If your family is like our family, this year's Easter weekend will look completely different than our normal Easter traditions due to social distancing. No public egg hunts, no extended family get-togethers or dinners, no church services.
Even our at-home traditions have to be adjusted to fit our new sheltering-in lifestyle! I already told our kids that we will not be able to dye as many eggs this year. We won't have all the food available for our normal Easter dinner. And I didn't get to shop for Easter baskets the way I usually do.
As a parent, you want to provide fun for your kids--especially for a holiday. It can be hard to do this when life is completely out of wack!
While it's easy to focus on all the changes and things we don't have, this is a great opportunity to get creative with what you already have at home and with what you can do with your time instead. I guarantee this will be a time your family will never forget; and probably one your kids will look back on with smiles and laughter.
The key is to think outside of the box (or Easter basket in this case!) Change your expectations and go easy on yourself, because it is not going to be "normal." But it can be really, really fun! The more different it is, the more memorable it will be. And who knows? This year's festivities might launch new traditions for your family for years to come!
Creative Ideas to Make this Easter Special:
Eggs:
If you have enough eggs to spare this year, try a new method of decorating them! Use what you have at home: stickers, temporary tattoos, google eyes, masking tape, stamp pads for thumbprints, rubber bands, photos, natural dyes, or permanent markers.
Baskets:
Fill with craft supplies you haven't used yet. Anything will work: tape, pens, markers, pads of paper, yarn, bubble wrap. Find a toy that was yours when you were a kid and is sitting in storage in your house. Ask older kids to donate small toys to younger siblings.
Dinner:
Shake it up! Use what you have. Ask the kids what they want to eat. Involve the kids in helping you come up with a menu. Try a new recipe like Baby Yoda deviled eggs. Or make a loved classic: breakfast for dinner, tacos, spaghetti, or grill out.
"Egg" Hunts:
If you don't have plastic eggs, try hiding any colorful items that you have a lot of on hand: like balls, stuffed animals, rocks, seashells, sock, or actual hard-boiled eggs.
Spend Time Together:
Attend a virtual church service, do a craft, go on a walk or a bike ride on a local trail, do science experiments with Peeps, play family hide-and-go-seek, watch a movie, look for Easter decorations in your neighborhood, bake something fun, go on a virtual vacation (or plan a real one for the future!), play a board game, do a puzzle, puffy paint sidewalk chalk, FaceTime with family, build an obstacle course, or clean out the garage! Whatever you do, do it together.
We're all in this together!
Happy Easter, Friends!
