With the beauty of a new spring emerging, many families are ready to break free of the winter doldrums and find some fun things to do together.
Easter time is a great opportunity to try some fun things with the kids – and build family traditions they will always remember.
And it doesn’t have to be complicated, or expensive, to give your children an active role in the family fun.
Kids need tradition to foster family connections, and there are so many fun ideas they can help with this Easter season that do just that. With a few items you likely already have on hand in your kitchen, your children can make fun treats and decorations – and feel a sense of pride and connection.
Momtastic reported on the importance of creating traditions for your kids:
“Traditions build stability. When families take part in rituals, trust builds. Traditions build unity. Traditions bring family members together. Traditions are especially important for children. When children are welcomed to take part in family traditions, it helps them to feel accepted within their family unite. When they feel connected and accepted by their family, they are less likely to see out the connection and acceptance they desperately need from other social groups. Traditions build identity. While many families may share similar traditions, the way they are carried out is unique from family to family. Traditions build connections to the past. Traditions can serve as a bridge from the older generation to the younger.
Fun with food! There are so many kid-friendly recipes you can make to celebrate the joys of spring and to prepare for a big family gathering. Kids love to cook in the kitchen, and there are plenty of Easter treats to be made that are safe and yummy!
The kids may not want to settle down and eat breakfast on Easter morning with all the excitement of a visit from the Easter Bunny or hunting for eggs. But they will definitely love a special breakfast of Easter Bunny pancakes! You don’t need to be an artist for this one; simply make a big circle for the head, pour some batter to create long ears and you have a bunny! Let the kids decorate their bunny pancakes with whipped cream “fur” and fresh fruit or raisins for the face. It will definitely keep them entertained and fill their tummies for church.
Are you having a big Easter dinner, but need a light lunch to tide the kiddos over? Any type of sandwich can be made special for Easter Sunday by cutting it into a fun shape with a bunny or egg-shaped cookie cutter. Another great idea to use up all those hard-boiled eggs is to have the kids help make egg salad. It’s one of the only dishes where kids can mash everything together and it will still turn out great!
(And save those eggshells! Older kids can break them into small pieces and glue them to construction paper to make a beautiful Easter mosaic, reminiscent of those they may see in church.)
Are you looking for some other snack ideas that both kids and adults will love? “Bunny Trail” mix is tasty, and the kids can make it themselves. Retailers sell all sorts of bunny shaped treats this time of year, from small crackers to fruit snacks. The little ones can sit together and mix everything up together in a big bowl, and they will be proud that they made something the family will enjoy. You can mix in pastel coated chocolate pieces, raisins, mini marshmallows (bunny tails), pretzels, and the bunny shaped treats. You can even provide some cute Easter containers or treat bags so they can pack up their creation for later.
Of course, there are endless possibilities for fun Easter desserts, only limited by your imagination. Bake a batch of cupcakes or sugar cookies in fun Easter shapes and let the kids decorate them for dessert while the adults prepare dinner.
Making food fun for kids is a big business these days, and there are countless fun holiday baking decorations, Easter candies, and cupcake toppers for sale to make these treats extra special.
A house full of kids? Do you have family coming for Easter weekend with kids in tow? While the adults are catching up and preparing the Easter meal, kids can get bored and impatient.
Setting aside a children’s table in the corner of the kitchen where they can help with preparations will keep them entertained and in sight. Older children can help the younger ones, and everyone will enjoy participating.
Kids love to feel appreciated and a part of the action, so why not have them help with the Easter table decorations?
- Kids can wrap green plastic utensils in an orange napkin and tie with twine for a fun, and useful, table decoration that resembles a carrot.
- Provide the little ones with pieces of card-stock and crayons so they can make place cards for the dinner table. Older children can write family members’ names on each card.
- Using watercolor paints, stamps, markers, and stickers, kids can create place-mats with spring symbols, even personalizing them for each family member.
- Purchase a variety of flowers at the store, or have children pick them from the yard if possible, to put together small Easter bouquets for the table.
- Everyone should have an Easter bonnet! With paper plates and tissue paper, kids can make their own Easter hats to wear to dinner. Simply punch a hole on two sides of the paper plate, tie a piece of yarn to each side, and tie under the chin. You can even have an Easter parade through the yard, or a contest for the best Easter bonnet.
Edible Fun? Older kids (who are no longer a high risk for choking on small items) can finally play with their food!
- Jelly beans and other small candies can be used for color sorting or counting fun.
- They can make “sculptures” with toothpicks and marshmallows of varying sizes.
- Mom or dad can make gelatin or edible play-dough (there are many recipes online) and the kiddos can cut out fun Easter shapes.
Tradition is so important to kids, and being part of making Easter special for their family is something they will always remember and cherish.
With a few inexpensive materials from your kitchen, the kids will stay entertained until the Easter meal is ready, and you will have provided them with a sense of pride that they were able to help – while having fun in the process.
What are some of your family’s favorite treats or table decorations that the kids can help make for Easter? Leave us your thoughts in the comments.