With family visits and days out off the cards we have to be open minded about Easter 2020.
This is not exactly the Easter we had all planned. In fact, we probably didn't even have time to make our original plans. Days have run in to weeks at this stage. Nonetheless, it's almost Easter and many of us want to mark the occasion in some kind of way while still respecting and adhering to social distancing guidelines as per government orders.
Easter is one of the many highlights of our children's social calendars. Ordinarily they will touch upon the themes at school, talk about the Easter bunny and you might even pick them up some special Easter clothes. It is nice to celebrate these special times of year with the people you love the most. This year we will have to be a little more creative. With family visits and days out off the cards we have to be open minded about Easter 2020.
Here are some fun ways you can celebrate Easter at home this year
Make These Adorable Hand Bunnies
We stumbled across this adorable arts and crafts idea from One Little Project. We love that there is a personal element and the craft involves tracing around each person's hand. What a lovely way to make your children feel special. The full method is in the video below.
Enjoy A Virtual Museum Tour
EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum are offering families the opportunity to enjoy a tour of the museum from the comfort of their own home. The virtual tour is available on their website and encompasses the spirit of the museum which is suitable for adults and children. The virtual tour is full of stories, videos and links to articles that would be the perfect afternoon activity to keep children occupied while still learning. It could be a really lovely family activity.
" You won’t find leprechauns or pots of gold here, but you’ll discover that what it means to be Irish expands far beyond the borders of Ireland through the stories of Irish emigrants who became scientists, politicians, poets, artists and even outlaws all over the world. Discover Ireland from the outside in and find out why saying “I’m Irish” is one of the biggest conversation starters, no matter where you are. "
Make Your Own Rules
Egg hunts are a lovely way to create a bit of excitement for our children at Easter time but we can make our own rules. You may have seen photographs or social media memories of years gone by that involved elaborate decorations, eggs of different sizes and all kinds of fancy extras. This year why not think outside the box and do an indoor scavenger hunt? Make up your own clues and use treats, toys and trinkets you already have around the house. For children the magic is in the experience rather than the actual treat. Give them your presence rather than presents (or at least a smaller present) this year.
Easter Activity Booklet From Twinkl.ie
Twinkl.ie is a website that provides resources for teachers and parents with kids from junior infants to sixth class. For the entire month they are offering a free subscription for parents and we've spotted an adorable Easter activity booklet on their website. All you need to do is go to www.twinkl.i/offerand enter the code IRLTWINKLHELPS.
Have A Netflix Family Movie Marathon
This is the perfect excuse to snuggle up and enjoy a selection of family movies together. Pick up some treats when you're doing the shopping or crack open the Easter Eggs (if you managed to pick them up in advance) and enjoy some quality family time with classics such as Jumanji, Shrek and Annie. They're all streaming on Netflix right now.
Showcase Some Easter Window Art
Window art has become such a powerful way for communities to connect at a time where staying apart means working together. We saw how this beautiful Spanish movement encouraged Irish parents to do the same for St. Patrick's Day. We also saw the adorable Bear Hunt game which went viral. Well, why not showcase some Easter art work in the days leading up to Easter? Post it on your neighbourhood's Facebook page or Whatsapp groups to encourage neighbours to do the same. Take a family walk on Easter Sunday and enjoy a unique Easter Egg hunt by noticing everyone's Easter art-work on their windows.
Enjoy Some Delicious Food For Dinner
We are giving ourselves permission to move away from tradition this year. We want something delicious but without all the stress (and let's be honest, cleaning up after). After all, it is just your little family that you will be catering for. Why not spend the day enjoying eachothers company rather than sweating in the kitchen? We love this slow cooker lamb stew recipe from The Good The Bad The Tasty. It's a real treat but very easy to make in the slow cooker.
Lower Your Eggspectations
Yes, we did just go there. Puns aside, we really want to encourage you to reduce the amount of pressure you are putting on yourself. As I think we've all learned during this time, our children are a lot more resiliant than we give them credit for. Keep things simple and remember that the pressure usually comes from within. Face-time your family, enjoy some chocolate and just breathe.
