Family Easter Activities Beyond the Egg Hunt
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Easter is quite possibly my favorite time of the year. It’s not so hot that you need to hide away in the cool breeze of the AC, and the bitter cold is gone for the year. This time of year also means the Texas bluebonnet season is almost upon us, and farmers’ markets are brimming with vibrant produce in all its freshness.
Easter brings with it the joys of togetherness and family bonding. And each year comes with a new chance to make fond holiday memories with your loved ones. Last year, I did a round-up of the best Texas farms for Easter farmtime fun. You can read all about it here.
It doesn’t matter if you plan to spend the holidays indoors or outdoors — Easter fun can be had in many ways beyond the traditional egg hunt. So, if you’re looking for non-egg hunt Easter fun, you’ve come to the right place!
Read Easter-Themed Books
Encouraging reading is always a good idea, no matter the occasion! Get into the holiday spirit by reading books with an Easter theme, or even acting them out! Here are some Easter book suggestions for toddlers and picture-book readers.
Make an Easter Set-Up with Play-Doh or Lego
If your kids are Play-Doh hungry like mine, what better way to explore Easter imagery than setting up a little farm complete with bird nests, eggs, and cute colorful bunnies.
With older children, why not get out the Lego and challenge your kids to create an Easter-related scene? The more creative, the better!
Decorate Farm-Fresh Easter Eggs!
Did you know that pasture-raised, free-range brown eggs dye just as beautifully as store-bought white ones? The flecks and natural color differences make the finished crafts a splendid feast for the eyes. What’s more, when it comes to eating them afterwards, they’ll be much more enjoyable than the flavorless yolks of store-bought eggs. Find all kinds of Texas free-range eggs here!
When decorating farm eggs, we love to use natural dyes (think turmeric, blueberries, and beets), but any dyes will do! Combine them with crayons, markers, and paints, and you have an Easter activity for the whole family!
Make Easter crafts together
Susie from Busy Toddler is a mom of three and, through her Instagram following of 1.7 million, offers moms all over the world brilliant yet super simple kids’ activities. Browse Busy Toddler to get plenty of Easter craft ideas and keep your little ones engaged.
Make a Springtime Easter Wreath
For those of you with older kids, keep the Easter fun going by crafting a beautiful springtime wreath. Visit a local craft store and buy a basic wreath frame and some décor items of your choice. Think floral pieces, pom poms, tape, or anything else your children have their eye on. An even better idea would be to turn it into a “best-out-of-waste” craft activity. Challenge your kids to find natural materials at home that they can reuse to make their sustainable wreaths.
Create a Homemade Easter Gift Basket
This is another thoughtful activity idea for older children. Again, you can utilize the concept of reusing natural materials you find at home. Old scarves, recycled paper, twine and twigs all work as beautiful materials when making Easter baskets. Fill the basket with locally made treats and snacks. Here are all of Texas’ artisanal makers for your perusal. Add little handwritten notes to make this an even more fun and meaningful activity. For example, “You’re egg-cellent!” or “Sweetest Mom ever”!
Paint or Color in Some Flowers
Flowers are a traditional symbol of spring and revival. So get out your acrylic paintbox, find a kid-appropriate art tutorial, and paint some gorgeous springtime flowers. If painting is not your forte, watch your creativity bloom by coloring in a page from a floral coloring book. I really love this one for its floral bouquets and wreaths.
Plant Flowers
Talking about flowers got me thinking… Easter is just the right time to prepare your home garden for the warm weather ahead! So pick up some summer bulbs and get together for a day of gardening! If you’re near Austin, you can buy all the bulbs and seeds you want here!
Play Some Outdoor Games
Now that we’ve landed up outdoors, it’s time to organize some fun games for the family to play. For instance, why not turn a classic potato sack race into an Easter celebration by sticking a little bunny tail (cotton ball) on the back? Regardless of the game you decide to play, what’s important is to get out there and take in some of the spring breeze!
Have a Picnic
Springtime in Texas is synonymous with picnic season. Add to the outdoor excitement with an alfresco Easter brunch (What wine goes well with brunch?) or dinner.
Enjoy an Easter Brunch at a Texas Farmers’ Market
Grab some fresh produce for your Easter brunch at your local farmers market. Many markets have Easter events so this is a great place to go celebrate Easter with the family. Check out the latest farmers markets updates here to see if a market near you has any Easter events lined up.
Cook an Easter meal with the fam
Few things get the family together as well as good food does! All hands on deck, let the kitchen bustle with festive teamwork and cook up a storm! What you create in the kitchen will taste so much tastier when everyone pitches in, and each person will end up feeling accomplished. Click here to read about how you can involve children of different ages in the kitchen. Then go ahead and try one of these Easter recipes for a meal you’ll never forget!
Too lazy to prepare food? Why not try these 34 of the Best Brunch Spots in Austin!
Have a Movie Marathon
Looking for something to do after a day of frolics and festivities? Time to unwind and celebrate Easter with a relaxed movie night.
And If Nothing Else Works…
Fear not — we’ve all been there. When the day doesn’t go according to plan, it can seem like all is lost. But as parents, we learn to look on the bright side of what we have. If all else fails, hide some candy in those eggs and go all out with a traditional egg hunt. And to top it all off, order some Easter special takeout from one of these Texas farm-to-table eateries, kick back, and revel in the spirit of togetherness.
What are some of your favorite Easter family activities? We’d love to know, so drop us a comment!
