As the school bell strikes on the day of the Easter holidays, kids everywhere are rejoicing at the thought of two weeks with no school and the thought of a chocolate crazy weekend almost upon them. Whilst Mammies and Daddies across the land are filled with a mild panic of just how to keep the kids entertained, without breaking the bank, over the Easter holidays.
Tine off school doesn’t mean you need to spend all the money in the world just to keep certain faces smiling. The chance to spend some quality time together should be filled with positive thoughts, not dread for us parents, so, hopefully these simple and cheap ideas should give you some inspiration to enjoy the Easter holidays with the kids.
Baking Bonanza
A great one for leftover chocolate, getting the children into the kitchen to bake up some delicious chocolatey cornflake cakes. One of the easiest bakes you can make; simply melt chocolate and combine with cornflakes or shredded wheat, and some golden syrup. Dollop into some cute cupcake cases and leave to set in the fridge. Top with a mini egg for an even tastier treat. Check out these easy Easter bakes for children too.
Glorious Gardening
Weather dependent getting outside for a good old fashioned run around or nature walk can help to tire out weary legs and give you all some much needed fresh air. Try these nature walk activities and crafts with the kids to get them outdoors and having fun during Easter. Get children interested in the great outdoors early and enlist their help to turn the garden into an enchanted wonderland. Whether they help to pot a few plants, or pop a few seeds in the ground, just remember to wear wellies and avoid muddy puddles! While out in the garden, share the delight of backyard birds with the kids through bird watching and other fun bird-related activities to keep the kids learning about the wildlife and natural world around them.
Tech Treat
There are times when the kids need to be occupied whilst you carry out the one-hundred thousand things us parents need to do in a day and sometimes you’ve just got to give into giving them a tech treat. You could keep it educational with one of the many apps on the market which get little brains thinking (my oldest boy now loved Duo Lingo for learning Polish), but equally one more episode of Tractor Ted won’t hurt either! Just make sure your phone doesn’t run out of battery or it could be more sulk than sanctuary, a power bank like this one can help to keep the battery red light away.
Reading Record
There’s nothing better than indulging in a good book and sharing a love of reading from an early age can hugely impact literacy skills in later life. Many schools and libraries have reading schemes in place through time off periods, so check to see if yours has one. Take some inspiration from this list of some of the best children’s books and enjoy some wonderful stories with the kids.
You could also visit your local charity shop during the Easter holidays and pick up some new books for their home library for as little as fifty cent a book. I'm also a big fan of themed books for the different seasons and holidays throughout the year and the books featured in the above picture are some of our favourites to read every Easter.
Creative Crafts
Let imaginations run wild and creativity flow with a craft session that’s sure to produce some masterpieces. Gather up crafty items such as card, glitter, pencils, egg cartons, googly eyes, pompoms, pipe cleaners and some feathers - the rest is up to them! Lay down a mat or cloth you don’t mind getting messy and keep glue and scissors in adult hands only. If you're looking for an adorable Easter themed craft you could make this easy DIY cute felt bunny craft with the kids so that they can have an adorable pocket friend to enjoy Easter with.
Pizza Party
The Easter holidays are the time for treats (in moderation of course!), and who doesn’t love a slice of Italy every now and then! Play chef and make your own pizzas at home, the toppings are up to you and the kids. Make it healthy and include chopped up peppers, tomatoes and olives all shaped into a smiley faces to keep little ones amused and ready to eat their pizza creations.
Whether you choose to add all of these ideas to your Easter holidays list or just tackle one of them, all that’s left to do now is enjoy the beautiful spring days with the kids, whether at home or further afield, and make the most of this time off together.
