Easter 2012

Easter 2012 Activities for All Ages

In the Northern Hemisphere, Easter coincides with the approach of spring. It’s also a Christian celebration of happy things. If you have a young family, this is the perfect time to start creating your own traditions for this holiday. Our list of activities might give you some ideas.

Making cards is something that is enjoyed by children of all ages. Plan to do this week or so before Sunday. Assemble some pastel colored paper, paint, scissors, glue and decorative items like stickers, buttons, ribbons, sequins or bows. Choosing these items depends on how old your children are. Trace bunny or egg shapes on some pieces of paper and let the older children cut them out. These can be stuck on the cards. After the cards are completed, put some up in the house and post the others out, making sure to send some to both sets of grandparents.

Another traditional activity is egg decorating. You can do this as a family, or invite some guests. At least one week before you plan to decorate the eggs, go out to a craft shop for the supplies. You will need paints, non-toxic of course, ribbon, string, stickers and anything else you can think of, being sure to provide items for all ages. A day or two before, boil the eggs that will be decorated. Set an egg decorating table, with all the crafts items in separate bowls. If you are going to dye the eggs, instead of paint them, mix the dyeing powders and get a few big bowls ready. When it’s time to decorate, give each participant a small basket which takes about 4-5 eggs. You can give out prizes for an egg pageant with wacky titles such as Most Beautiful Egg, Scariest Egg, Egg with the Best Colors, Most Easter-ish Egg. Other crafts are also popular during this time. Kids can make rabbit ears, cotton bunnies and other simple items. The Internet has many ideas which vary in difficulty, so go through them together and let your children choose the crafts they’d like to consider.

Cooking together is another way to make the season special.  Check if there are any special recipes that your grandparents or parents used. Otherwise, it’s time to start your own. For younger children, it might be easier to choose simple recipes that are more a matter of assembling prepared items, for example, chocolate egg lollipops and Easter nests made with chocolate covered wheat and marzipan eggs.

Having an Easter 2012 Sunday party is one way to celebrate the festivities. Your children will love the idea of hosting a party for their friends, and egg-hunting is more fun with a larger crowd. Party games can include egg decorating, and an egg-and-spoon race. However, an event does not have to big a big one to become a family tradition. Some families prefer to keep that Sunday a family affair, having brunch or lunch followed by a movie watching session.

Whatever you decide to do for Easter 2012, the main thing is to create a special time for the family to be together. It will take a few years for family traditions to develop, but finding out what suits your family best will be half the fun.