Put down those devices: Here's what the kids SHOULD be doing over the Easter holidays
We all know that too much of one thing is bad for us, and the same can definitely be said about our devices.
While smartphones and iPads are great at helping our kids with school projects and for sourcing information from, it is important that they don’t spend hours hunched over any kind of device – for our sake and theirs.
And the Easter break is the perfect opportunity to get your little ones away from the screens.
So, for the next two weeks, put a limit on their internet usage, and get them to fill in their time with the following activities and events:
1. Arts and crafts
Cereal boxes, crayons, glitter, glue, newspaper, paint, cardboard kitchen rolls, envelopes, string, cotton wool, and egg cartons are all items that can be used to create something special. From musical instruments to sock puppets, there are plenty of things your little one can make with an empty cardboard box and some colours.
- Easter bunny mask
An Easter bunny mask is really easy to make and doesn’t require too much effort at all. Get a paper plate and cut out two holes in the middle to make the eyes. Use a marker to draw out the nose and the mouth. With an A4 piece of paper, cut out two ears and glue them on the edge of the paper plate. Before you know it, your little ones will be hoping around the place with this easy-to-make mask.
2. Baking
Baking is a great rainy day activity, and if you choose something simple and quick – like Easter nests – then you can sit back and watch the kids get stuck in (while you wait for the clean up).
- Chocolate Easter nests
These tasty treats are just like Rice Krispie buns, except the cereal is swapped for Shredded Wheat. Just melt the chocolate, coat over the smashed cereal, place them in your bun cases, and pop a few Mini Eggs on top.
3. Playing outside
There is only so much baking mess a mum can tidy up, so take the fun outside on as many dry days as possible.
- Obstacle course
While it can take a bit of time to set it up, it is one of the best ways to keep kids out of the house and enjoying the fresh air for as long as possible. While there is no real set way for creating a course – let your imagination run free – all you really need are: a skipping rope, chairs, sweeping brush, pillows, blankets and anything else you can find lying around!
- Scavenger hunt with Easter eggs
Another one that takes bit of time to set up (and a little thinking), but is a great game that the whole family can get involved in. You will need to set up two sets of clues and designate them either red or blue. Next, divide the participants into teams and assign a colour to them – these are the clues they need to find. Obviously the team to find all their clues first wins.
- Playing Simon Says
One person starts the sentence, “Simon says [insert action]…” and then the other player has to do the action. However, if they don’t say “Simon says…” and the player does the action anyway then they’re out.
5. Heading along to free local events
Bringing the kids along to a new event or activity is a great way to get everyone out of the house, and it’s even better when it’s free. Check out your local events guide for activities in your area – like the McDonald’s Family Fun Day, for instance.
- McDonald’s Family Fun Day
The McDonald’s Family Fun Day takes place on Thursday, 13th April from noon to 6pm, and has all the ingredients needed for an afternoon of fun and free activities. In celebration of the new movie Smurfs: The Lost Village, kids can become their favourite Smurf, have their face painted and join in the activities and games, including balloon-modelling.
Definitely a highlight for little ones of all ages, you can find out more about the Family Fun Days being held near you here.
bunny mask image via Pinterest
