Spring has sprung - enjoy some nature crafts and activities to celebrate!

It's that great time of year - when the weather has turned warm and Spring has officially hit. In southern Illinois, the weather has turned warm and the coming weeks are definitely Spring-like.
To celebrate, here are a few ideas for some simple crafts the kids can make. Some of them will even get everyone outside to enjoy the warm weather.
Make Nature Collages
Take a nature hike in your back yard or at a local park. Collect items like small twigs, acorns, pine needles, and more. Once you get back inside (or if the weather is nice enough - sit outside on a picnic table), give the kids pieces of construction paper and glue and let them create their own nature collage.
Create Pet Rocks
This is a slightly messy activity but my kids love it. Collect a few large rocks then let the kids paint them with different colors of craft paint. Give them some glitter, wiggly eyes and pom poms then let their imaginations run wild. They can decorate their rocks however they like.
Feed the Birds
Make a few homemade natural bird feeders to welcome the wild birds who will be hanging out in your yard. After you put the bird feeders out, sit outside with the kids to watch the birds that show up. See if you can identify them together.
Create a Flower Garden
Plan out and create a flower garden together to celebrate the arrival of Spring. While it's still a little early to be planting seeds outdoors in southern Illinois, you can start the planning and even start some seeds indoors. Let the kids help you make seed starter pots from newspapers for a great, earth-friendly activity.