The week leading up to Easter, I had a few activities up my sleeves for some "egg"stra special fun :).
For our sensory bin this month, I used one of our pallet crates Daniel built for gardening that he hasn't used yet. I added carrots, pots, shovels...
Zoe loved playing in the dirt, gardening her carrots before "eating" them, while Max was only interested in trying on Kason's gardening gloves.
I set out a few bunny themed books for us to read together...
Then we painted our own little bunny faces...
Kason has his own kid friendly cookbooks, so he searched through them to find just the right idea for a little Easter kitchen fun.
Our version of the Peep Mobiles turned out so adorable and Kason did a great job putting them together...
His buddy, Tanner, that lives next door broke his foot the other night so Kason brought these over to him as a "get well" treat :). My most favorite activity we did this year was Resurrection Rolls. Now, I've seen these circulating online for a few years, but I was saving this activity for when Kason was a little older and we could really have a great discussion about the true meaning of Easter. I read them a book about the story of Easter (one we read every year), then we read and discussed John 19 & the crucifixion of Jesus. While learning how they prepared Jesus' body for burial, we did the same thing with our marshmallows (white for purity, without sin).
We prepared Jesus' body (marshmallow) by covering him with oils (butter) and spices (cinnamon/sugar), then wrapping him in cloth (crescent rolls). I then put him in the tomb (oven) to bake while the kids played. When baking was done, we came back to discover that the tomb was empty and Jesus is alive!
Zoe was still too young to really understand beyond the fact that she got to eat some yummy rolls, but Kason was amazed. I love getting to spend these moments teaching and exploring who God is with my little bunnies. Now, I'm going to confess something to you friends that may shock you...but we don't do the Easter Bunny at our house. Daniel and I have decided to keep Easter focused on the true meaning, celebrating the risen Jesus! Yes, we do fun Easter & Spring themed activities, but we don't have an Easter Bunny come fill up our baskets or hide eggs...the kids know it is us. We have chosen to do all our Easter family fun on Saturday, reserving Sunday to be spent with loved ones celebrating and worshiping together. So, when the kids woke up on Saturday we had a bunny treat for breakfast...
The one Easter gift they receive every year from Daniel and I is a chocolate Easter bunny...
but this year since I've been working on my sewing skills, I did make the kids their own bunnies to sit out every year (dismiss the pins, I hadn't sewed them close yet in this picture)...
I also made Zoe a little bunny dress to wear for the day...
After breakfast and checking out their goodies, we always have our annual egg hunt which Kason has become a pro at :).
I actually color code their eggs so there isn't any squabbling.
Daniel hides Kason's green & blue eggs in harder places...
While Zoe's pink & purple eggs are pretty easy to spot...
Usually Max just hangs out while the others hunt, but since he has been more alert and aware of what's happening around him, I decided to make his own special eggs. Since he won't eat candy or even know what money is, I made him something even better...tailored made for our rattle loving kid...
That's right friends, I added rice and taped up the eggs! He had more fun rattling and throwing those eggs around :). He would fill up his bucket, then start chunking them all over...haha! Oh the joys of what's inside those little mystery eggs...
The last activity we always end on is dying eggs...
This year we did the traditional way with color tablets, vinegar, and marking crayon. The kids had a blast and did really well with little assistance (mainly with Zoe of course)...
On Sunday morning, we spiffed up and headed to church to worship...
then came home to enjoy and host a feast with our young pro group and little bunnies.
Hope your day was filled with Easter blessings as was ours! The best part of the day was rejoicing alongside our children that Jesus is alive, resurrected, and will return again one day!
Yep, your Easter blew mine away :) This month was so busy & we were gone a lot - we did not participate in a single egg hunt (besides our own), visit the Easter Bunny, dye eggs - nothing. Guess I will have to make up for it next year when Sophie is older!
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