10 Easter Crafts, Lessons, & Activities!
If you're having trouble coming up with some fun Easter lessons and activities for your kiddos, check out these simple ideas from Carisa over at 1+1+1=1. They require little in the way of supplies (other than what you already have on hand) and, while simple, provide a great segue for discussing the holiday with your kiddos as they learn!
Easter Reading
Wondering what books to check out at the library? Here are Carisa's favorite Easter titles! Whether you borrow them or add them to your permanent collection to bring out year after year, we love that each story looks beyond Easter eggs and candy to explore the deeper meaning of the holiday.
Easter Crafting
Tape Resist Easter Eggs!
Super fun, right!? Simply cut large egg shapes from white art paper, create a design on the egg using masking tape (or painter's tape!), and color over the entire egg with your favorite art medium! You might consider...
oil pastels
wet chalk
watercolors
melted crayons
tempera paint (used with regular brushes or even pieces of sponge!)
We love how, with the different patterns that can be created and the different mediums that can be used, each egg is unique!
Colorful Light Ray Cross!
While there aren't any pictures of the finished project, the craft is simple to do and looks beautiful when finished!
To begin, cut a cross shape from card stock and use oil pastels to add a colorful border around the outside edge. Tape the cross onto piece of white card stock then gently use your finger to rub the oil pastel off the cross and onto the paper behind it. Do this all the way around the cross shape then gently pull off the cutout. The result is a cross shape made from colorful 'rays'! Add a background or leave the cross as is - either way the result is gorgeous!
Easter Activities
Hidden Easter Messages
This neat printable, created and shared for free by Jenae of I Can Teach My Child, is sure to be a hit with your kiddos! Simply print the page onto white card stock, use a white oil pastel to write the hidden message "He is RISEN!" inside the tomb, then have your kiddos paint the scene with watercolors and watch their faces as the message 'magically' appears!
Easter Listen & Color
From Carisa's own set of Easter coloring printables, this activity invites students to listen carefully as you read each set of directions, then complete the task described. For example, color the word 'Easter' purple and yellow. Download Carisa's printable or create your own activity!
Easter Number Puzzles
You can turn any Easter scene into a number puzzle that'll allow your kiddos to practice numeral recognition and counting! Cut the picture into strips, adding a numeral to the bottom of each, then have your kiddos put the numbered strips in order to discover the picture!
Easter Do-a-Dot
Great for reinforcing the concept of one-to-one correspondence, this Easter themed worksheet created by Erica of Confessions of a Homeschooler can be used with Do-a-Dot markers or magnetic pom poms and a cookie sheet! [NOTE: The pom poms create an added fine motor element!]
Resurrection Eggs
A fun, hands-on way to teach your kiddos about the true meaning of the holiday, this activity is inspired by Melody Carlson's Benjamin's Box: The Story of the Resurrection Eggs and uses actual plastic Easter eggs, filled with various items, to tell the story of Easter. Carisa also created a mini book for her kiddos (and you!) to use with the eggs!
Easter Match Game
Carisa purchased this game, but you could create your own! This is a great way to reinforce current concepts (i.e. sight words, early math skills, etc.) and the game would actually be pretty easy to create!
Volcano Eggs
How fun does this look!? A twist on traditional egg coloring, Carisa and her kiddos explored the reaction between vinegar and baking soda, all while creating festive eggs for Easter! The original experiment can be found over at Housing a Forest!
Aren't these activities great? Simple and festive, we love the activities we find over 1+1+1=1 - Carisa's site is a great resource and we highly recommend that you visit and take a look around!