Easter has always been a really special time in our family.  I think of it like Christmas in terms of getting the family together, but without the stress and pressure!

With the school Easter holidays about to start, and Easter approaching, we thought we would share some of our favourite Easter holiday activities ideas to keep the kids entertained and, if they are anything like mine, off their tablets or games consoles!  That said, these activities aren’t just for children, I particularly enjoying making my Easter tree each year!

Make Coloured Hard Boiled Eggs

Colouring eggs takes me back to the Easters of my childhood and they look so pretty displayed at Easter.

• Gently place eggs in single layer in large saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover eggs by 1 inch and cover. Bring just to boil on high heat. Remove from heat. Let stand 12 minutes. (Adjust time up or down by 3 minutes for each size larger or smaller).
• Pour off hot water and rapidly cool eggs by running them under cold water (or place in ice water) until completely cooled.
• Mix 1/2 cup boiling water, 1 teaspoon vinegar and 10 to 20 drops food colour in a cup to achieve desired colours. Repeat for each colour. Dip hard-cooked eggs in dye for about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon, wire egg holder or tongs to add and remove eggs from dye. Allow eggs to dry.  You can then decorate them.

Alternative you can blow out the eggs and decorate them, that way you can keep them and use them to decorate your Easter tree.  .  Check out this link on how to blow out eggs and thread them with ribbon or thread to hang on an Easter Tree.

Visit a Lambing Farm

It is lambing season and open lambing takes place at many farms around the country where you can see lambs being born and maybe cuddle an orphan lamb.  Check the internet to find a farm near you and get back to nature.  Alternatviely the National Trust has a list of the best of their sites where you can see lambs.

Easter Planting 

• We love the idea of drawing a face on an empty empty egg shell, filling with a little compost and planting a few herb or cress seeds and letting the herbs grow as hair.  Don’t forget to keep moist but don’t over water.
• Check out the following website for other great Easter planting ideas to do with the kids.   https://www.thejoyofplants.co.uk/easter-plant-growing-projects-kids. 
  

  Easter Egg Hunt

Either plan your own Easter Egg hunt or why not join an Easter Egg hunt at your nearest National Trust property.  Visit the National Trust website to find an Easter Egg hunt or other Easter activities near you.

Make an Easter Tree

I am slightly obsessed with making Easter Trees and this year I have two, even though we will be away visiting family.  I just love celebrating that spring is starting to arrive and they make a great centre piece for an Easter table.

• Gather a selection of small branches, I tend to prune small blossom laden branches from trees or shrubs in our garden, but you can just collect fallen small branches and use those. I tend to use Forsythia branches with its yellow flowers or small Prunes (cherry) tree branches with its delicate pink blossom.  Alternatively, you can decorate a house plant or tree or shrub in your garden.
• Put these branches in a tall vase and fill the bottom of the vase with sand or small stones to support the tree.
• Decorate the branches with small shop bought decorations or make your own.  Traditionally Easter trees were decorated with blown eggs and you can click here to see how to make your own egg decorations.  Our friends at Made By Me Craft Parties also have a great blog about how to make your own 3D egg decorations  using patterned paper.

Easter Baking

Last but not least, why not do some Easter baking?  We’ve got a fantastic range of Easter themed baking kits including our Easter Bunny Biscuit Baking Kit which includes a delicious and foolproof biscuit mix and bunny rabbit cookie cutter.  Perfect for getting creative or having an Easter Bunny Biscuit decorating competition.

You could also follow the Chocolate Fudge Easter Cupcake recipe on our blog or check out the internet or cookery books for Easter bakes.  There are loads of Easter baking ideas on the BBC Good Food website.

We hope you have a wonderful Easter break and we would love to hear what you enjoy doing with the kid’s over Easter.