Here’s a few Easter holiday activities you can do for next to nowt, or filling their bellies at the same time as bonding. And seeing as though we haven’t got round to setting any affiliate links up – we are not taking any commission from any links in this blog.
At Easter (or other holiday weeks) it often feels like all the groups and classes you usually attend suddenly stop. New parents can feel lonely and isolated during this time and not sure what to do with themselves. The days are long, and babies don’t know that schools are shut.
Savoury sensory fun
Create an Easter basket.
1. Take a packet of regular spaghetti (or rice noodles if needing gluten free) and cook them in water with food dye to make them a different colour.
2. Put them on a tray (an oven tray works – or tuff tray, TROFAST (available from IKEA) box, or anything you have available) and add some clean bath ducks and edible spring flowers.
3. Let your baby or toddler explore the different textures and visual sensory and don’t be worried if they decide to have a nibble.
Good ideas for edible flowers are lavender, calendula (pot marigold), primrose, daisies – you could also add to the sensory exploration by freezing the flowers in ice-cubes. Or even leaves – dandelion plants or wild garlic. The rule with foraging is never munch on a hunch, please ensure correct identification and edible parts here at the RHS website.
Arts and crafts
All you really need to do some crafts with your little ones is some recycled card and some coloured pens – let them see you being creative, let them join in with your mark making and allow them to do a bit more each time.
Enjoy what they do, and remember expectations vs reality. It’s ok if the work produced isn’t Pintrest worthy! It’s about the doing, not the result.
I love asking them about their work, or using describing words to explain what I see.
“That’s a lovely blue mark here, I see it starts here and goes all across to here”.
Rather than simply “that’s beautiful”.
Crafty Ideas
- Get some pastel coloured foam shapes and PVA glue to make your own Easter art work. (image from Wednesday) these shapes are from Wilkinson’s, they’re not available now but this is a cute little starter box
- Cut our egg shapes from packaging and paint in one plain colour. We left brown which also works. Add hand and foot prints and string together to make an Easter garland.
- Get acrylic paint and thin down with water. Using a lasagne dish half fill with water and put drops of the watered down paint on the surface (we followed this link) there may well be better versions. Dip plain paper onto the surface of the water and draw or cut out shapes you like.
Sweet bakes that don’t choke
Easter means mini eggs – whether that’s Cadbury’s, Terry’s or a vegan alternative. But please do be mindful, as much as those sugar-coated chocolate bites are gorgeous! They are also the perfect size for choking. Instead, we suggest these mouth-watering, super-chocolatey chocolate tarts. You can decorate the top with a disc of pastry, like we did at Beavers the other night, or use a cute little fluffy chic decoration (you’ll probably find some in B&M).
In all honesty this is one of the most delicious vegan bakes I’ve made in a long while. It will be really easy to do gluten-free too. One big downside is – I was given Nestle vegan carnation condensed milk by someone, and I can’t find an alternative brand. So, for those who don’t mind – here is the Nestle version. If not use the substitute milk, I have done both and the condensed milk gives it a fudgey gooeyness.
Chocolate Tarts – adapted from The Allergy Free Family Cookbook
Ingredients:
-
- Packet of ready rolled shortcrust pastry (regular or gluten free) – you can be bold and make your own.
- 200g of dark chocolate (double check for any allergens you might have).
- 160g carnation condensed milk vegan or regular.
- (Substitute carnation milk for coconut cream and add 2-3 tablespoons of golden syrup).
- ½ teaspoon of vanilla essence.
Method:
- Cut the pastry into circles larger than your bun tray or line a pie dish.
- Blind bake for 10-20 minutes at 200˚C until golden brown.
- Leave to cool.
- Next put the milk, chocolate and vanilla essence into a pan or a bains-marie and heat until fully melted and pourable.
- Spoon the mixture into the pastry bases.
- Leave to set in the fridge for an hour before serving.
Super-simple Rice Crispy or Cornflake Nests
Possibly the healthiest and stress-free option. An iconic classic that allows them to bake with minimal steps, low chance of injury and quick to get in tummy’s.
Ingredients:
- Bar of chocolate
- 2-3 tablespoons of golden syrup
- Cereal
Honestly, this is a recipe I never measure.
Method:
- Melt the chocolate and syrup together,
- Pour in some cereal until you have coated it all -add more cereal till you have the desired coverage.
- Spoon into paper or silicone bun cases
- Leave to set in a cool space or fridge
- Lick the bowl clean (optional)
Puff Pastry Bunnies
These are a little twist on classic cinnamon buns, using the shape of a charity ribbon to make a quick and easy bunny. I managed to field 4 children aged 3-8years through this bake with few arguments and next to no mess! And I had to be quick, because once cooled they disappeared quicker than they were made.
Ingredients:
-
- Packet of ready-rolled puff pastry
- 1 tablespoon butter/dairy-free spread
- 2-3 tablespoons of brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon (to taste)
- Food dye/sprinkles to decorate (optional)
Method:
- Cut your sheet of puff pastry in half
- Mark out tramlines (about 0.5cm) on either side
- Melt the butter and spread between tramlines
- Mix sugar and cinnamon together
- Evenly spread over melted butter
- Put other half of puff pastry on top
- Crimp the tramline edges with a fork
- Cut into thin strips
- Fold into bunny shape (ribbon &)
- Put on lined/greased baking tray
- Bake until golden (20 minutes 200*C/180 fan)
- Leave to cool then decorate with a squirt of cream to look like a tail!
Disclaimer: food dye may change the colour of your child’s nappy contents – mine went quite green after some purple food dye!
Get Outdoors
Get out on a family walk on a sunny or a rainy day! See if you can find places that real bunnies might live. If you want to talk about the Easter Bunny and whether there’s just one or a whole colony of them living in a chocolate warren, it could make for some inspirational-creative-imaginative-storytelling from our older (verbal) children. Or it might be your opportunity to shine!
Obviously, you can do all of this alone, but what we love is the atmosphere we create on our Family Nature Walks. They are a chance for you to find your calm and confidence and have a little more joy in your parenting journey. Our Easter schedule is available online and of course, all the family is welcome, don’t try to tackle the Easter holidays on your own, come out with us.
Finally, if you live too far from us, or you want another activity, why not see if your village has a Easter Trail – our local DIY shop is selling maps for £2 with proceeds going to the local primary school.