Things to do with the kids as Easter approaches
The weather this month has been changeable at best, but it looks like the Easter weekend will be warmer if not sunnier than the weather we have had so far. Here's our shortlist of activities to keep your children busy whilst still enjoying the warmer weather.
Easter Egg Hunt
Egg hunts for the past two years have likely been limited to the back garden, so why not go further afield this year?
The National Trust's Easter trails and egg hunts are a good place to start. Take your pick from the numerous egg hunts and nature-inspired activities near you.
If you're in Bristol, Ashton Gate will be hosting a free Easter egg hunt on April 12th, 13th and 14th at 11am and 2.30pm.
And if you're in Dorset with little ones too young to go on an egg hunt, Lilly Rabbit will be in Saxon Square on Saturday the 16th, handing out Easter eggs between 11am and 2pm.
Decorate Easter eggs the Ukrainian way
Most children will have heard something about the ongoing war in Ukraine over the past few weeks. Many Ukrainians around the world are using their long-held tradition of intricately decorating eggs for Easter to talk about their culture and share their hope for peace by running egg decorating workshops. A number of these events are also raising funds for relief efforts.
If you can't find a workshop near you, why not have a go at Pysansky egg decorating at home?
The eggs will need to be blown out, rinsed and dried first.
Conscious Craft sells a well-priced egg decorating kit containing egg dye, the pen or kistka to draw with as well as a block of bees wax to create the dye resist on the egg. You will also need vinegar, water, jam jars and small candles (preferably beeswax). Follow their step-by-step tutorial to learn the technique.
Alternatively...
Make a bunch of paper hyacinths
These paper hyacinths from One Little Project are so pretty and look so real, it is worth the effort to make them. Once you get the hang of it, it takes around 5 minutes to make a flower.
Care for wildlife near you
As the bees emerge from their winter sleep we are all reminded of how important it is to care for our wildlife.
Homes for wildlife, however, needn't always be bug hotels. Hedgehogs enjoy cosy leaf and log piles and slow worms are happy under a sheet of corrugated metal placed in a quiet corner of the garden.
If you're short on space, create a vertical garden by hanging pots in rows on a wall or sections of fence, fill them with nectar rich flowers that bloom through the summer like cornflowers, English lavender or wild marjoram. Learn more about growing wildflowers in pots for pollinators with this Natural History Museum guide.
