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~ by Richard Sgaglio
Spring can be a wonderful time of rebirth and fun. After a long, gray winter, sometimes the best medicine is spending time outdoors and feeling the sunshine on your face.
To help you enjoy the season, we found a few fun ways to celebrate spring. These age-friendly activities are sure to brighten your day and help you create special memories with friends and family members.
Spring Activities at Any Age
Go Outside and Enjoy Nature
After being indoors for so much of the winter, it will feel good to go out and get some fresh air and sunshine. With the nicer weather approaching, it’s a great time to restart or begin a daily walking program. If cleared by your physician, start slowly by walking for 10-15 minutes at a time. Once you’ve mastered that, you can begin to extend your walking time. Just make sure you dress in layers and bring a hat, gloves, and scarf as the early spring weather can be unpredictable.
For older adults who aren’t as mobile, simply sitting in a room with windows such as The William W. Mauritz Reading Room off the Adams Library on The Osborn Campus can be a treat. It’s a comfortable way to enjoy nature by staying inside and enjoying the view of the expansive South Lawn. Or you can go outside and appreciate the trees and flowers on The Osborn’s 56-acre campus by strolling its extensive walking paths.
The Osborn has recently received its Arboretum status through ArbNet, making it the only private arboretum in Westchester County, so there is even more reason to enjoy the gorgeous views and many varieties of trees and flowers. If you would like to venture a little further, there are numerous outdoor activities offered by the Rye Nature Center, The Edith Read Sanctuary or one of the many parks in Westchester County.
Decorate with a Spring Theme
It can be fun to mark the seasons with pretty decorations. The spring is a good time to change out curtains, comforters, and sheets with brighter colors. If you don’t want to completely redecorate for the seasons, bringing in a few colorful throw pillows can brighten up a living space. Other ideas include getting new pastel colored placemats and tablecloths to liven up mealtimes.
Plan a Spring Family Gathering
What many seniors enjoy most is time spent with family and close friends. Organize a spring lunch or Sunday brunch where everyone brings a dish to share. Cooking family recipes during any season can bring us together. Buy a bunch of fresh tulips for the table, toss fresh fruit into your salad, or top some cookies with colored icing to make your table look especially festive.
Create an Indoor Garden
Having plants around the house brings a little piece of nature indoors. Spring is a perfect time to start an indoor windowsill herb garden or grow flowers in pots. You can even purchase a miniature bonsai tree to maintain all year long. Growing plants or herbs from seedlings can give you a jump start for outdoor planting – even if you only have room for a couple of ceramic pots on your terrace. There are lots of ways to enjoy gardening.
Do Some Spring Cleaning
Spring cleaning is a good excuse to reduce clutter and get rid of items that you no longer need or use. Make this a family affair by including children or grandchildren in the process. It can be a good time to go through keepsakes, family photos, jewelry, and items of clothing. Although you may not use them anymore, a family member might enjoy having a keepsake to remind them of you! Items that are no longer needed or wanted by family members can be donated to charities. Miriam’s Attic, The Osborn’s resale shop, accepts donations of clothing, furniture, household goods, and decorative items. Proceeds go to fund The Osborn Charity Care program.
Regardless of how you wish to celebrate the change of seasons, it’s great to know that the warmer, sunny, fun days of spring are almost here. Enjoy this special time of renewal and rebirth.
Please note: The views and opinions expressed in the above text are for educational and entertainment purposes only. They belong solely to the author. They do not necessarily represent the opinions of the publisher, author's employer, or other groups and/or individuals.