Eggs and trees? They're sure to please...

Easter activities for the whole family

Aside from the good ol’ Easter Egg Hunt, there are lots of eggscellent ways to celebrate the long weekend with the kids and the grown-up kids. Here are a few of our suggestions:

An egg decorating challenge

             Photo by Michel Bosma on Unsplash

The internet is packed with cracking ideas for decorating eggs, like this punny egg challenge or these mosaic eggs (for steady hands only!) Our personal favourite is a twist on the kindy favourite of dying eggs with food colouring. Experiment with natural dyes by extracting colour from fruits, vegetables and spices found at home.

Organic, rustic hues can be created by using yellow onion skins, turmeric, paprika, beetroot skins, purple cabbage, red onion skins, blueberries or blackberries that are past eating or spinach and kale leaves. The process is easy:

1. Boil the eggs and leave to chill
2. Combine 2 cups of water and 2 Tbsp of white vinegar in a medium pot. Bring to a boil.
3. Add the dye ingredients needed to create the desired colour and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Allow to cool and then strain the liquid to remove organic matter 
5. Leave each egg to rest for 30 minutes in the dye until it has reached the intended colour
6. Remove with tongs and pat dry

These subtly-coloured eggs can be made into an autumnal Easter-themed centrepiece or display.

For the more scientifically-inclined, make a naked egg! 

This is a classic, simple science experiment that results in a shell-less, rubbery-feeling egg. All you need is a jar, some white vinegar and a raw egg.

Instructions:

1. Place an egg in the jar and cover it with white vinegar (you could colour the vinegar too while you’re at it for some rainbow fun)
2. Watch as bubbles start to form on the shell - this is a reaction caused by the vinegar reacting with calcium carbonate. It is releasing carbon dioxide!
3. After 48 hours remove the egg and rinse it off.

Next steps: explore your shell-less egg. Can you see through it? Does it bounce? (Warning – things could get messy!)

Visit the local wildlife reserve or park

Yes, celebrating Easter in the southern hemisphere means we don’t get to celebrate eggs in the nest and the arrival of new-born birds in the trees.

But that’s no excuse not to get out and enjoy all the beauty and wonder of New Zealand’s great-great outdoors with family and friends. Mid-Autumn weather can often be quite settled too. Now’s the time to get amongst it before winter really begins to bite! 

Create an entirely new tradition

Who says you have to settle for bunnies and eggs? Why not try out something new. And, then, if you like it, make it that ‘Easter must-do’ in the years ahead.

Easter can be the perfect time for planting trees as it’s not too dry and they’ll have time to establish roots and settle in place before winter arrives. If you can’t find space in the backyard but want to keep the tradition going, look around for local planting days. 

            Photo by Noah Buscher on Unsplash