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It's Easter time for many families who enjoy traditions of egg-dying, visiting the Easter Bunny, and perhaps waking up to a surprise basket full of goodies left by the famed bunny. Whether your family practices Christianity or not, Easter has grown to be as commercial as Christmas. This means the holiday is mainly centered around candy, gifts, food, decorations, and nonreligious traditions like an egg hunt.
A shopping mall in Ohio recently held an Easter egg hunt for children. The event did not go as planned. Organizers hid eggs and designated time periods for the hunt based on the age of the children. One- and two-year-old babies were permitted to hunt first, followed by three- and four-year-old toddlers, and then a third time slot for the rest of the children to egg hunt was planned.
Unfortunately, families did not follow the rules. Although adults were not permitted to grab eggs, they did so, and not in a safe manner. Parents were pushing children and knocking over others while in search of eggs. As a result, some kids did not collect any eggs at the event. Because of this, the venue decided to forego the same event for next year and will likely hold a prize raffle instead.
Parents and children may be searching for an alternative to the famed egg hunt this Easter. As greed and competition can take over during events where a limited number of prizes are available, it may be a good idea to practice different traditions during Easter. Here are several indoor and outdoor activities the family can enjoy.
Staying in is the best option if your region is hosting April showers this Easter weekend. And there are a couple of traditions you can begin this year to celebrate the holiday.
Watch an Easter movie.
Escape the reality of the egg hunt bustle in a muddy, gusty park. Instead, turn on the tube to your favorite Easter-themed movies. Hop and Peter Rabbit are two kid-friendly options for the entire family. The latter has a sequel in case you’re up for a marathon.
If you’d prefer a movie for adults and teens, Son of God or Chocolat are both entertaining choices for a more mature crowd. Then, of course, there is always the multigenerational classic - It’s The Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown!
Decorate Easter cookies.
If you’d like to enjoy an activity with your children while relieving your stress and increasing your well-being, bake! Break out the cookie cutters and try this simple sugar cookie recipe. Decorate the cookies with colored frosting and sprinkles.
This is a timeless tradition that you can repeat on nearly any holiday. Simply vary the cookie cutter shapes depending on the holiday (egg, bunny, star, tree). Remember to take pictures of the kids decorating their cookies and of the finished products, of course. These cookies pair well with milk or coffee.
If your region has pleasant weather this Easter, you might want to head outdoors to celebrate. Here are a few suggestions for family Easter activities you can do outside.
Check out a local family event.
Do a Google or Facebook Events search to see which local family events are nearby.
There are likely many egg-hunting events to choose from in your community. But there also might be several Easter or spring events that do not involve hordes of kids rushing to grab small plastic orbs containing bits of candy.
In the springtime, you may have luck finding a carnival or fair in your community. Nothing beats deep-fried desserts followed by a ride or two on the Ferris wheel.
Also common are Easter parades. Remember to slather on your sunscreen and head out with a wagon and vuvuzela to enjoy the parade. Usually, Easter parades feature the Easter Bunny in a big finale appearance that's always a crowd-pleaser.
Take a hike.
Springtime is a wonderful time to take to the trails if you live near them. Wildflowers will be in bloom, and the hike will be refreshing, weather permitting. Remember to hydrate and pack some trail mix and other essentials for a fun day hike.
Check online to see if your local hiking trails require parking or visiting fees. Some trails may be closed for the holiday, but others will take advantage of the time when most people are out of work and school.
Make your own egg hunt.
If your kiddos have their heart set on an egg hunt, there is no reason you can't set one up yourself in the yard with your own rules in place. As kids, we often would go to our cousin's house to hunt eggs in their backyard. My mother contributed half of the eggs. The eggs mostly contained candy or coins. One special golden egg might have a $10 bill inside, making the find egg-xtra exciting.
While among family and loved ones, hopefully, there is no fighting or egg stealing. Also, with fewer children present, there will probably be less rule-breaking and more respect for little ones who are new to egg hunting.
Holidays are about happiness and togetherness. Whether you continue old traditions or start new ones, the memories shared will remain for years. Happy Easter.
Edited by Niko Balkaran.
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