Question:

Easter Activity

LACY EGGS

Wrap colored yarn or thread around a balloon to make these giant eggs. You can vary the size of each egg by varying the size of the balloon you use. You can use all one color of thread or a different color for each layer. The variegated crochet cotton works beautifully! Decide what you like best. The results are delicate, so handle the eggs carefully.

You will need a round balloon
Yarn, crochet thread, or colored string (Easter colors)
Liquid starch, white glue or heavy sugar water
1-inch paint brush.

Blow up the balloon and tie a 2-foot piece of yarn or string from the knot end. This will be used to hang the competed project to dry. Carefully brush the whole surface of the balloon with the liquid starch or watered down white glue.

Now you will need to work quickly before the glue dries. Wrap the yarn, crochet thread, or string (what ever you are using) around the balloon in one direction leaving small gaps of about 1/2-inch wide so that the surface isn't completely covered. You won't be able to do a perfect job of wrapping but try to keep it somewhat even.

Brush on another layer of starch, glue or sugar water, right over the layer you just did and wrap another layer but this time go in a different direction. For instance, if the first layer was wrapped from the bottom to the top, this time wrap it around at right angles to it. Brush on glue and wrap one more time, varying the direction again. The balloon should be pretty well covered but you should be able to see gaps, sort of like lace.

Hang the covered balloon from the 2-foot string to dry for about 24 hours. When it is absolutely and completely dry, pop the balloon and very gently and carefully pull it out through one of the gaps.
And there you have it! Make a dozen of them and hang them all over.

If you want the egg to stand up (for a centerpiece, perhaps) flatten it very gently on one end.

SOCK RABBITS

Stuff a white sock for each child. Glue on ears, nose, and eyes. Let the children use permanent pens to make the whiskers. Tie off the end of the sock to make a tail.

EDIBLE EASTER BASKET

Color coconut green with food coloring in a few drops of water. Place green coconut in an ice cream cone and add colored jelly bean eggs.

BUNNIES: MOVEMENT ACTIVITY: HOPPING!!!

This is sure to burn off some energy. Try making the bunny ears and painting their faces before you start.
Give kids a variety of "hopping" commands such as:
(Be sure kids are told to take their time hopping, hold a hand of younger ones, if necessary)
Hop in one place.
Hop and turn in circles at same time
Hop on left/right foot
Hop backwards, sideways, make a square or circle
Hop over a line
Hop with a partner
Hop to different rhythms (clap hands, use drum, music, etc..

EASTER PICTIONARY

Easter Pictionary
Supplies:
Chalkboard
Chalk
Eraser
Easter Basket
Papers with Easter objects written on them
Timer
How To Play: Put papers with Easter objects written on them into basket. Divide children into two groups. Flip a coin to see which team goes first. Invite a child from the playing team to approach the chalkboard, draw a slip of paper, and read it to themselves. On your mark, the child should then draw the object in hopes that his/her team members will guess the object on their paper. If the team guesses correctly, before time runs out, they score a point. If the playing team does not guess correctly the other team has five seconds to try to come up with the correct answer. If they guess correctly they score a point and it is their turn to play.
This game can be simplified for young players utilizing words such as: carrot, bunny, candy. Make more difficult for older players by using short phrases: chocolate bunnies taste good, marshmallow chicks are yellow, etc.

EGG SHELL MOSAICS

This is a great activity to use up the colored shells from your Easter eggs. On large pieces of paper have the children draw a basket. Glue crushed eggshells to fill in basket. Children may either use shells from colored eggs, or may color the shells using markers after they are glued.

PASS THE EGGS

This is a great activity for a group of friends or family. You will need hard-boiled eggs and a collection of colored markers. The smaller tip permanent markers work best.
Everyone gather around a table that is covered with plastic or newspapers. Each person takes an egg and starts to draw a design on it. Then each one passes their egg to the person next to them. That person draws more of a design. Pass the eggs again. Keep passing and drawing until all the are done. You can include abstract designs or drawings of rabbits or baskets. Use your imagination. Then everyone can admire the results! The best part of this activity is the conversation it inspires!

EASTER TREE

EASTER TREE
This makes a nice centerpiece for Easter. Find a small branch from your yard, one that looks a bit like a tree. Set the "trunk" in a small terra cotta pot and secure either with plaster of paris, clay or floral foam. If you like you can spray paint the entire works white at this point. Fill the pot to the top with Easter grass and hang small foil covered chocolate eggs from the branches. Sometimes we tie bows on the branches too so that as we eat the chocolate eggs the "tree" doesn't get too bare!

TUNA CAN BUNNIES

TUNA CAN BUNNIES
You will need one tuna can for each bunny. Cover them with felt. Cotton balls can be used for tail. Use paper, markers, any combination, can be used to make face and whiskers at the opposite end of can. Put on paper ears and presto! There you have a bunny that can double as a jelly bean holder. (note) Make sure edge of cut can is covered and no sharp edges show.

TOMATO BASKET EASTER BASKETS

TOMATO BASKET EASTER BASKETS
Have children cut strips of colored paper and weave them in and out of tomato basket. Use pipe cleaner for handle.

CRAFT -COTTONBALL BUNNIES & SHEEP

Easter Craft Idea

Cut paper into bunny or sheep shapes
Glue cotton balls onto it
Can use clothespins to "paint" the bunnies or lambs,
Leaving the cotton balls in place as you go.

GROWING EASTER BASKETS

Empty 1/2 gal. Milk Cartons
Potting Soil
Grass Seed (fast growing if you have it)
Decorations for carton
Take empty milk cartons, cut down to 4-5" high. Can cover with contact paper or construction paper and decorate. Fill 2/3 full with potting soil, the generously cover with grass seed. Have children water daily; grass should grow in about 4-7 days. With remaining carton, cut a handle to staple to the basket. Fill with decorated eggs.

EGG SHELL ART

EGG SHELL ART
Save the broken eggshells from colored Easter eggs. Place them in a bowl on the art table along with colored construction paper and glue. Allow each child to glue eggshells to a piece of construction paper to make Easter pictures

SPOON AND EGG RELAY

Gather a spoon and plastic or hard-boiled egg for each child. Set up a course throughout the house or outdoors. Once a child is part way through the course allow another child to start. Personally I don't make a race of this game, the children just enjoy getting through the maze. A variation of this game is to push the eggs with their noses or feet.

EASTER EGGS Easter Fingerplay

Five little Easter eggs lovely colors wore.
Mother ate the blue one, then there were four.
Four little Easter eggs, two and two you see.
Daddy ate the red one, then there were three.
Three little Easter eggs, before I knew
Sister ate the yellow one, then there were two.
Two little Easter eggs, Oh what fun!
Brother ate the purple one, then there was one.
One little Easter egg see me run!
I ate the very last one, And then there were none.

EASTER CHICKS

EASTER CHICKS
2 Cotton Balls
Orange and Black Construction Paper
Dry, Yellow tempera Paint
Glue
Empty, Clean Egg Shell
Put some of the paint in a Ziploc Bag, put in the 2 cotton balls and shake until they are yellow. Feet, eyes, and beaks can be cut from orange & black construction paper and glued on. Then you can glue the chick into half of the eggshell.

EGG BASKET TOSS

Use a piece of ribbon or string to hand a basket from the branch of a tree. Fill plastic Easter eggs with beans for weight tape shut. Have the children line up behind the basket. Then they throw their eggs into the basket. Once the children can get their eggs into the basket, make it more of a challenge by swinging the basket.

PAPER PLATE BUNNIES

Large paper plate
Small paper plate
Glue
Pink construction paper
Cotton ball
Crayons or markers
Using paper plates, glue small one to top of large one to form head and body. Cut out bunny ears from pink paper. Glue or staple to head. Draw eyes and nose on face of plate with crayons or markers. Glue a cotton ball on the back for a tail.

EGG TOSS

Supplies:
Large cardboard with Easter basket drawn on one side Good size hole cut-out in center of basket, or a few small holes for older kids.
Colorful egg-shaped beanbags (Easter eggs)
Bucket to hold beanbags
Tape to mark distance line
How To Play: Place cardboard basket a little distance from a wall with a paper box lid on floor to catch Easter egg bean bags. Mark your distance line according to age and skill of children. Line children up behind the line and place a bucket of Easter egg beanbags beside them. Give each child three tries to get their beanbag through the hole. Get all three Easter egg beanbags in and earn a 'egg-licious' reward.

PIN THE EGG ON THE BASKET

Supplies:
Big picture of a basket
A decorated paper Easter egg, for each child, with adhesive on back and their name on the front (could be an art activity before playing--everyone makes their own)
Blindfold
How To Play: Blindfold the player, spin 'em around and let them try to stick the egg on the basket. Give a prize for the player that gets the closest.

LOLLIPOP BUNNY

For each child you will need the following materials:
1- lollipop (I use the lollipops wrapped in cellophane.)
2- 7mm wiggle eyes
1- 7mm pink pompom
2- white flower stamen
3"x3" white felt
3"x3" pink felt
6" curl ribbon
1. Cut 2 large white ears and 2 small pink ears from felt.
2. Glue the pink inner ears to the white ears keeping the bottoms even.
3. Put glue 1/2" from the bottom of the front of the ear.
4. Glue eyes on lollipop.
5. Put a dot of glue in the center of the lollipop under the eyes. Criss cross stamens and place on the glue.
6. Dip the pink pompom in glue and place it on the whiskers to form the nose.
7. Tie a bow and glue it at the base of the lollipop.

EASTER PLACEMATS

EASTER PLACEMATS
Gather up Easter cards from past years, pictures from magazines or your children's favorite drawings. Glue onto light cardboard or construction paper in decorative fashion the size of a placemat.
Cover this collage with clear contact paper to seal the placemat. Be sure to have your child date and sign it. These are great to give to Grandma and Grandpa, aunts and uncles as a keepsake.

PAPER BAG BUNNY BASKET

At open end of bag, draw bunny ears along outside edges and cut. Decorate bag on one side with face of bunny. Staple ears together at top. Stand bag up and open. Fill bottom with cellophane grass and fill!

MINI EGG CARTON BASKET

- One plastic-foam egg carton will make three baskets.
Cut off the top of carton. Cut the carton into three sections, each containing four cups. One section makes a basket. Make small holes on 2 opposite sides of each basket. Twist 2 pipe cleaners together to form a handle. Push the ends of the handle onto holes. Fill basket with cellophane grass. Decorate handle.

PAPER PLATE BUNNY MASKS

Staple ears to a paper plate - ones that look like rabbit ears
Cut out eyes, glue or draw on nose and mouth
Cover plate with cotton balls for fur
Attach string to hold up around head

EASTER EGG ROLLING

This custom was started in Europe a long time ago. Contestants rolled their eggs on gentle slopes toward the finish line at the bottom of the hill. The first unbroken egg over the line is the winner. An annual egg roll was started in the United States during President Andrew Johnson's period. The White House south lawn now is the site of the Easter Monday Egg Roll. Many children participate in this yearly event.
Why not start your own Annual Easter Egg Roll. We have one with our grandchildren right after the Annual Easter Egg Hunt!

JELLY BEAN COUNTDOWN

(Use real jelly beans or flannel board ones- 5 colors)

5 little jelly beans
I wish I had more!
I'll eat the (color) one
Now there are four!

4 little jelly beans
Tasty as can be
I'll eat the (color) one
Now there are 3!

3 little jelly beans
Only a few.
I'll eat the (color) one
Now there are 2.

2 little jelly beans
Eating them is fun
I'll eat the (color) one
Now there is one.

1 little jelly bean
The last one for me
I'll eat the (color) one
I'm as happy as can be!

EASTER EGG NESTS

Using the Rice Krispies Marshmallow Treats recipe shape the cookies into nests and fill with green coconut and jelly bean eggs.

EASTER EGG BLOWING GAME

Divide the children into two teams. Place each team member on opposite sides of a table. (The older the kids the bigger the table. For example the 3 year olds use the coffee table, the 7 year olds use the dining table and the 10 year olds use a ping pong table…) Place a colored cotton ball on the table (pretend it is a Easter egg). The object of the game is to blow the egg off the opposing team's side of table. Players can not use their hands in any way. Prepare for lots of noise!

HANDPRINT BASKET OF EGGS

Trace around 2 hands on green paper - cut them out. Cut out a large basket shape from brown paper and four eggs on colored paper - glue the hands (fingers up) as grass behind the eggs and basket on blue paper.