Easter is once again just around the corner! Where on earth has the time gone? Just like any other holiday, when families get together there is always a great deal of preparation that goes on behind the scenes. It can be extremely stressful, especially with the added pressure of having the kids home from school. So here are some ways you can combat the stress and have heaps of fun with your little ones this weekend.
Involve Them With The Kitchen Prep!
If you have family coming over, you no doubt have hungry mouths to feed. Rather than slogging away in the kitchen all alone, why not involve your kids and get them to help you. This gets the job done faster and keeps the kids entertained - kills two birds with one stone, and your little ones might even learn something new!
Mituri Pradip Sharma from Nim-Véda Australia, an environmentally friendly business that manufactures and distributes personal body and hair care products, elaborates on one way you can do this:
“Have fun this Easter with kids by baking and cooking some Easter goodies with them. Get rid of the pangs of guilt from encouraging their sweet tooth and use certified organic ingredients to cook delectable, divine Easter treats with natural alternatives like jaggery (also known as panela), honey and agave nectar with your little master-chefs.”
To find out healthy recipes you can prepare in the kitchen with your little ones, check out Nim-Véda on Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus.
Family Spring Cleaning
Even though Easter doesn’t technically fall in the spring season in Australia, it’s still a great chance to start anew and clear out your living space. That means out with the old and in with the new, and your little ones can help you out. This is the perfect chance to teach them that they can give away toys they no longer use anymore to charities, to make room for new belongings, or even just to have a less cluttered space.
What could be more fun than decorating their room, and doing it up in a totally different style? If it’s been a while, it might be time to get a new bed for your kids room, as they may have grown substantially since you last replaced it! Getting rid of old toys and purchasing new pieces of furniture for your little one’s room can be a fun, and even therapeutic activity to do over the long weekend. Your kids can have fun helping to pick things and design their own room, and you can be productive all at the same time!
Get Creative With Crafts
What could possibly be more festive than exploring your artistic side, and getting into arts and craft projects with your kids this upcoming holiday - you can even make the items you create Easter-themed! Here’s a tip from Kylie Travers from The Thrifty Issue:
“My kids love Easter crafts, one favourite is dying eggs. You can use old silk scarves and ties from op shops for cool patterns, draw on eggs with white crayon before using regular dye or wrap them in leaves, petals and onion skin for natural effects. Cheap and fun!”
So start getting crafty with your little ones! To find out more from The Thrifty Issue on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Dr Carrie Rigoni, children's chiropractor, also has ideas about how you can get crafty with your kids this Easter:
"For those of you who don't want to give your children chocolate, this is a fun way to celebrate Easter! Keep and clean your empty egg shells (and when using the egg just break off the top so you've got a 3/4 egg shape). Fill with different coloured paints, and seal the open top with some tissue paper and glue. Put back in egg container. On Easter morning, take the kids outside with their eggs to find a blank canvas that they can throw their eggs at and create a gorgeous piece of art."
To find out more from Carrie, visit her website and Facebook page!
Take Crafts A Step Further & Make Easter Costumes!
If you want to really get into the Easter spirit, why not go the full mile and make costumes in line with the theme? Emily Habelrich, a child psychologist at Youthrive Integrated Therapy Services, tells you just how to do so:
“You Will Need:
- Anything you have lying around the house: Old t shirts, socks, hats, shoe boxes, tissue boxes, toilet rolls…literally anything
- Crafty items: glue, paint, markers, string, scissors, tissue paper, paper plates, paper cups etc
The beauty about this is there is NOTHING to prepare! Let your child’s imagination run wild…let them show you what they can create when they are given the opportunity to! Will they make a bunny hat? Will they paint an Easter-inspired picture on a t shirt? Will they make sock puppets? Who knows!”
To learn more from Youthrive, follow them on Facebook!
Now that you have a myriad of activities to choose from, you’re bound to have a splendid Easter with your family! Have a wonderful weekend celebrating!
