Tips for Planning an Egg-stra Special Easter Party

Bunnies & chicks, colourful eggs, and the hunt for hidden chocolate. It's no wonder kids await the arrival of Easter with such eager anticipation. While many families have their own private rituals to celebrate this springtime holiday, this year consider throwing an Easter party for friends and family. Wondering how? Just follow these tips for foolproof egg hunts, crafts and races to entertain your guests, and tasty treats to entice your tireless hunters to the table. This party plan is sure to please.

The Hunt

The egg hunt is the highlight of most Easter parties. However, how do you ensure even the smallest hunters get their fair share of the eggs? Here are some time-tested tips:

? Put the participants' names on the eggs in advance, and/or assign a colour to each child, if using plastic eggs.
? Assign different search areas based on age. Smaller children's eggs might be in plain view, while others are harder to find.

Looking to add a twist? Here are some variations on the traditional hunt:

? Instead of chocolate eggs, use jellybeans to add difficulty.
? Use hollow plastic eggs, each with a small treat such as a candy, temporary tattoo, a few coins, or even a clue to a larger prize.
? Working alone or in teams, each solves clues leading to other clues, and eventually to the Easter treats. Have different clue trails for each child or team.
? Have the kids hide the eggs and make the parents look for them

Activities

Keep the excitement going after the hunt by trying out some of these games:

? Egg Bowling. Using colored hard-boiled eggs and one white, roll the white one onto the lawn or rug, and see who can roll their coloured egg the closest.

? An "Egg-citing" Obstacle Course. A variation of the egg & spoon race, teams navigate their way around and through various obstacles without dropping their eggs. If an egg drops off your spoon, you can start again, or do an agreed upon penalty, such as five jumping jacks or singing a silly song.

? Egg Roll. Using only their noses, people must roll an egg across the finish line, five to ten feet away. This also makes a good relay.

Food

By now, your little guests will no doubt be ready for a snack. In addition to any other delicious treats you plan, let them decorate an Easter Basket Cupcake. Here's how:

You'll need:
? cupcakes (one per person, but a few extra are a good idea)
? your favourite homemade or prepared frosting
? shredded coconut (preferably green or yellow)
? colourful jellybeans
? pipe cleaners (one per cupcake)
? plastic knives

Using a plastic knife, have the kids frost the top of their cupcakes. Next sprinkle coconut around the outside edges of the cupcake, leaving the middle clear. Then, place several jellybeans in the middle. Finally, bend pipe cleaners into U-shapes, and poke the ends into the cupcakes to form basket's handles. Enjoy!

Easter Egg Art

Then, with only a few inexpensive craft supplies from the store or around your house, give a twist on the traditional colouring of eggs with these ideas:

? Marbleized Eggs. Add 1-tablespoon of vegetable oil to your egg dye. Lightly stir and immediately dip your egg into the liquid and remove. Let dry and repeat the process with another colour for interesting effects.

? Egg Animals. Go beyond dipping and dyeing by creating colourful critters out of your eggs. Use craft supplies to create pipe cleaners legs and horns, pom-pom noses, paper ears, googlie-eyes, feathers and more. Markers also work well. White glue or a low-temperature glue gun works well with some supervision. Themes might include barnyard animals, creatures from outer space, or even family members. Have a contest and take lots of pictures.

? Eggshell Mosaics. Need a use for those cracked or broken coloured eggs from your relays? Break up the eggshells into pieces that are small enough to lie flat, but not so small they are hard to handle. Sort into piles by colour. On a thin piece of cardboard, draw a simple design with a dark pen or marker. Spread a thin coat of white glue onto part of the design, and fill it in with eggshell pieces. Continue until the design is complete. Try not to cover up your outline. Let it dry overnight and enjoy.

Whether you decide to entertain just your family, your friends, or invite the entire neighbourhood, everyone is sure to enjoy themselves at your "egg-stra" special Easter party.

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Award-winning educator, speaker and author Rob Stringer coaches parents with his upbeat approach to learning and parenting. Explore articles, activities and learn how to create the family you desire.

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