With Easter just around the corner, you may find yourself scrambling to find activities other than coloring eggs to do with your family—especially if you live in an assisted living community or other senior living community.
Here are seven ideas for how you can make the holiday your own with crafts, decorations, and treats the whole family will enjoy.
Decorate Your Home
Decorating is an easy way to make your home holiday-appropriate. You can also get the grandkids involved in helping you put out table settings, wall hangings, or Easter-themed knick-knacks. You can bring in additional color with pastel streamers and paper decorations.
A fun activity some families have started is making an “Easter Tree.” Similar to a Christmas tree, an Easter tree can be on a live tree outdoors, or a fake one inside if the weather isn’t nice, that is covered with garlands, Easter-themed ornaments, flowers, and eggs.
Hide Eggs
Egg hunts are a classic for Easter, and you can organize your own hunt for young grandchildren to enjoy. Hide colored eggs or plastic eggs filled with candy around your home. If the weather permits, you can hide eggs both inside and outside and have your grandkids search in both areas for their treats.
If you live in an assisted living community, see if you can get the staff involved to help and spread the search out. A good tip for egg hunts: make a list of the places you hide eggs so you can ensure that all of them have been found!
Make a Basket Full of Treats
Making an Easter basket full of candies, chocolates, and goodies is a great way to get your own children involved with helping you prepare for the Easter holiday. You can hide these baskets as part of an egg hunt for the grandkids, or you can give them out as a present.
A fun way to differentiate a hunt for an Easter basket from a hunt for eggs is to organize a scavenger hunt. Hide clues around the house— or in eggs— that lead to the final hiding place of the Easter baskets. The grandkids will love it, and you will love watching them play.
Visit the Easter Bunny
Local malls will sometimes invite a special visitor that your younger grandchildren might enjoy visiting. Easter Bunny visits are becoming popular, and you might enjoy getting out of the house with the family to make the short trip together.
If nowhere local is hosting a visiting Easter Bunny, you can have your grandchildren write cards or leave some carrots and fruit juice out the night before Easter, similar to the tradition of leaving out cookies for Santa. The grandkids will be so excited to see that the Easter Bunny came to visit before beginning their egg hunt!
Create Easter Crafts
Crafting is another fun way for families to join together and get a little messy. There are plenty of ideas for Easter crafts to enjoy, including:
- Easter wreath— Glue plastic eggs and flowers on a wreath base to make a hanging decoration that can be displayed all spring.
- Papier-mâché eggs— Have some fun making your own eggs by using papier-mâché. Coloring these creations will be tons of fun for your grandkids.
- Cards— It’s always a good time to send your loved ones reminders that you are thinking about them. Make some handmade cards with your family and send them to those who can’t join you for Easter celebrations.
- Cotton-ball bunnies— Create some cute creatures by gluing cotton balls and googly eyes together to make little bunnies. Adding ribbons and sparkles can make them even cuter, and it will thrill the grandkids.
- Tissue-paper flowers— Flowers are a great craft that you can make with grandkids that are slightly older. With plenty of online tutorials on how to make stunning creations, these crafts can sometimes end up looking better than the real thing.
Make a Meal Together
Cooking has brought families closer together for generations, and Easter celebrations are no exception. Have everyone pitch in making your Easter dinner, with the younger grandkids helping to mix and stir, while your children and older grandchildren can cut and bake with you as you pass on your secrets.
Consider adding a twist to your Easter meal by making a brunch to have once egg hunts are finished and candy has been found. Brunch is an easier meal than dinner to put together, and can have lots of variety. The whole family can spend the rest of the day satisfied from your yummy meal.
Start Your Spring Gardening
For many people, Easter is a sign that spring has arrived. Take advantage of the warming weather to start your spring garden. Planters for flowers and outdoor beds are a great way to really enjoy the spring season.
Good examples of early spring flowers include:
- Pansies
- Snowdrops
- Lilacs
- Grape hyacinths
- Daffodils
- Tulips
- Bluestars
- Hydrangeas
- Azaleas
Easter is a wonderful holiday full of family. But if you feel like your family visits are getting a little too routine, switch it up with some of these fun Easter activities. There is no bad way to enjoy time with your family and friends!
