together. The perfect spring date night includes cooking a fresh, healthy recipe with activities to deepen your relationship.
Start by choosing your menu, focusing on dishes that use seasonal produce packed with healthy vitamins and nutrients, like these:
Then set the mood with relaxing music, candles, and a cocktail or mocktail of choice while you cook together. Over dinner, embrace spring’s “fresh start” energy and set a few goals as a couple, or prepare a few meaningful conversation-starters to get to know each other even better.
9) Plan a Spring Cleaning Day
Spring cleaning doesn’t feel like a chore when you do it with a loved one. For couples, planning a spring cleaning day can be an opportunity to refresh your space and improve your well-being together.
Beyond leaving your home sparkling clean, you’ll also enjoy a ton of health benefits. For one, decluttering and organizing your space has been shown to significantly reduce stress levels, enhance your focus and mood, and even has anti-aging benefits.
Cleaning also gets you moving and stretching in different ways than your daily exercise routine to boost your overall flexibility and mobility. Spring cleaning also helps remove dust, allergens, and pollutants from your home to improve your indoor air quality and support a healthier immune system.
Now that you know the benefits, where should you start? First, make it fun. Create a playlist of your favorite upbeat songs to keep your energy going. It’s also a good idea to plan a “reward” for a job well done. Book a table at your favorite restaurant or treat yourself to movie night in your freshly cleaned home.
Then, get to work. Effective spring cleaning usually involves three phases:
> Decluttering
Start by sorting through items, deciding what to keep, donate, or discard. This process can be both liberating and rewarding.
> Deep Cleaning
Tackle areas that don’t frequently get attention, like under furniture, behind appliances, and inside cabinets.
> Refreshing Your Space
Consider rearranging furniture, adding new decorative touches, or adding houseplants to make your living space feel fresh for spring.
Things to Do for Yourself in Spring
10) Start a New Creative Project
Is there a craft, hobby, or other type of creative project you’ve been wanting to try? In spring, we are naturally more energized and motivated to try new things, which makes now the perfect time to finally give it a go.
Being creative engages the brain’s frontal cortex, which is responsible for planning, problem-solving, and decision-making. By challenging this area, creativity enhances your mental flexibility and can help you adapt to new situations and think more innovatively in all areas of your life. Not to mention, creative hobbies are a great way to relieve stress and feel more fulfilled.
Artistic projects that use your hands to create are a great starting point – think pottery, sewing, or baking. But, you don’t have to be “artsy” to be creative. You could take on a project to perfect your homemade salsa, start a new collection, or learn a new instrument. In fact, taking up any new hobby is an act of creativity, because your brain is engaged in learning and thinking about the world differently.
11) Try a Journaling Practice
Journaling is a simple solo activity that can help relieve stress, boost mood, and even help you reach your goals. Start a journaling or meditation practice by carving out a few minutes each day for reflection or mindfulness. Since it’s spring, why not take your pen and paper outside to enjoy some fresh air?
If you don’t enjoy writing, don’t worry; journaling doesn’t have to mean writing an essay. Explore different methods, such gratitude journaling (where you simply write down what you’re grateful for), bullet journaling, or doodle journaling. These practices all enhance emotional balance and self-awareness in their own way.
If you’d rather write to a person than your journal, write some letters to friends and loved ones instead. Or, send a note to a stranger in need of support through a program like More Love Letters or Letters to Strangers.
12) Go Geocaching
If you’re looking for a way to make getting exercise more fun, give geocaching a try. Geocaching is an outdoor treasure hunt where you use a GPS device or Geocache app to find hidden containers, or “geocaches,” at specific coordinates in your area. Geocaching is an easy way to explore nature, get some exercise, and stimulate your brain. Plus, you never know what you may find!
You can combine geocaching with other mindfulness techniques (like trail running, walking meditation, or forest bathing) to reap even more mental and physical health benefits.
Find Your Spring Wellness Fun
Spring isn’t just a fresh start for Mother Nature – it offers a fresh start for us, too! Embrace the energy, motivation, and fun-loving nature of the spring season with these and other fun activities to boost well-being for the whole family.
Are health issues putting a damper on your fun? It may be time for a spring wellness reboot.
Schedule a visit at your local AlignLife Center to get a personalized wellness plan designed to improve your whole-body health for spring and beyond.
