Things To Do on an April Weekend

April is the first full month of spring when it feels like winter is truly behind us. Get a spring in your step and enjoy some light and bright April weekends this month. 

Things to Do at the Weekend in April

It’s the last days of March and we’ve had all sorts of weather in Scotland, including a gloriously warm weekend. March going out like a lamb, I thought – until the hail and snow arrived two days later…

Whatever the weather, it’s definitely time to start planning some springtime activities for the weekends of April.

It’s time to start spending more time outdoors, getting your outside space spruced up and ready for warmer weather, going on some gentle (and socially-distanced) springtime adventures, opening the windows wide on a sunny morning, dodging those April showers (and April fools pranks), and watching the world turn greener.

If you’re looking for inspiration, here are some ideas for things you could do on an April weekend.

Ideas for an April Weekend

Here are some simple, fun ideas for things to do during the weekends this April. Restrictions are starting to lift, but with no events running and many places still closed, these ideas are all designed to do either at home or out in the fresh air.

Decorate for Easter

Easter falls in the middle of April this year, so there’s still time to do a little decorating if you like. I don’t usually do much decorating for Easter but I love to bring in some branches from the garden, put them in a vase or jug, and hang some Easter egg decorations on the twigs. It’s a ten-minute job and adds a nice seasonal touch.

Do Some Easter Baking

Most years I make simple Easter cookies or a basic vanilla cake decorated with chocolate mini eggs. This time I’m planning to repeat the success of last year’s really indulgent Cadbury Creme Egg Scotch Eggs. They’re a slightly crazy treat but are actually very simple to make.

Have an Egg Hunt

Do your best Easter bunny impression and let the kids hunt for eggs around the house and garden with this Printable Easter Egg Hunt.

Eat All The Chocolate

Eaten Easter eggs until you feel ill? If you’ve got a surplus of chocolate in the weekends after Easter, use the leftovers to ice and decorate this Super Easy Chocolate Cake.

Visit a Farmers’ Market

My local farmers’ market runs all year, but I never brave it in the colder months. Now is the perfect time to head out for some lovely seasonal produce if you have a farmers’ market nearby.

Get Out Into the Spring Greenery

Take a long walk or bike ride in a woodland and enjoy all that new, much greener green space. Look out for blossoming trees, daffodils, and bluebells – and don’t forget to listen to the birdsong.

Go on a Spring Scavenger Hunt

Now that restrictions are lifting, head out with the kids to your local woodland or country park and have a spring scavenger hunt (free printable).

 

Have Your First Picnic of the Year

Pack a picnic to take on your walk or bike ride. You might still need a jacket, but that first lunch of the year eaten outdoors on a picnic rug is something to celebrate.

Plant Some Flowers and Fruit

Use spring as an excuse to get green-fingered and try some planting this month. Try sowing lily bulbs in pots, or have a go at growing strawberry plants for a summer crop of your very own.

Give Your Outside Space a Makeover

With social distancing still a necessity, there’s never been a better time to spruce up your outside space. Get some new garden furniture, put up some solar-powered lights, or buy an outdoor rug. It’s also a good time to clean your barbecue, do some pruning/weeding, and power-wash patios and driveways to get rid of the winter dirt.

Tackle the Spring Cleaning

If you spring cleaned your house in March then enjoy the feeling! If not, you don’t need to keep putting it off because you’re dreading it. Here’s how to Spring Clean Your Home In a Weekend.

Enjoy the April Showers

If the weather’s still unpredictable where you live and the forecast is for wet weather, don’t hide indoors all weekend. Get your waterproofs on and go for a welly walk. Splash in puddles, enjoy the fact it’s not snowing, and then head home for a mug of hot chocolate. And maybe a cupcake.

Find a Rainbow

Keep watching the sky during those April showers and see if you can spot a rainbow. Bonus points if you can find the crock of gold at the end.

Come in From the Rain

If the weather’s really not good, or if you’ve got caught in the rain, stay in and have a board game afternoon or let the kids build a den and keep it up all weekend. Our favourite family game throughout the whole of lockdown has definitely been Labyrinth.

Watch the Birds

Attract birds to your garden with some bird food that’s appropriate for spring.  To get a close-up view of your visitors, try a window bird feeder that attaches to the outside of a window. Don’t lose heart if no birds come for a few days or even a few weeks: it can take a bit of time for them to get used to a new feeding spot.

Do Some Spring Cooking

It’s definitely time to cook some lighter food now the cold weather’s over. Try making some fresh, spring-inspired dishes, like this pasta primavera or spring tabbouleh. It’s also forced rhubarb season, so you could have a go at this rhubarb chutney.

Feed the Ducks

It’s the start of duckling hatching season, so you might spot some duck families out on the water if you live near a river or pond. Good options for feeding ducks are things like oats, peas or sweetcorn.

Put Away Your Winter Clothes

You might have done this as part of your spring cleaning, but it’s definitely time to pack away your coats, hats and gloves. Hopefully you won’t need them again till autumn.

Enjoy Some Spring Reading

Choose some books to celebrate the new season.

For you:

Spring: An Anthology for the Changing Seasons by Melissa Harrison

Spring in Your Step: Discover and Celebrate the Magic of Springtime by Gillian Monks

For the kids:

What to Look For in Spring: A Ladybird Book by Elizabeth Jenner

The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle

I hope this post has given you some ideas for things you could do on an April weekend. If you have any favourite April activities, let me know in the comments!

Cover photo by Laura Chouette on Unsplash