Spring is a time for renewal. It’s the season when migrating birds return to the British Isles from warmer climes, and flowers and leaves begin to sprout and peep forth bringing colour back to our gardens and the countryside. As the hours of daylight increase and the weather gets warmer, it’s time to venture out and embark on some adventures outside, discovering the best of the British countryside.
Below we have assembled a riot of fun spring activities for toddlers, teens and grown-ups to get involved with during March, April, and May this year. From spring craft activities to outdoor activities to get you out in the fresh air, it’s time to stow away your winter coat and liberate your lightweight coat, anorak and wellies (for the inevitable spring showers).
Read on to discover a whole host of exciting spring activity ideas or click the button below to find your perfect cottage retreat. Stay at a holiday cottage and explore the woodlands, the rolling green fields and the beaches this spring.
Spring cottages
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Outdoor activities for spring
Go on a spring photography walk
Our first spring activity idea is to greet the first signs of spring with your camera at the ready. The woodland is a wonderful place to start; it's here that some of the earliest colourful flowers appear, in the months before the lush tree canopies close above the understorey when late spring blends with early summer.
Look for catkins, spot early bees and animal pawprints, and so much more as you explore in spring. Don’t forget to take a pencil along with you to draw or take notes on what you see! You could also bring a camera to capture their majesty when in full throng; read award-winning nature photographer Ben Andrew’s top tips in this RSPB guide to wildlife photography, which has some cool ideas to try out.
Photography inspiration
The UK is full of spectacular landscapes - from Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty to lesser-known beauty spots. Wherever you stay you're sure to find a scenic place to enjoy a photography expedition during a UK break. Photography is a fantastic spring activity to inspire kids and adults alike!
Here are some of the prettiest places for spring and below we've got a guide to our favourite photographic places for spring. From the sparkling lochs of Scotland to the remote moors of the South West, read our guide below to discover a host of beautiful places to photograph this spring.
13 beautiful places to photograph this spring
Visit the coast in spring
With the first glimpses of warming sunshine returning after the winter cold, holidaymakers are slowly beginning to return to our enchanting UK coastline.
The beaches are captivating and still relatively quiet as the summer crowds haven't yet hit. The coast is a stunning place to be at any time of year but it's something about the quality of the spring weather that makes the coastline particularly appealing.
Walk coast paths to look out for wildflowers, and dine at beach cafes while they are still peaceful and quiet.
Captivating coastal destinations in spring
Hunt for spring flowers
Among the first flowers to step out and dazzle us each year are daffodils, bluebells and snowdrops. It's a wonderful spring sensory activity as you can smell the wonderful scents, touch the soft petals and simply admire the brilliant colours. Often these spring flowers can be seen in woodlands, like Ashridge Forest in Bedfordshire which is world famous for its endless quilts of bluebells.
Parks are a great place to see fantastic displays of daffodils that have sprung forth to decorate our open spaces. Snowdrops are a joy to see in natural surroundings whether in woodlands or out in the open - such a delicate and pretty species that belies strength with its early appearance in the bloom calendar.
Also, look up to enjoy the blossom in the trees and as time moves on, look down to see their flowers about your feet on the ground. Spot other early bloomers with the RSPB's superb flower ID chart on your travels.
Watch for wildlife
Spring is the time of year for spotting hares and newborn lambs in the fields - here are some ideas for how to spend a working farm holiday. Keep an eye out for brown hares in the fields and in the ponds, the toads and frogs that are coming out from their hibernation spots.
Mice, voles, foxes, badgers and bats are also out and about when the spring is on the move once more and summer is on the horizon.
Plant flowers for butterflies
Planting flowers is a perfect spring activity for families to do together! When the butterflies emerge from their cocoons every year, they search for certain flowers to visit. If you want them to frequent your garden, the RSPB has compiled a helpful list of butterfly-friendly flowers and shrubs for you to consider planting.
Among the hardier spring flowers, shrubs and trees to attract butterflies, you’ll find the purple-coloured bugle, mauve Erysimum, goat willow and lady’s smock.
Listen to the sounds of spring
No matter where you are this spring, you can still enjoy the outdoors with a spot of birding. You don’t need to be an expert to appreciate the birdlife this spring.
There’s a number of ways that you can get to know both migrating species and the ones that stayed in the UK all through the winter too.
Which birds will you hear or animal calls as you go about your forays in the British countryside? Birds and creatures are beginning to stir all around you as the days get sunnier and sunnier.
Wake to the birds’ dawn chorus
On holiday why not get up at dawn to hear your new day being heralded in by the birds? Each morning, the birds delight in singing at first light; there is even an International Dawn Chorus Day held annually on the first Sunday of May.
There’s nothing quite like an early morning walk as you listen to the birds sing their hearts out – it is a wonderful experience for everybody, young and old. Or take breakfast in the garden or simply throw open the bedroom window to hear the new day’s symphony of birdsong.
Fun spring craft activities
Build a bee hotel
Helping our British bee population is of paramount importance, so why not build a bee hotel for your garden? It's the perfect spring craft activity and the RSPB has set us all the challenge to build one – materials include hollow plant stems, small bamboo canes, reeds, bark, and untreated logs and hardwood. Situate your bee hotel in a sunny, south-facing spot close to your flowers and watch your buzzy visitors come and go about their business with their nectar and to tend to their eggs.
Build a starling nest box
Another fun spring craft activity for adults and older kids! Have you ever seen a billowing cloud of starlings? It’s one of nature’s greatest shows. When holidaying in Bideford, Devon during early spring, take a bench by the river and watch their fluid formations as they head into their giant roost beneath the 14th-century arched bridge. There are some completely stunning locations at RSPB reserves all across the UK where you can see them gather regularly, at other times you may see a murmuration by complete chance on your travels.
Build a box for the starlings and mount it on the side of your house or on a garden wall, the best time to install one is in time for the April nesting season. The RSPB has put together a handy guide on how to build your own starling nest box.
More inspiration for spring activities
It's a season that's bursting with potential as nature is reinvigorated by the springtime sun and a host of wildlife returns to our UK landscapes. For even more ideas of places to go and things to do during spring, click the button below.
Things to do in spring
RSPB's Wild Challenge
A great way to get children excited about nature at this time of year, get them to take part in the RSPB's Wild Challenge! They offer a series of fun activities for young people to tackle while exploring the great outdoors and, after submitting evidence for each activity, your child will receive a certificate to reward them for taking part in this wonderful challenge.
Discover more ways to spend time in nature with the kids by taking part in the RSPB’s Wild Challenge which is packed full of fun family activities.
Join the Wild Challenge
Cottages for spring
Now you've read through our wonderful spring activities ideas, start planning your cottage break. Explore the wilds of the UK this spring with a stay at one of our self-catering holiday cottages.
Browse our collection of holiday accommodation for a spring break. We have thousands of properties throughout England, Scotland and Wales for you to select your ideal holiday home from.
Spring cottages