Easter – the time for an avalanche of chocolate that seems to multiply faster than rabbits themselves. As a parent, I get a lot of joy from watching my kids search for Easter eggs and smile as they unwrap yet another shiny foil wrapper. However, every year, the sugar crash that follows turns our Easter afternoon into a combination of tiredness, stomach pains and fluctuating moods.
I welcome you to join me this year in redefining the celebration of Easter beyond the sugar rush. Who knows, we might even get to the end of the weekend with some energy (and chocolate) to spare!
My kids are getting older now, they too are starting to realise that the chocolate for breakfast is all good, but the chocolate for breakfast, lunch and every snack in between for a day leaves them feeling ick. Don’t get me wrong, they’re definitely keen to collect their chocolate loot, but we also now look for alternatives that allow us to enjoy Easter without the chocolate-induced lethargy.
So, here are some of my favourite non-choc (or low choc) Easter activities:
Egg hunt: Easter wouldn’t be the same without the excitement of an egg hunt. Alongside the chocolate eggs, I’ve taken to filling some of those reusable plastic eggs with stickers or tiny toys (or tiny pin badges now that my kids have grown). The excitement of the hunt remains and ‘treasure’ appears to be treasure whether it’s chocolate or not in our house.
Crafts: Easter-themed crafts continue to be a winner as part of our celebrations. I generally try to set up a crafting station with supplies for decorating eggs, making bunny ears or creating handmade Easter cards. Anything pastel coloured seems to do for Easter-themed creations.
Bunny trail mix: I’d be lying if I said I’d tried this one already, but it’s on my list for this year after the success of making our own ‘reindeer food’ at Christmas. We plan to create a trail mix using a combination of my kids’ favourite nuts, dried fruit, seeds and a few pastel-coloured choc eggs or Smarties.
Time outdoors: Where I live, we’re lucky enough to have a great community Easter celebration with a range of family-friendly activities outdoors. If this is not the case near you, a picnic in the park, an Easter-themed scavenger hunt, or even DIY Easter face painting in the fresh air is a great way to celebrate.
Books: This is the time of year that the Easter-themed books are reintroduced to our bookshelf. Reading Easter-themed books, adding to their collection with gifts from friends of family, or making their own Easter stories all seem to offer joy. Bringing out books from 12 months ago seems to make them new and exciting again.
I welcome you to join me this year in redefining the celebration of Easter beyond the sugar rush. Who knows, we might even get to the end of the weekend with some energy (and chocolate) to spare!
26 MARCH 2024
WRITTEN BY THERAPY AT HOME PARENT
PAEDIATRIC THERAPIST
