Unpredictable Autumn weather doesn’t have to stop your Easter fun.
Make the most of the cooler days with one of these great activities the whole family can enjoy.
If it feels like it’s rained every Easter long weekend in your memory from here back to ’87, you could just be right. Well, raining or not, here’s how to have a great family Easter weekend no matter the weather.
Get baking!
Make a batch of cookie dough (gingerbread dough is perfect) and grab some Easter themed cookie cutters, colored icing tubes, mini chocolate buttons and sprinkles for the perfect sweet afternoon. Let the kids stamp out dough and make shapes. Once baked, then use the icing and decorations to make delicious treats, perfect for gifting to teachers, neighbours and friends.
Hop to it! Have a family movie night.
Grab a new DVD release the whole family will enjoy (Trolls or Sing! are due out now and great choices). Make your own popcorn, pull out the beanbags and cushions and camp out in the loungeroom together. And don’t forget a half time “choc top” – a scoop of ice cream in a cone, smothered in ice magic.
Make a life size Easter egg basket
Little ones will love this sensory idea which is super simple to do. Using a small inflatable pool, or even a big, shallow cardboard box, fill the bottom with shredded tissue or paper. Hide little colourful plastic eggs or soft Easter themed toys in the paper and let the kids go crazy, digging in the paper to find the buried surprises.
Find rabbits in your hat
Encourage the kids to put on a magic show. A pack like Marvin’s Magic Box of Tricks provides hours of entertainment as they practice their show. Or just use YouTube tutorials and household objects like a deck of cards, hankies and coins to teach the kids some fun. Finally, drape up a bedsheet as their “curtain” and make sure you give them lots of applause.
Smarty pants scientists
Create your own little science experiment using bi carb soda, water and food colouring. Use just enough water in the bi carb soda to make a dough, tiny with food colouring. You can then mould the dough around foam shapes or small plastic figurines into egg shapes. Leave to dry out completely overnight or pop into a very low temperature oven for a few hours. When hard, they will look like eggs, but pop into a glass of water and they will fizz away until the “surprise” is left in there.
Feel crafty
Create your own decorations for around the house. Not only will it help to get in the Easter mood but it will occupy little hands for ages. Pre-cut some pieces of paper or cardboard into egg or bunny shapes and set up textas, paints and brushes, add some playdoh or pick up a colouring in kit and let their imagination run wild. Don’t forget the aprons either! This one could get messy.
Treasure hunt
Hide some small Easter themed toys around the house while your kids cover their eyes (a small pack of fluffy chicks are perfect for this game.) Then, giving them a map or simple clues like “warmer… colder” if they need them, help them to find all the hidden toys.
Create a “book burrow”
Grab some favourite Easter themed books such as Peter Rabbit, Spot’s first Easter and Peppa’s Easter Egg Hunt and drape a sheet over some chairs or a table to make a cubby hideaway. Fill with pillows and blankets, creating the perfect burrow for little bunnies to play in. Top it off by having a plate of carrot sticks and hummus for when snack time comes around.
Do the bunny hop
There’s nothing like a good old fashioned boogie to get out some energy. Create a home disco by dimming the lights and turning up the tunes. Bring out the most glittery dress ups for the kids to try on. If you are feeling fancy, string up fairy lights or give the kids some glow sticks to really set the mood. Alternate between letting them DJ and playing dance games like musical statues, Simon Says and follow the leader.
