by Shelley Heaphy
As I look outside at this mix of snow and freezing rain, I can’t help but hope that by Easter this cold, white snow will be replaced by gooey mud and some grass. I absolutely love Easter and the family weekend it brings with it. Nice weather is just a hopeful added bonus.
I have loads of Easter craft ideas and activities to do with the children to share. Whether indoors or outdoors I’m certain you will find the perfect way to fill the weekend with your children.
- Easter Egg hunts and play Easter Bunny — Easter eggs are super inexpensive and can be used for hundreds of different games. Have an egg hunt either indoors or outdoors if weather permits. I’ve found that the excitement of finding the eggs is enough for my children to continue playing this game over and over. They love taking turns being the Easter Bunny.
- Make an Easter wreath — Get a wire or faux wreath. Using a glue gun, glue plastic easter eggs all over, include two soft bunnies on the bottom looking at each other. You could add felt letters that say Easter. Hang it on the door or gift it.
- Make Easter nests as a dessert for Easter dinner — This is my favourite Easter recipe it is so cute, simple and festive. The children will absolutely love pushing the mini eggs into their nests.
Ingredients: 225g/8 oz plain chocolate, broken into pieces; 2 tbsp golden syrup, 50g butter, 1/2 cup cornflakes, 36 chocolate mini eggs.
Directions: Line a 12 muffin tin with paper linings. Melt the chocolate, golden syrup and butter in a bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water, (do not let the base of the bowl touch the water). Stir the mixture until smooth. Remove the bowl from the heat and gently stir in the cornflakes until all of the cereal is coated in the chocolate. Divide the mixture between the paper linings and press three chocolate eggs into the centre of each nest. Chill in the fridge for one hour, or until completely set.
- Make Easter cards — Make cards for family members you may be visiting during the holiday. Use materials you have on hand: stickers, paint, crayons, papers. You can add little chicks to their cards by stamping their finger in paint or ink pads, adding eyes and a mouth, and writing peep, peep beside them!
- Play bunny, bunny, rabbit — This is a simple variation to duck, duck, goose. Perfect if there are a lot of children to occupy. Great way to burn energy before dinner time.
- Decorate — In preparation for an Easter celebration, there’s a really cheap, simple way to make an Easter garland. Collect some paint sample cards from the local paint shop. Cut them into an egg shape, hole punch holes on both sides of the egg and then string them all together. Super cute and colourful finish.
- Hold an egg race — Hard boil some eggs, let the kids decorate them with paint, glitter, stickers or whatever else they can think of. Give them all a soup spoon and let them race down a predetermined course. The first one to the finish line without dropping the egg wins.
- Dye Easter Eggs —Every year we do this and every year we try a new technique. This year we will try the white crayon technique. We only usually have our eggs on display for the weekend so I don’t bother hollowing them out, but if you’re going to have them on display for a while do that first so they don’t go bad. Then use a white wax crayon to draw a design on your egg. It can be swirls, polka dots, a name, stripes, zig zags, basically anything you can draw. Then drop the egg gently into some dye (water and food coloring) after letting it soak for a few minutes take it out and dry it off with a paper towel. Simple. Add them to a basket with some Easter grass and you have an instant centerpiece.
- Blooming wellies — I’ve saved my favourite for last, this activity is called “blooming wellies.” Gather up some old rubber boots that no longer fit. Let the kids fill them with earth or compost, then plant some flower seeds. Line your walkway with them and let the children take care of them. How cute will these be with little flowers growing from them?
However you choose to spend Easter, enjoy the long weekend with family, friends and neighbours. Hopefully some of these cute activities and crafts will come in handy.
