How to Organize an Easter Egg Hunt

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One of the most enjoyable activities for kids each Easter is an egg hunt! The idea is simple enough: just hide a few eggs and get your children to find them. Invite other families around and turn it into a social occasion. Here are a few tips to get the most out it.

Be Prepared

Think about how many children will be participating, and make sure you have enough eggs and treats for everyone. Often, each child will be given a basket or bag to put their eggs into as they find them, so have enough ready beforehand. You can buy colorful bamboo baskets very cheaply online.

Real eggs can be used (usually hard boiled and colored, in keeping with tradition), and if you decide to do this, just make sure you keep a note of where they're hidden. You don't want hidden eggs lying around for weeks! More popular nowadays, however, are foil-wrapped chocolate eggs, and candy-filled plastic ones. Allow a few for each child participating, and a few extra to keep back for kids who might be a little less successful in the hunt than they hoped!

Hiding The Eggs

Secretly hide all the eggs, and jot down where they are. Weather permitting, hiding them outdoors is the most fun, and it will give kids the most exercise. However, always have an indoor backup plan, and keep an eye on the weather forecasts.

Make the hiding places as interesting as possible, and think about clues as you go. If you're feeling especially creative, draw a treasure map, and make copies to give to all the participants!

Setting The Rules

The basic rule is for each child to find as many eggs as possible. Beyond that, you're free to add your own limitations to suit the children! You really want each child to have some measure of success, but if a three year old is competing with an ambitious seven year old, that can prove difficult.

Consider making teams, either by pairing older and younger children together, or else allowing kids under a certain age to be accompanied by an adult. Another good idea is to restrict what eggs each child can collect. For example, assign each child a color, and tell them to only find matching eggs. Or give each child a different map or set of clues. Alternatively, you can simply put a limit on the number of eggs each child can collect, and encourage them to be honest by giving special prizes to those who reach their targets first!

Enjoy Your Day!

An Easter egg hunt is best enjoyed with friends and family. Have a selection of snacks set aside, and try and get everyone involved. It can be a very sociable family day that everyone will enjoy!

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Soy Candle Making Supplies - What is Special About Soy?

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Soy candles are a relatively new product on the market. Although they are becoming easier to find in retail establishments, they are still considered at the high end of the market. However, those that know their candles know that soy candles have advantages over paraffin candles that, for some, make the extra cost worth it.

Soy based candles are healthier. Paraffin candles are a petroleum based product and burning petroleum releases a large number of harmful chemicals into the air, making them unhealthy for those with chronic breathing problems.

Soy candles have another element that makes them unique. Soy based candles burn at such a low temperature and the soy has such a unique make up that they can be used as a massage oil. In fact, this is one of the newest treatments at some of the finest spas in the country.

Soy based candle making supplies also have advantages over paraffin candle making products. Most soy candle making supplies are easier to handle than their paraffin counterparts. Paraffin wax comes in large blocks, which makes measuring and melting harder than soy. Soy wax comes in flakes which means that there is no trying to cut large blocks of paraffin, just simply measure out the amount that you need.

Soy based candle making supplies also benefit American farmers and other industries that process the soy beans. Soy candle making supplies are just one of the environmentally friendly and healthy products produced from soy beans. There has been a lot of talk in the news lately about reducing our country's dependence on foreign oil supplies and by using soy candle making supplies we are making a small stride toward oil independence.

When making soy candles, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, soy candle making supplies can only be used with each other, meaning that you can't use paraffin primed wicks with soy wax or use paraffin colors in soy wax. So if you decide to make soy type candles, you'll need to buy exclusively soy based candle making supplies.

Soy based candles can be scented with all natural essential oils. If you are making the candles to be used as massage candles, then this is the best way to scent them. These essential oils will be absorbed through the skin providing a variety of health benefits that cannot be derived from synthetic fragrances. It is also advisable if you plan to use your candles for massage that you leave them color free. Adding color to massage candles will make the person you are massaging look like an Easter egg.

Soy based candles offer a variety of benefits to the environment, the economy and the user. These are still relatively unknown products in the major market and often if you want to find soy candles, you need to purchase them mail order or through a specialty holistic or metaphysical store. If you can make your own soy candles, you'll not only have complete control over what goes into your candle as well as it's size and shape, you'll also save money and in this economy that's something everyone can appreciate.

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Preschool Easter Crafts For Kids Are a Great Way to Get Them Active This Easter

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Working with preschoolers is great as they are usually very enthusiastic when it comes to making stuff and creating lots of arts and crafts projects within the classroom. They are usually about 3 or 4 years old, which means they have been jaded by the harsh world around them and still have great optimism. They usually want to please and get praise from adults and teachers so they try hard at all that they do.

This enthusiasm extends to preschool Easter crafts for kids in the classroom too. No matter what activity you place in front of them, you can usually bet that they will give it a good go. Anyone that works with children will pretty much tell you the same thing.

This is why Easter is a popular time in the classroom when it comes to being creative with arts and crafts. The good thing about Easter is that there is a ton of things that can be made ranging from Easter baskets to decorating Easter eggs.

Some Cool Easter Craft Ideas for Preschoolers

You are really only limited by your imagination and the tools that you have in your classroom when it comes to devising preschool Easter crafts for kids this year. Of course, you have to make sure that these young ones are supervised if using scissors, and that they have the appropriate safety blades.

You can start your preschoolers off with a simple Easter arts and craft idea that is always popular at this time of year. Take some different colored card, reds, pinks, blues etc. and cut them into long strips. Then using sticky tape of safety glue, instruct your class to weave the card together to create a simple Easter basket shape. You can also bring in some tissue paper to line the bottom of their baskets. Another piece of different colored card can be bent into shape to form an ad hoc handle too.

If your preschoolers have access to computers then they can go online (with some help) and print off some Easter themed pictures like Easter bunnies, Easter Eggs, Easter chicks etc. that can be printed out and used as decoration for their Easter baskets.

An Excuse to Talk Easter

Whilst your little ones are busy crafting their Easter baskets, you can be telling them all about Easter and what it means to you so that they can understand a little of the background of why they are making their baskets.

Who'd have thought that preschool Easter crafts for kids was such a great way to get your pupils actively participating in a great activity that promotes group work and good communication skills.

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Easter Crown Bread

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Easter Crown Bread is a traditional European Easter sweet bread that's plaited into a rope, formed into a ring and studded with eggs. The bread derives its name from Christ's crown of thorns as the shape of the bread with its egg decorations sticking out resembles the thorn crown. Though the eggs are also the symbol of hope and re-birth.

This is very decorative bread and makes a wonderful centrepiece for an Easter table. It can then be consumed with coffee or a sweet wine on Easter Sunday evening.

Note that you need five raw eggs for this recipe. The shells should be coloured before inserting them into the plaits of the bread.

Easter Crown Bread

Ingredients

650 to 700g plain flour (divided use)

50g granulated sugar

1 packet active dry yeast

1 teaspoon salt

160ml warm milk

2 tbsp softened butter or margarine

2 eggs

90g chopped, mixed, candied fruit

50g chopped, blanched, almonds

1/2 tsp anise seed

5 uncooked eggs

Non-toxic egg coloring

Vegetable oil

In a large mixing bowl, combine 200g of the flour with the sugar, yeast, and salt. Add the milk and butter and beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes on medium speed. Then add the eggs and 100g flour and beat on high for 2 minutes. Stir-in the fruit, nuts, and anise seed, mixing well. Then stir in enough of the remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn this out onto a lightly-floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (about 6 to 8 minutes). Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover with a damp cloth and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about 1 hour).

About 30 minutes before the dough has finished rising, color the 5 eggs (leave them uncooked) with non-toxic dyes. When dry, lightly rub them with vegetable oil.

Knock back the risen dough and divide in half. Roll each half into a 24-inch rope. On a greased baking sheet, loosely twist the two ropes together then shape into a ring and pinch the ends together. Gently split the ropes and tuck the 5 colored uncooked eggs into the openings. Cover and let rise again until doubled in size (about 30 minutes). Bake in an oven pre-heated to 180°C for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown. Remove from the baking sheet and allow to cool on a wire rack.

It is time that this very traditional form of Easter bread re-gained its rightful place of prominence on the Easter table.

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Beauty of Kindness - Rechenka's Eggs

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Holidays recognized beyond our immediate borders fascinate me. Traditions carried through the present are mysterious. Consider the Easter Egg. In a Russian folktale, Rechenka's Eggs, the ornately decorated egg is taken to the Easter Festival by Babushka. Patricia Polacco recreates the historical event through her story valuing friendship and kindness.

This is a book review for Rechenka's Eggs by Patricia Polacco. The ISBN is 0-399-21501-8. To gain the most from the reading of this book, I present to you some simple steps.

Read the book quietly and alone for your own enjoyment first.
Then, choose a time and place in which you wll have your child's attention.
Be prepared to engage your child in a conversation about your values concerning traditions and Easter.

The Summary of this book: Babushka treats the wild animals with kindness. An accident occurs in which all her beautifully painted eggs are broken. However, a special goose gives something with even more beauty back in return.

When reading a book to children there are three opportunities to learn about your child's understanding of the book. I have suggested a prompt for discussion before the book is read, during the reading, and after the reading. Asking your child a question before the reading helps set the expectation of the book's message. Asking the child a question during the reading helps the child focus on the ideas being presented. After the reading allows the child to connect the story to themselves more directly.

Before reading: What do you know about traditions?
During reading: What do you notice about the behavior of the animals?
After reading: Why is kindness to others of value?

Challenge for Parents: Help your child recognize the many traditions in which your family participates. And, discuss how many of these actions involve kindness toward others. Stretch the thinking beyond the events of the holiday currently near on the calendar.

During Easter many messages are being sent to your child. While this story tells about the tradition of the Easter Egg in Russia, what do you want the most important message to be? To be an influence in our children's values and beliefs, conscious steps must be taken to guide our children. Why not use a beautifully written and illustrated book?

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Weaving Easter Traditions Into Easter Cupcake Decorating Ideas

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When many of us think of Easter Traditions we think Easter eggs, hot cross buns, Easter bunnies. It's true that these have all become part of Easter without realizing their significance. Have you ever asked the question "what do bunnies have to do with eggs and Easter?" As I show you some Easter cupcake decorating ideas I will attempt to explain what the tradition behind the symbol.

The Easter Bunny

For thousands of years the rabbit has been a symbol of fertility. The Goddess Eostre (also known as Eastre among other variants) was the Great Mother Goddess of the Anglo-Saxons. The Saxons worshiped her through her earthly symbol of the rabbit. The name of the goddess was derived from the ancient word for spring.

Having started as a pagan festival predating Christianity the bunny tradition was brought to America by the German immigrants in the 1500 and 1600. The immigrants would tell tales to their children of the Easter Hare who had laid eggs for children to find. Cakes were also baked in the shape of bunnies.

Easter bunny cupcake decoration idea. Ice your cupcake with a pastel shade of pink. With white icing make two cheeks, placing them just below half way. Use a jelly bean for the eyes and nose and small marshmallows cut and shaped for the ears. To make the pink inner ear, dip the cut side of the marshmallow into pink sugar. The final touch is to pipe two or three whiskers from the cheeks.

The Easter Egg

As with the Easter bunny the Easter egg also predates Christianity. In many cultures the egg symbolizes rebirth, new life and fertility and is used in Spring festivals.

In Medieval times eggs were not allowed during Lent which traditionally ends on Holy Saturday -- the day after Good Friday. Eggs laid during the forty day period of Lent were often boiled or preserved and the egg became a mainstay of Easter meals.

Many traditions have developed around the Easter egg with the coloring of eggs becoming an established art -- the most elaborate decorations coming from Eastern Europe. These days there are many chocolate eggs with colored foil to represent the painted egg. Eggs are used as holiday games such as the Easter egg hunt and the egg roll. The most famous of these is the egg roll which usually takes place on the White House lawn each year.

Easter egg cupcake decoration idea number one. Ice your cupcake with smooth paste such as glace (water) icing and pipe designs or use edible paint. You can also two or three different color icings without actually mixing them but to make a marble effect.
Idea two -- bird's nest of eggs. Ice your cupcakes with chocolate frosting making the edges a little raised. Grate chocolate or sprinkle chocolate hail to represent the bird's nest. In the hollowed centre place mini chocolate eggs or candies that look like eggs.

The Hot Cross Bun.

It may come as a surprise that once again the sweet fruit yeast bun with the cross is thought to predate Christianity having formed part of Anglo-Saxon festivities celebrating the goddess Eostre. The cross is thought to represent the four quarters of the moon.

According to Wikipedia the term "Hot Cross Bun" was first recorded in 1733. Today the hot cross bun has become a part of Easter tradition with the cross standing as a symbol of the crucifixion. Although in our household they are eaten well before Easter the tradition is to serve them on Good Friday.

Hot cross bun cupcake. This is the simplest of the decorating ideas as all you need do is choose your cupcake icing and pipe a cross on it. To make the cupcake look like a spicy bun with fruit you could add the spices and a small amount of current. Why not use chocolate?

Perhaps you have had some surprises when considering the traditions that we have come to associate with Easter. Who knows the creating of new Easter cupcake decoration ideas may become a new tradition.

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Party Favor Ideas For Inexpensive Gift Giving

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Party favor ideas include small, yet meaningful gifts for the party guests. Gifts can also be given to people that have helped in party preparations. For instance, at a children's birthday party all those who attend might receive a small bag with several small items in it. Kids party favors can include a fancy pencil and pad of paper plus a candy or other treat.

These gifts vary in price depending on how much the person buying them has or would like to spend. At a wedding reception, the bride and groom usually buy a gift to present to the best man and the first bridesmaid for their help. Bridesmaids might receive a piece of china or a cut glass figurine. The best man could receive a pen set or a watch. Party favor ideas depend a lot on the type of people you are buying for. At a baby shower you might give little blue, pink or yellow bunnies away depending on the gender of the child to thank guests for attending.

At a Halloween party, party favors might include a spooky noise maker and a plastic or rubber spider with several treats. At a Christmas party, party favors can be candy canes, Christmas squares and perhaps a small ornament that your guests can hang on their tree. New Years Eve party favors may not include an actual gift, but might be a New Year's hat, noise maker, streamer or any other little token toy.

During the spring, party favors may include Easter eggs, small potted flowers, or a small stuffed animal, such as a chick in a basket as a memento of the party. Items that could be included as party favors for guests are endless. All you have to do is pick some items, based on your budget, that will match the theme or time of year of your party.

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