The decoration of eggs began sometime during the 13th century. Many people are attracted to this form of art due to the smooth and oval shape of the egg. The ancient civilizations associated eggs as a religious and cultural symbol. They are also symbolic in folklore and mythology, often representing life and rebirth, healing, and protection. Traditional egg decorating is now in existence throughout the entire world.
Today, egg hunts are still prominently featured for kids to run around and be rewarded with a special prize inside the egg. It’s been a family tradition for decades. Each year, the White House chooses a decorated egg from each state to display at Easter.
And Did You Know:
- Some plastic eggs come in assorted colors, sizes, and shapes. Some are made with textured materials which add extra sensory interest for all kids.
- If you don’t have plastic eggs at home, most stores carry them during the spring season.
- Plastic eggs are used as tools for academic learning at the preschool and elementary level. The teachers use the eggs during math time, gym and outdoor activities.
The Following Activities Can:
- Burn calories…
- Boost cardiovascular endurance…
- Develop coordination movements…
- Improve your balance…
- Work on fine motor and eye-hand coordination
[1]
Items Needed:
- At least 2 dozen plastic eggs for each child
- Paper and pencil
- Candy and non-candy items
- A basket for each of your children
Gather all your plastic eggs in one area. Insert an age-appropriate exercise in a few of the eggs leaving the remainder of the eggs with candy and non-candy surprises. Some examples of exercises can be:
[2]
Begin by placing plastic filled eggs all around a room, the house, or the yard. The children are given the following commands:
- While jumping, ask your child to find 5 eggs and place them in the basket.
- While skipping, ask your child to find 3 eggs and place them in the basket.
ASK YOUR CHILD TO COUNT THE EGGS, AND SEE HOW MANY THEY HAVE COLLECTED SO FAR! - While walking backwards, ask your child to find 6 eggs and place them in their basket.
- While scooting on their bottom, find 4 eggs and place them in the basket.
ASK YOUR CHILD TO COUNT THE EGGS, AND SEE HOW MANY THEY HAVE COLLECTED.** - While crawling on their belly, find one egg and place in the basket
- While creeping like a cat backwards, find 7 eggs and place them in the basket.
ASK YOUR CHILD TO COUNT THE EGGS, AND SEE HOW MANY TOTAL EGGS THEY HAVE COLLECTED.
At this time, everyone may start opening the eggs. When someone finds an egg with an exercise slip in it, all the children proceed to execute that exercise as a group.
ADAPTATION: If you use a mobility device
- Restrict the egg hunt to one room or the first level of the house.
- Hide the eggs at eye-level areas.
- Write appropriate fun exercises, according to their abilities, on a piece of paper and place them inside the egg.
[3]
Items Needed:
- One Spoon for each child
- Lots of Plastic eggs
- One basket for each child
- One plastic bowl for each child
- Arrange the room so that the bowls are at one end of the room or yard and the baskets are at the other end.
- Fill the bowls up with plastic eggs
- While each child stands behind a bowl, hand them each one spoon.
- Ask the children to scoop an egg with a spoon and carefully walk to their basket that is located across the room.
- Continue this until all the eggs from the bowl are in the basket.
- If an egg is dropped during transportation, have them put the egg in the “trash”. This can be a separate container.
- When all the eggs have been taken to their basket, the children gather to estimate (guess) how many eggs had been taken to the “trash”.
- The closest to the number wins a prize.
[4]
Modifications:
- Instead of walking to the basket while holding the egg on the spoon, they can waddle like a duck in a squatted position, they can knee walk, walk backwards, twirl around, and possibly do a karaoke step
- While holding two spoons, one in each hand, they can carry an egg on each spoon to their basket.
- While holding two spoons, one in each hand, the children can pass one egg back and forth between the two spoons to their basket.
Adaptations:
If you use a mobility device
- Make sure that the bowls and basket are at eye level height for them to reach.
- Make the size of the spoon larger like a serving size spoon.
- For those individuals who have visual limitations, place a larger basket and larger bowl of eggs at chest level about 10 feet from each other next to a wall or fence. This will help the child navigate from the bowl to the basket. Ask the child to carry the egg on the spoon at chest level until they approach the basket. When the spoon touches the basket, the child will be able to drop the egg into the basket.
Easter Activities
- Easy and Exciting Egg Activities for Easter [5]
- EASTER FUN: Alternatives to Chocolate [6]
- Easter Egg Decorating Made Easy with Tissue Paper [7]
- How to Create A Healthy Easter Basket What Every Parent Should Know! [8]
- Don’t Fear the Easter Bunny! How to Avoid Harmful Easter Candy [9]
- Easter Hunt Over? Now! Try Peanut Hunt! [10]
- Cooking with Kids: Hatching “wide-eyed” Chicks (Deviled Eggs) [11]
This post originally appeared on our March/April 2022 Magazine [12]