Unique Spring Outdoor Activity

It's hard to resist the beauty of a fresh spring day. The air is crisp, the sun feels like warm hug, and the birds sing their annual announcement that it's time to come out and play. With no restrictions of coats, hats, or gloves to protect from the blanket of fluffy bitter snow, the family is free to do just about any activity outdoors.

What is there to do when the weather is perfect after being in a deep freeze for months? You could bring out the bikes, go for a walk, start on your gardens, or visit the local park. Yet those are all clique ideas, and always the first that come to mind in the spring. So what else is there?

One activity we don't often think of until mid-summer is playing with sparklers. Since we happened to find some tucked away in the closet, leftover from Fourth of July last year, we thought, "why not?" We couldn't think of anything better to do on a beautiful spring day than to light the sparklers for the kids at dusk, watch them dance around the front yard, and snap dozens of pictures.

The kids, ages eight and almost eleven, had an absolute blast. They made designs in the air, pretended they were Harry Potter characters, and enjoyed the glow of the sparks in their hands. Even as it began to get dark and the wind got a little chilly, all we had to do was come back inside, since we were right outside our own home. By the time it was completely dark and we were finished, there was just enough time to settle down a bit before getting the kids ready for bed.

Even the ten-year-old boy had a fun playing, which you would think a kid of his age would be "too old" to enjoy a child's activity. Yet he proved us wrong, enjoying himself just as much - if not more - than his younger sister.

From now on, we'll be keeping an eye out for sparklers on sale after the fourth of July, or keeping them on hand for just such an occasion. When the skies are clear, and weather warm, we'll be using sparklers as a fun spring outdoor activity, either as a reward or "just because".