8 Amazing Gift and Activity Ideas for an Eco-friendly Easter!

 

 

It's that time again, folks! Easter is coming upon us, and that means ... it's time to plan your inaugural lunch festivities! So, let's think: are you going to do the same-same as last year, or are you going to theme it out this year? In honour of earth day later this month, we want to inspire you to go back to the basics ... and take you through the steps – of organising a special easter celebration with true values and meaning.

 

Think earth-friendly table decorations, afternoon art activities, and egg-citing treasure hunts - that are not only earth-friendly, but that will keep the kiddies busy for hours, minus the sugar content! Think egg-hunting with a twist; acorn villagers; fairyland adventures; and so much more! This week, we are inspiring you with celebrating on-the-green, so you can demonstrate your passion for life and for caring about the environment.

 

Keen to keep the earth clean and safe while piling on some Easter fun?  

 

If you’re keen to organise an Easter celebration that is innovative; fun; colourful; and that engages your child's curiosity about the world, then grab your smocks and paints, set up your craft table, and get going! Here are our 8 amazing gift and activity ideas for an eco-friendly easter!  

 

first up ... the easter egg hunt: minus the sugar and waste!

 

Are your kids looking forward to your annual family easter egg hunt, but you're keen for them to take a break from the chocolate and sweets this year? Have we got the solution for you. Why not plan to create more sustainable gifts to hunt for, with added doses of creativity, that are eco-friendly and safe for the environment instead?

 

Ditch the sugar and make easter a day of arty fun for the whole entire family! Here are a few craft ideas to make this special holiday unforgettable!

 

1. little green frogs 

 

 

Do you hear the sounds of ‘Ribbit, ribbit?’ Are your children fond of creating make-believe toad dwellings in the backyard? Ditch the wrapping and plastic, and say hello to these little green frogs made from easter eggs!

 

 you will need:

• food colouring
• hard-boiled egg
• a pair of tongs
• a wire rack
• green felt circles
• white felt circles
• non-toxic glue
• googly-eyes

 

instructions:

Mix 1/2 cup of boiling water, 1 teaspoon vinegar and 10-20 drops of food colour in a cup. Dip hard-boiled egg in colour for 5 minutes to achieve the right shade. Pick up with tongs and lay to dry on wire rack. Then decorate with paint and non-toxic glue.

 

2. wooden spoon bunnies

 

 

At Easter, bunny rabbits symbolize fertility and new life. So, why not create these cute wooden spoon bunnies for your easter table decorations, or for placing in the garden for an easter egg hunt. Plus, they are so easy to make! Twin them with a matching easter egg shape, place them in a hemp bag, and they would serve well as a token easter gift too!

 

what you’ll need for this project:

 

• eco-friendly wooden spoons (6in length)
• food colouring/nature paints
• googly eyes
• thin paint brush
• black gel pen
• toxic-free craft glue
• pipe cleaners
• pink, purple, or yellow craft paper or foam
• pom poms
• ribbon
• craft feathers

 

 

instructions:

 

step 1: paint your sticks

 

On a foiled covered tray, place your chosen natural paint powders or food-coloured paints on a plate, or create them in a repurposed ice cube tray. Then with a thin paint brush, paint your wooden spoons your desired colour. You can choose pink or purple for the bunnies, or yellow for the chicks.

 

step 2: create the face and ears

 

Using a black gel pen, glue the googly eyes onto the spoon head, and draw the face of your bunny or chick. For its ears, bend a 12-inch pink pipe cleaner in half and find the middle. Then take one end and cross it over the middle point and twist it so it holds in place. Repeat for the other end of the pipe cleaner. Then hold the two loops upright and attach to the back of the spoon with glue.  

 

step 3: create the body

 

For its torso, cut out a pink circle from craft paper or foam. You can mark this circle by tracing it around the bottom of a glass, or with a roll of craft tape- approximately 2.5 inches across. Glue the circle to the front of the spoon, making sure to leave room to tie the bunny's bow. Then cut a piece of teal blue ribbon and tie neatly around the bunny's neck. 

 

step 4: Add the feet

 

Finally, glue on the light pink pom-pom feet at the bottom of your circled torso, and the bunny is finished!

 

secondly ... the group easter activity redefined - using things you can find in nature!

 

Are your children looking to create some innovative craft activities that celebrate Mother Nature, and all the beauty she provides for us on a day-to-day basis?

 

Well, get ready, because we have found some of the most inspiring activities to choose from - that are homegrown, no less! Think mini treehouses, eco-friendly villagers and tiny worlds of wonder and awe, that tend to boost your child's imagination.

 

Say goodbye to plastics, foil and other harmful elements, and hello to exploring and discovering your own earthy treasures.

 

Here are a few afternoon craft ideas to put a smile on the whole family's dial!

 

1. a veggie treehouse

 

 

 

Easter is also coinciding with earth day - so have we got a cracker of an activity for you: we’ll show you how to build an honest-to-goodness mini treehouse ... with homegrown veggies!

 

what you'll need:

 

• A giant head of broccoli
• sturdy wooden twigs and sticks
• piece of flat wood
• non-toxic craft glue

 

instructions:

 

step 1: the cabin

Start with constructing the cabin, by gluing thick log pieces around the rim of the flat piece of wood. The glue two sides of the cabin roof together so they meet in a triangular shape and when dried, glue to top of the walls of the cabin. Then leave to dry.

 

step 2: the ladder

Then lay two sturdy sticks in a parallel position, and glue small-sized sticks in between each larger stick in a ladder formation. Leave to dry.

 

step 3: the Broccoli

 

Cut a branch off the front centre of the broccoli, leaving a 15 cm hole to place the cabin in. Lean the ladder into the right-sided neck of the broccoli, and there you have it! A treehouse is born!

 

2. cute acorn people

 

  

Ready for table decor that you can find in nature, and set your scene with? Why not be greeted by some acorn people? Eliminate wastage with plastic crafts - get your kids imagination going by using the gifts of Mother Nature - such as cones, feathers, moss, twigs, acorns, and nut shells to decorate the table with?

 

what you’ll need for this project:

 

• 1 acorn
• 1 walnut shell
• 2 twigs
• 1 pistachio or peanut shell
• 1 acorn head
• 1 black pen
• toxic-free craft glue

 

instructions:

 

Start from the bottom up. Glue bottom of acorn and place in walnut shell. Glue bottom of pistachio shell to top of acorn.  Place acorn cap on top of pistachio shell, and lastly, place twigs for arms in between acorn layers.

 

3. wooden houses

                     

Have you ever dreamed in miniature? Of little fairy doors and houses lighting up the garden after hours? Well, why not create a beautiful table centrepiece for your easter guests, filled with these enchanted wooden houses? Or better yet, use them as napkin ring ornaments, by tying them around each serviette with some twine?

 

what you’ll need for this project:

 

• soft wood tree (mountain ash)
• penknife (older kids)
• veggie peeler (for younger kids)
• permanent marker

 

instructions:

 

Take peeler and whittle down the top of each tree branch into a cone shape. Then with a pen knife, (and a parent's aid), lightly whittle down two squares for windows, and one oval shape for the door. Mark three shapes with a pen, and you are done with your masterpiece! Display them with your village of acorn people, and you'll have everyone singing your praises at the Easter table! 

 

thirdly ...the magic of leaves

 

Leaves are everywhere. They come in different colours, shapes, and sizes, and not only have the power to set a pretty autumn scene, but did you know that they can also be used for earth-inspired art and craft projects as well?

 

From heart-shaped confetti to leaf necklaces and drawings ... leaves are the new black!

 

1. heart-shaped confetti

 

Have an afternoon to spare before your easter preparations get underway? Keen to decorate your table with some natural leaves, or create a heart-driven fairy path that leads to a magical backyard destination? Why not grab a few baskets, go to your local park, collect some dried leaves, carry them home in bundles and get the magic started!

 

here's what you'll need:

 

• Heart-shaped hole puncher
• 1 recycled roll of paper
• a few reusable garbage bags

 

instructions:

 

After collecting a full bag of multi-coloured dried leaves, empty them on a long table covered with a recycled roll of paper, and carefully, and with assistance, start punching heart-shaped holes in the leaves. Careful to use the whole leaf, and then discard the rest into a reusable bag, to then disperse back into its natural environment.

 

2. leaf prints

 

Have some extra leaves to spare from your newly found heart-shaped confetti making skills? Why not create some nature-inspired artwork with your younger child, to proudly hang up in your easter-inspired garden?

 

what you'll need:

• autumn-coloured crayons
• leaves
• paper

 

instructions:

 

Go on a nature walk, and collect a bag of pretty leaves, twigs, and acorns. Place a leaf under the piece of paper, and colour over it with the crayons back and forth. Leaf shapes will start to form!

 

3. a leaf necklace

 

 Are the kiddies wanting to gift nan with something special this year? Or what about enchanting decorations to drape neatly over each dining room chair, or made as clothing for your favourite doll? If so, then bundle the kids in the car, go to the local park, and try to find green leaves to turn into a necklace or garland! Get your sewing skills ready! And bring some garden magic home!

 

what you'll need:

• twine
• small stick
• green leaves in all shapes and sizes

 

instructions:

 

for the necklace:

Tie your twine to a small stick with a big knot at the other end, then thread the twine through the leaves, and knot at the end. Voila! All done as nature intended!

 

for the chair garlands:

 

Take a piece of twine and measure out how long you'd like each garland for the head of the chair, and the cut each piece evenly. Then tie your twine to a small stick with a big knot at the other end, and thread the leaves on, and knot again.

 

for the doll dress:

 

With the twine, measure the circumference of your doll's torso, and cut your pieces to suit. A tip: Make a few so you can layer each piece over one another, to create layers of this leaf dress - to look like an enchanted gown!

 

Easter is a time to celebrate family togetherness: in celebrating joy and rebirth. The same can be said for spring, a season which also celebrates new life and new beginnings.

 

Then what better way to celebrate this beautiful holiday, then to tie it in with celebrating mother nature and earth day. Let's inspire our kids to think sustainably, and care about our precious planet. To put meaning to what is around us, and to be grateful for it, is the greatest gift we can possibly give our children.

 

Happy Easter, everyone!