Egg-cellent Easter Activities
Safe Egg Hunt and Basket Making Ideas For Easter Fun
Traditional activities such as Easter egg hunts and basket making can be fun for all ages, but it is important to be safe during holiday entertainment.
Throughout history, eggs have been associated with Easter. But why?
Why Eggs For Easter?
According to Easter historians, eggs are used as a symbol of fertility and new life. Easter eggs are usually painted bright colors to represent the sunlight of spring. Historically, they were given as gifts by lovers and romantic admirers, much like Valentines.
During medieval times, eggs were given at Easter to the servants, while in Germany they were given to children along with other gifts. In Greece, crimson eggs were exchanged to honor the blood of Christ, while in parts of Germany and Austria, green eggs are used on Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday.
Austrian artists place ferns and plants around the eggs, which are boiled. Then the plants are removed revealing a striking white pattern. Armenians would remove the inside of the egg, by piercing the shell and blowing the contents into a bowl. The hollow eggs would then be painted with pictures of Christ, the Virgin Mary and other religious designs.
American Easter Activities
The Easter Egg Hunt has been the staple of many American families during the Easter holiday. Variations on the traditional egg hunt can make for fun for both adults and children this March.
Pairing education and fun, some parents paint different letters on the painted eggs. Then once the children find them all, they create words with the letters. Whichever child creates the most words wins a prize.
Be Safe With Easter Fun
The Kaboose website offers safe Easter egg hunting tips.
Using plastic eggs cuts down on the time spent boiling and painting eggs. It also allows parents to reuse the eggs from year to year. And, if not all the eggs are found, it doesn’t lead to fretting about the rotten egg smell that can come months after the hunt is over.
Marking the egg hunt territory, is also important, as parents don’t want children wandering through wooded areas or too closely to roadways.
Using plastic eggs also allows parents to put notes or candy inside. One suggestion was to pick random winners by placing a paper inside certain eggs, so that even the slower hunters can win something. Prizes can range from candy or popcorn to DVD players or bikes.
Always make sure there are enough parents to keep an eye on the children as they scurry over rock and glade searching for the eggs.
Create Your Own Easter Basket
With help from chocolate gurus at Hershey’s, adults and children can create their own Easter baskets. The site offers ideas such as a flowerpot basket and truck basket, as well as free stuff, recipes and crafts.
Easter is a fun holiday, inviting many ways to get creative and have some good family entertainment.
