Spring is officially here! No one is more excited than my 2.5-year-old son. Spring means warmer weather (hopefully), a little sunshine, playing outside, and overall, a cheery departure from winter. Easter kicks off the spring season, so we decided to create several colorful pieces to celebrate! It’s not all about the Easter egg hunts, there’s a lot of fun to have in the meantime.
Painting with Easter Eggs
What you need:
– several colors of paint
– white construction paper or cardstock
– a tub or box (if a shallow box, you will want a lid)
– plastic eggs
What to do:
Start by having your child select the colors they wish to have on their eggs. My son chose primary colors, but these colors could have been made more pastel by adding white to the paint colors. Place a plastic egg in each paint color. The egg only needs to have paint on one side, so don’t worry about covering it. Cut out a large egg from your white paper or cardstock and place it in the box. Have your child shake vigorously!
Peep Sculptures
What you need:
– marshmallow peeps
– mini marshmallows
– toothpicks
What to do:
I was a little unsure about this activity when I started, because surely my son would be more interested in eating the marshmallows than constructing with them, but alas, I was wrong. In fact, we placed his completed sculptures and extra materials on his art table and he has come back and added to his creation on three separate occasions (and only sneaking a bite once or twice). The process is simple: unwrap peeps, give child marshmallows and toothpicks and walk away. You can use different color/shape peeps, and incorporate play dough or cereal pieces, as well. When my son has decided that he is finally done, I plan on putting these on a cake plate and using it as funky Easter centerpiece.
Coffee Filter Eggs
What you need:
– white coffee filters
– markers
– spray bottle with water
– newspaper or paper towels
What to do:
Cut the coffee filters into an egg shape and then have your child decorate each one with markers. The more color your child uses on each filter the richer the colors on the finished product will be, so I recommend using wide tipped markers and encouraging your child to fill up each egg! After the coloring is over, have your child spray each one with water and transfer to a paper towel to dry.
