Coloring Easter
Eggs Without Dye
Materials:
Hard boiled white eggs
About 1/4 cup of water( depending on the amount of eggs you do)
Different colors of classroom quality tissue paper( gift wrap tissue paper will
not work)
One small piece of sponge per child
Directions:
Cut the tissue paper into strips or basic shapes ( circles, ovals, squares etc.)
Dampen the egg with a small piece of sponge
Apply the tissue paper to the egg. It will stick on the wet egg. Let the egg
rest.
When completely dry the tissue paper will just flake off and the color from the
paper will be transfered to the egg.
Tips:
When you overlap the paper it makes a great effect.
Don't cut the paper pieces too small, it will make it difficult to work with.
Don't move the tissue paper once it is stuck to the egg. ( until it is dry)
To let the eggs sit we just rested them in plastic Easter grass. It doesn't disturb
the paper at all.
This is a great project to do with a class or at home. I've done it from 1st
to 3rd grade
EASTER BASKET
Submitted by Gwen
Materials:
-2 1-dozen sized egg cartons
-tissue paper (yellow, pink, blue, green)
-circular piece of oaktag (10-11" diameter)
-long rectangular piece of oaktag (basket handle)
-stapler
-glue
-glue gun
1.Get the 2 1-dozen sized egg cartons (not styrofoam!). Cut
off the cover and keep the compartmentalized section.
2.Place the 2 cartons, compartment side on the outside. Staple
the ends of the width section of the egg cartons together. (You should
have a circle shape.)
3.Cut square shapes 2"X 2" from colored tissue paper. Place glue
into the center of a square piece and attach to a section of the egg carton's
compartment. Fill all "holes" with tissue paper. These will look
like flowers.
4.Glue gun this part of the basket to the circular piece of oaktag which
will be the bottom of the basket.
5.Staple the rectangular piece of oaktag to the top of the basket to make the
handle. (Decorate the handle with tissue paper and glue OR stamp them,
draw on them before attaching to the basket.)
6.Fill with Easter grass and fill w/treats!!!
"Egg-ceptional" Singing
Need a time filler? Just crack open one
of these eggs! To prepare, ask your little ones to name their favorite
circle-time songs and fingerplays. Write each one on a small piece of
paper, and then tuck each piece into a plastic egg. Keep the eggs in
an Easter basket in your group area. When you need a quick time filler,
just ask a child to crack open an egg. Read the title aloud, and then
sing the song. To ease transitions, this "egg-cellent" idea just can't
be beat!
Bunny Brunch
Both rabbits and hares eat plenty of plants.
During the winter months when plants are less plentiful, the animals
eat twigs, bark, and fruits of trees and bushes. For a fun Easter activity,
serve a healthful bunny brunch. Include students in preparations for
the brunch by having them sponge-print napkins and construction paper
placemats with bunny designs. Serve "rabbit food" that includes celery,
carrots, and pretzels. Offer ranch-style dressing as a dip, if desired.
Vegetarian sandwiches-made with softened cream cheese and whole wheat
bread--cut into bunny shapes with a cookie cutter can also be served.
For an authentic beverage, serve carrot juice. If you're not up to making
your own, purchase carrot juice at a supermarket or health food store--or
substitute any orange-colored beverage.
GIANT CARROT
Fill a disposable clear plastic icing bag with Cheetos. Wrap
a rubber band around the top and stuff
Easter grass in the rubber band. It looks like a giant carrot.
LOTSA EGG COLORING
Submitted by Kathy
Rubber Band-It
What You Need:
Hard Boiled Eggs
Rubber Bands
Easter Egg Dye (see recipe below)
What You Do:
Boil eggs and let cool.
Wrap rubber bands around the eggs.
Dip the eggs into the dye.
Remove from dye and let dry.
Remove rubber bands and admire your lovely eggs.
Resist-It
What You Need:
Hard Boiled Eggs
Crayons
Easter Egg Dye (see below)
What You Do:
Draw designs on eggs with crayons.
Put the egg into the dye and leave until a desired color is achieved.
Take the egg out of the dye, let dry and voila ... a crayon surprise!
All Purpose Easter Egg Dye
Gather: 1/2 bottle of food coloring; 1 tbsp white vinegar; stainless
steel pot; water; eggs (of course)
Fill: the pot with enough water to cover 4 hard-boiled eggs.
Add: the food coloring and vinegar
Heat: water almost to the boiling point
Lower: the eggs into the dye
Leave: eggs in the dye until desired color is achieved.
SHINY EGGS
Cut giant Easter eggs from 12x18 sheets of construction paper or tagboard.
Mix sweetened
condensed milk (like Eagle Brand) with food coloring to create several colors
of "paint". Paint this
mixture onto the eggs and let dry thoroughly. This will take awhile! When dry,
these eggs just glisten!!
RABBIT PAPER WEIGHTS
You will need a fist-size rock. Paint it white. When dry, use craft
glue to attach two small aquarium rocks
for eyes. Draw a nose, mouth, and whiskers using markers. Glue on construction
paper ears to
complete the rabbit. Put the rabbit into a plastic strawberry basket filled
with Easter grass.
GIANT EGGS
Balloon
Liquid Starch or Watered Down Glue
Large Paintbrushes
Crochet Thread
Blow up a balloon and tie a 2 ft. piece of thread to the bottom of
it. Cover the entire balloon with starch
or watered down glue, using a large paint brush. Wrap crochet thread around
the balloon in one
direction, leaving small gaps about 1/2 inch wide so the balloon isn't completely
covered. Wrapping
doesn't have to be perfect. Apply another light layer of starch or glue on
top of the thread and wrap with
another layer of crochet thread in another direction. Repeat one or more times
until the balloon is covered
with thread.
Hang the balloon from the bottom thread to dry for about 24 hours. When fully
dry, pop the balloon and
gently pull it out of the thread. Hang the giant egg from the ceiling or place
it in a giant easter basket.
Variations: Use multicolored thread or yarn. You can flatten the end of the
egg by pressing on
it gently so it will stand on end. Leave an intentional opening to set figurines
and eggs/candy
in. They are very pretty this way.
Practical tips:
Work quickly before the glue/starch dries or add more when necessary.
Handle the egg with care after it
dries, as it may cave in if you squish it.
BABY BUNNIES IN GRASS
White Paper
Crayons
Glue
Pom-poms or cotton balls
Have children color a white sheet of paper all green
(scribbling is just perfect) then have them glue on
10-15 1/2" pom poms or pieces of cotton balls- wa la
you now have "Baby Bunnies Hiding in the Grass!!"
RABBIT AND GOOSE OUT OF HAND
Rabbit:
Have child make a fist & hold up two fingers (pointer & middler) & trace on paper. Draw eyes, nose,
whiskers, and mouth.
Goose:
Have child make a fist & hold up two fingers (thumb & pointer
slightly separated) & trace on paper.
NO MESS EGG COLORING
If you have little kids and the thought of the mess of coloring easter
eggs makes you cringe, try this. Take a coffee filter, flatten it
out and put it on a piece of aluminum foil. Place 5-10 drops of food
coloring in different spots on the filter ( all one color or many
colors) put a SLIGHTLY damp hard-boiled egg in center of filter.
Wrap the egg up in the filter and foil by taking it from the bottom
and wrapping the foil around the egg. Gently squeeze the foil and
then unwrap. It will give the egg a marbled look and guess what?
NOT ALL THE MESS!! the only messy part is picking the egg up after
unwrapping and I did that so I didn't have little dirty fingerprints
all over. The other great part is you can re-use the filter to color
several eggs before having to add more food coloring- or start with
one color and add a new color to the filter in between coloring each
egg.
BUNNY PRINTS
Submitted by Eliza
What you need:
2 pieces of construction paper
pencil
scissors
bead
cotton ball
Clean child's foot first. Once the foot is dry have them place it
on the paper. Trace the outline of their foot. Cut out the shape.
Glue bead on for eye (should be the heal side of the paper). Draw
in a mouth and nose. Whiskers can be made with a pipe cleaner, cut
one in half and glue it to the nose. Now glue on the cotton
ball for the tail. Cut out a pair of ears and glue it on the back
for ears. Now you have a bunny.
THE EGG THAT COULDN'T DECIDE
Once upon a time there was a little egg named Benedict(put up white
egg) who didn't know what color he wanted to be for Easter. He
said, "I've always liked the color of trees. Perhaps I should
be a green egg.(change to green egg) But then again, I like
the color of carrots. Maybe I should be orange.(change to orange)
Of course, the color of water is very pretty too, I wonder how I
would look if I were blue?"(change to blue). And then he thought
of a duck in a meadow and decided there and then to be a yellow egg.(change
to yellow) But the next moment a great
big fire truck came racing by and Benedict said, "That's the color
for me - I'll be a red egg."(change to red) A moment later he
saw a squirrel eating a bunch of grapes. Now which should I be
, brown like a squirrel, or purple like grapes? (change to brown and
then purple)Oh dear, oh dear," said Benedict, "I can't make up my mind. All
these colors are so pretty."
Just then, who should appear but the Easter Bunny.(add bunny piece) "Don't
worry, Benedict," he said. "I know just what to do." And what
he did made Benedict very happy!!!
What do you think the Easter Bunny did? (see if the kids can guess,
and then present one egg with all the pretty colors on it)
After doing the story several times, it's fun to let the kids take turns telling
it themselves to the rest. Gives them some self confidence without them
even knowing it!
PAPER MACHE EASTER EGG
Blow up a balloon into a small size and paper Mache it with newspaper.
Then
let this dry. Next get the children to tear up tissue paper and apply this
in lots of layers till it is looking good with a glue that dries clear like
PVA and let dry.
BUNNY MOVEMENT POEM
Submitted by Diane
We do a very cute bunny action with our kids at this time of the
year.
It goes as follows:
My little bunny likes to play,
He rolls himself in the grass all day (roll hands in a circular motion)
With his ears flip, flop (put hands on top of head)
And his tail wig, wag (put hands in back)
And when he hops, he goes zig zag. (put hands together and move side
to side)
(Then repeat)
flip, flop, wig, wag, zig, zag (doing motions)
(Repeat again)
flip, flop, wig, wag, zig, zag.
TISSUE PAPER EGG
Need: White poster board, Liquid starch, scissors, sponge brush, and
tissue paper.
Each child gets a large white poster board egg shape. They use liquid
starch and sponge brushes to paint the egg. Then use pastel colors
of tissue paper to cover the egg shape.
THIS LITTLE BUNNY
Submitted by Vicki
Cut five bunny shapes out of felt and decorate them as described
in the
following poem. as you recite the poem, place the appropriate shapes on a flannel
board.
This little bunny has two pink eyes,
This little bunny is very wise.
This little bunny is soft as silk,
This little bunny is white as milk.
This little bunny nibbles away
At cabbages and carrots
the livelong day!
BUNNY POKEY
Sung to : "Hokey-Pokey"
You put your bunny ears in,
(place hands on head to make "ears".)
You put your bunny ears out.
You put your bunny ears in,
And you shake them all about.
You do the Bunny-Pokey,
And you hop yourself around-
That's what it's a; about!
Additional verses: "You put your bunny nose in; You put your bunny
tail
in; You put your bunny paws in."
MARBLED EASTER EGGS
Have you tried the marbling technique using shave cream and Liquid
watercolor? Swirl together and then place egg shape on top to
lift design then use scraper to remove excess. Very cool!
The Fluffy Little Rabbits
Whether your theme is poetry, gardens, spring, or rabbits, this little
poem is right in step!
The fluffy little rabbits so soft and white, (Place hands on head to represent
rabbit ears.)
Went looking for some carrots in the dark, dark night. (Look, holding your
hand over your eyes.)
The fluffy little rabbits found a garden so big, (Extend your arms
outward.)
So they jumped into the garden and began to dig. (Jump; then pretend
to dig.)
They ate the crunchy carrots so orange and bright, (Pretend to eat
a carrot.)
Till they heard some footsteps coming and they froze in fright. (Pretend to
be frightened.)
Then the fluffy little rabbits heard the farmer say, (Listen: cup
your hand around your ear.)
"Scat, little rabbits," and they all hopped
away! (Clap once when you say, "Scat";
then hop.)
Plastic Eggs
Here is an "egg-cellent" way to liven up your coatroom or cubbies at
Easter time. Purchase a supply of colored plastic eggs. Secure each
of the eggs by taping the two halves together. Using a marker, personalize
one egg for each student. Mount each child's egg on a wall above his
coat hook or cubby. Then tape a handful of Easter grass under each
egg. This makes a great room display and is a fun stimulus for your
little bunnies to identify their names and colors.
PRETTY PATTERNS
Easter eggs lend a manipulative seasonal flair to this patterning center.
Provide a basket of assorted colors of plastic eggs and a few empty
egg cartons. Cut construction paper egg shapes in colors that match
your pLastic eggs. Glue the egg shapes in various patterns onto tag
board cards. Have a youngster select a pattern card, then extend
the pattern by placing plastic eggs in an egg carton. A youngster
may also create an original pattern for a classmate to repeat or
identify.
EGG SHELL ART
Submitted by Margie
Save all egg shells...peeling out the inner lining as you wash them
out...dry on drain board. When dry, put
into a zip lock baggie and crush w/bottom of cup.
Split up the egg shells into different bags and color them w/food color and
a bit of alcohol...(alcohol dries
quick)...or use cake icing color. Some of them are really rich looking.
When shells are dry, you're ready for any kind of egg shell art/mosiacs/etc...you
would like to do.
EASTER TIME SCIENCE
Submitted by Margie
Cut the top off a carrot which still has the greenery
at the top of it.
Place in a shallow bowl and watch it grow.
Nice science project around easter time.
Extend by really planting carrot seeds outdoors!
Try some old time fun gross motor games w/eggs...
1. Egg tossing
to partners face to face. After each
catch, the partner has to back up one step.
Continue.!!!
2. Egg race...balancing an egg on a spoon...
3. And one for teachers of older (middle school age)
children...a good 'ole home economics activity some of
my friends did in middle school...YEARS AGO...
Hard boil the eggs and have children dress them as baby girls/boys
(or the teacher can do it). The child
must (for older children) care for "his/her baby girl or boy" as a parent would. If
they want to go
somewhere and won't take the egg, they have to arrange for babysitting...spend
time w/it at meal times. put
it to sleep, wake it up and get it ready to go in the morning...AND IF THE
EGG IS DROPPED and
cracked/broken...they must arrange for funeral arrangements, etc. etc. etc.....
Math, name recognition, beginning words, etc.
Take Large plastic easter eggs...keep together as a whole egg...on
one half near the "seam" put the number
3. On the other half next to the seam put 3 horizontal dots...around
the same half put the "wrong"
number of horizontal dots...do about 3-4 of these around this half.
Have the child spin the egg to match the number to the corresponding
number of dots.
EXTEND: Do math calculations, Name recognition, phone number
recognition, beginning words...ie: "C" on one half, and "at" "ar" "up" around
the 2nd half.
Easter Eggs on a stick
Dough recipe:
2 3/4 C all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 C butter at room temp
1 C sugar
1 large egg
1 TBS. vanilla extract
Chill dough for a couple hours or chill until the next
day. Roll out dough (not too thin) and use Easter
egg, bunny, chicks, etc. cookie cutters.
Put a colored craft stick (or reg. color) up the
bottom of the cookie.
Cook 350 for approx. 8-10 minutes.
Frost, decorate, etc...
MAGIC EGGS
Submitted by Jan
Here is a flannel story that I use at Easter time.
You need seven eggs pink, red, yellow, blue, brown, green & orange.
All these eggs need to be backed with white flannel so there is a
color on
one side and white on the other.
Once upon a time the Easter Bunny woke up on Easter morning and he
had forgotten to dye the eggs. All he had was white eggs.
Yikes! Now he was in trouble. Instead of beautifully colored eggs all he had
was white eggs.
He sat down, held the white egg in his hand and said, "Think ,think, think,
I wish this egg was "PINK".
The egg turned pink (Turn it over).
If he could think of a rhyme for to go with each color,
he could turn all the white eggs into colored eggs like magic.
(You can stretch out the story but here are the rhyming sentences
to change
the egg colors can also have children help with rhyming words)
-"bed, bed, bed, I wish this egg was red"
-"fellow, fellow, fellow, I wish this egg was yellow"
-"Moo, moo, moo, I wish this egg was blue"
-"down, down, down, I wish this egg was brown."
-"bean, bean, bean, I wish this egg was green."
-"orange, orange, orange, I wish egg was orange"
(Children can also try and guess what color it will be from
the rhyming word)
BUNNY IDEAS
submitted by Sandra
A Wiggle-With-Me Story
Before sharing this story with the children, read the following dialogue
aloud, so they learn the actions which correspond with the words.
Be sure to demonstrate the actions, then give the children the chance
to practice them before the story begins. If necessary, break down
individual movements
per group.
Whenever I say the " COTTONTAIL," shake your bottom.
Whenever I say "PINK NOSE" wrinkle your nose like a bunny.
Whenever I say 'SOFT, BROWN EYES," blink your eyes three times.
Whenever I say 'LONG, TALL EARS," hold your arms over your head and make
ears.
Whenever I say "HOPPED," and that will only be one time, hop away to wherever
you wish. Go quietly and be careful not to bump other bunnies as you hop.
Now here is the story. Listen carefully and do not forget your part.
Once upon a time there was a fluffy little bunny who lived in a safe burrow
deep under the roots of a great old tree on the edge of the forest. The fluffy
little bunny had a pink nose, a cottontail, brown eyes, and long, tall ears
that could hear any sound for miles around. One day when the bunny was bounding
through the forest with his little cottontail bobbing along behind him, he
came upon a bubbling brook. He stopped and perked up his long, tall ears to
listen for any sounds that might tell him of danger. He sniffed the air with
his pink nose for the scent of an enemy. His soft, brown eyes looked in every
direction. His long, tall ears told him nothing. His pink nose told him nothing.
His soft, brown eyes say no sign of another creature anywhere. So the bunny
bounced off through the forest with his cottontail bobbing behind him. The
bunny had not gone far when he came upon a fallen log blocking his path. Again
he stopped and perked up his long, tall ears to listen for any sound that might
tell him of danger. He sniffed the air with his pink nose for the scent of
an enemy. His soft, brown eyes looked in every direction. His long, tall ears
told him nothing. His pink nose told him nothing. His soft, brown eyes saw
no sign of another creature anywhere. So, the bunny bounced off through the
forest with his cottontail bobbing behind him. Suddenly, there was a snap of
a twig. The cottontail stopped bobbing. The bunny's long, tall ears perked
up to listen for the sound of a stranger. He sniffed the air with his pink
nose for any scent of danger. His soft, brown eyes looked in every direction.
Then, there it was! It moved quietly through the forest on the same path where
the bunny stood. It was coming closer and closer. The bunny did not move. It
began to feel frightened! Who should come bounding down the path....but another
little bunny just like him! She had a pink nose, a cottontail, soft, brown
eyes and long, tall ears that could hear for miles around. She stopped and
looked at the bunny with her soft brown eyes. They smiled at each other. Then
they turned and they hopped off the down the path together.
A Fat Bunny
Materials:
Bunny and carrot
A fat bunny rabbit with ears so tall.
And two pink eyes about this small,
went hop, hop, hopping to get some lunch.
He found a fresh carrot,
Yum, yum, crunch!
Mister Rabbit
Materials:
Rabbit and four carrots
Mister Rabbit in the carrot patch
Digging up the carrots. Scratch, scratch.
He ate the first little carrot, round and fat.
He ate the second little carrot just like that.
He ate the third little carrot, orange and sweet.
He ate the fourth little carrot, what a treat!
Mister Rabbit in the carrot patch
Digging up the carrots. Scratch, scratch, scratch.
Five Bunny Rabbits
Material :
five rabbits
Five bunny rabbits sitting by my door
One hopped away and then there were four.
Four bunny rabbits sleeping near a tree
One hopped away and then there were three.
Three bunny rabbits now what will they do?
One hopped away and then there were two.
Two bunny rabbits resting in the sun.
One hopped away and then there was one.
One bunny rabbit left all alone.
He hopped off down the road
maybe to your home . . . .
14 Carrot Work
Submitted by Sally
This idea I've done for years and it still delights the children. It
is from Mailbox Magazine. Cut large carrot shapes with tops
from fingerprint paper. Put about a teaspoon each of red and
yellow paint on the carrot and let them start mixing. Soon, the carrot
is covered in orange. Next, do the same with the leafy part
using blue and yellow paints. Soon that turns green and the
kids think this is awesome. I use these as a border around
my spring bulletin board. The demo carrot can be used as a
sign stapled to the middle of the board and write " '14 Carrot' Work" on
it!
Cute Easter project
Submitted by Diane
The finished project is a bunny face sitting in a carrot with the
carrots green stems behind the bunny's head. I traced on orange
paper a large carrot (about seven inches) for the children to cut
themselves. I also cut out a bunny head with ears for them to decorate
that would sit on top of the carrot. I traced the shape of
the carrot and bunny head on large paper so I would know where to
place their painted fingers. To make the greenery above
the carrot, I painted their fingers (no thumbs) with green paint
and printed them around the shape of the bunny's head. When
that dried, they glued on their carrot, bunny head, added eyes, nose
and whatever details that wanted to the bunnies and we glued them
on top of the carrot. I also added two white ovals on each
side of the carrot to look like paws. Their finger prints looked
adorable behind the bunny. We wrote " ---------- Bunny Patch" on
each of them and will hang them at our "Breakfast with the Easter
Bunny" this weekend. They were fun to do and something different.
Easter baskets
We are all busily preparing for Easter in our school and everyone is now making
baskets. Some of the teachers use "strawberry" baskets from the grocery
store, other very large coffee cups with pipe cleaner handles but I like to
use half gallon milk or juice containers. I measure up four inches from
the bottom and draw a cutting line, open up the top on both sides, cut down
one side and then across onto the next side, cut into the second side for only
one inch. Now go back up to the top and cut down again leaving about two inches
for the handle. Continue cutting the third side through and again on the fourth
side only cut into one inch, go back to the top and cut down again leaving
the other handle. Now staple the handle together at the top and viola. I
then cover the bottom and handle with white paper. The children cover
three sides with white cotton balls and we make a bunny face on the front.
Add feet. Sometimes instead of a bunny, we make a duck. Just cover
the container with yellow paper, yellow cotton balls and add a duck face on
the front. Also add orange feet. Very, very cute.
Paper Plate Easter Bunny
Submitted by Betty
Materials:
1 Heavy duty, divided dinner plate - Chinette??
white construction paper for ears
Pink for inside of ears
Pink cotton balls
Blue and black construction paper for eyes - or create, draw own
Black construction paper for whiskers
Variety of colored paper for bow-ties
Place the plate upside-down with the two small dividers close to
the child. The dividers will be the bunny's cheeks. Have white
ears and pink inserts programmed for the child to cut. It may
be best to staple the ears on depending on how long you have them. Go
ahead and do the eyes any way you wish...I pre-cut ovals for mine. Add
whiskers to "cheeks", and put on a cotton nose. Add the bow-tie
at the chin. The children often add eye lashes, etc.
to individualize them.
Bunny Windsocks (alternative to above)
Take the above materials, except glue them on a 12x18 pc. of white construction
paper, staple and add spring colored streamers to the bottom and string to
hang. They always love to add another pink cotton ball as a tail on the back
of the wind sock! Precious!
We get lots of compliments on either variety!
Easter Religious Craft
Submitted by Teri
I gave them a small paper cup (the kind doctors use to give a patient
their pills in). I explained that this represented the tomb
that Jesus was buried in. Then I gave them a cross sticker. this
represented Jesus. They placed the cross in the bottom of the
tomb (cup). Then I gave them a colored cotton ball. This
represented the rock that was placed in front of the tomb. They
laid the cotton ball inside the cup. Then I gave them 3 jelly
beans. I told them that Jesus was in the tomb for 3 days. We
counted our jelly beans and placed them on top of the cotton ball. Then
we talked about the angel that appeared and moved the rock away. I
gave them an angel sticker and they placed it on the front of their
cup. Then we talked about how Jesus appeared again to his friends. I
gave them a dove sticker to represent life and that Jesus is still
with us. It was very simple but got the message through to
the children. They continued retelling the story after we finished
the project.
Grahm cracker Easter Basket
Submitted by Nancy
Make a tiny Easter Basket Gram cracker Snack. Take a long gram
cracker and break on lines to make four pieces. These are the sides.
Use a square for the bottom. Put together with decorating frosting.
Use shoe string licorice for the handle. Fill with green coconut
and jelly beans or small candy. If you want you can color rice krispies
treats green and just spinkle them in the basket instead of coconut
for the grass.
: cute easter chicks.
White Styrofoam egg carton.
Yellow cotton balls or make little yellow pompoms from yarn.
Paper holes from a paper punch of black for eyes or small wiggle eyes.
tiny orange diamond shape cut from orange construction paper
for beak. fold it in half.
Green Easter Grass
Glue
Cut cracked egg shells from egg carton and glue green grass in the bottom.
Next glue the yellow cotton ball in place. Glue on face. They are so cute.
Let them make a few and put in a berry basket easter basket.
More cute little chicks
Submitted by Cooter
Another idea we use to makes chicks:
Materials:
Yellow plastic dixie cups 8oz. ones), Yellow felt cut in triangles,
wiggly eyes, pieces of sponge, string (about 10 inches each), feather
Make a hole in the bottom of each cup using a nail or needle and add the string. Tie
the string so that you see the knot on the outside of the cup. THIS WILL
BE THE TOP OF YOUR DUCK. Tie the little piece of sponge (you could get
about 12 pieces of sponge from one sponge) to the string so it will hang from
the opening of the cup. Now the children can add eyes, feathers, triangle felt
for mouth, etc. When cup is dry from decorating, wet each sponge and
wring out excess water. Now the fun part, put the attached sponge on
the string right under the rim and pull down in quick strokes, the duck will
make a cool quacking sound. You can demonstrate for the kids and they
will get the hang of it very quickly. All of the children loved
these.
Simple Easter snacks
Submitted by Nancy
Donuts Plain cake or raised, Green Frosting, Jelly Bird eggs, Pipe
Cleaner or red licorice, Green Coconut
Give each child a donut, small cup of frosting, coconut (most won't eat coconut)
jelly Bird Eggs, pipe cleaner (cut in half for handle) and a small plastic
knife.
Now for the nutritious one. LOL
Make Bread Dough. Each child will get about a tennis ball size of dough.
They form a bunny on a cookie sheet or individual pie pan. They lay
a raw egg on the tummy of the bunny and put arms over it like holding
the egg. Add raisins for eyes. Bake until golden brown and done.
You can glaze it if you wish but you don't need to.
Jelly Beans
Submitted by Joyce
Have a basket filled with real jelly beans and a basket filled with
paper jelly bean shapes. Let each child pick a real and paper
jelly bean, same color. Ask each child to hold up her jelly
beans when you name its color. Once each child is sure of her color,
let her eat the real one. Then sing this song. As each
different color word is substituted, encourage the children who ate
a bean of that color to stand up and rub their tummies. The
paper jelly bean can be a reminder for those who need it.
Jelly Beans In My Tummy!
(Sung to Skip To My Lou)
{color word} jelly beans-yum, yum.
{color word} jelly beans-yum, yum.
{color word} jelly beans-yum, yum.
Jelly beans in my tummy!
Buy several bags of jelly beans that include the colors listed in the poem
below. Sort the beans by color; then divide them into snack size baggies so
that each child has a bag of same colored beans. Place a large pot in
the center of your group. Introduce the poem to the children; then invite
them to help make jelly bean stew. As you repeat the poem, have each
child pour her color of beans into the pot when her color is named. Let
everyone take a turn stirring the stew as you repeat the poem. Using
a ladle, fill each child's baggie with some stew.
Here is the poem:
Jelly Bean Stew
Jelly bean stew,
Red and yellow,
And purple, too!
Orange and pink,
And black and green,
It's the prettiest stew I've ever seen!
This is cute for the flannel board:
FIVE LITTLE JELLY BEANS
Five little jelly beans;
I wish I had more!
I'll eat the (color word) one;
Now there are four.
Four little jelly beans;
Tasty as can be.
I'll eat the (color word) one
Now there are three.
Three little jelly beans;
Only a few.
I'll eat the (color word) one;
Now there are two.
Two little jelly beans;
Eating them is fun.
I'll eat the (color word) one;
Now there is one.
One little jelly bean;
The last one for me.
I'll eat the (color word) one;
I'm as happy as can be!
Sorting jelly beans
Make large jelly bean shapes out of paper that match real jelly
bean colors. Personalize reseal able bags filled with jelly beans. Let
child find his bag. Have child place paper shapes in front of him
and sort the matching real beans onto the shapes. Nibbling on the
jelly beans is the treat for a sorting job well done!
Easter Bulletin Board "An Easter Surprise"
Submitted by Carol
I get the Easter Board ready with a huge bunny sitting in grass
(3' tall) sitting next to a huge basket that I make by weaving yellow
and green construction paper and cutting it into basket shape. Don't
forget a sunshine (mine has a happy face on it) and some clouds.
You could cut out the basket from two 12"x18" pieces of yellow paper
and weave green strips through it. Add chicks around.
condensed milk
white tag board
q-tips
Cut 2 or three 4" egg shapes out of white tag board
color the condensed milk with food coloring
The children paint the c. milk with q-tips decorating their eggs in swirls,
dots, zig zags.
When dry place these eggs in and around the basket. (take a while to
dry)
EASTER MOSAIC
Submitted by Margie
Save egg shells....wash and peel the inner lining out of them.
Save them in about 4-5 separate zip lock bags.
Add food coloring and a bit of alcohol to each bag (each bag having
a different color...be creative with easter colors), shake it up
and lye out on newspaper to dry.
When the shells dry, mix all the colors. Now you're ready to mosaic something.
I'll leave this next part up to you. Just paint anything you desire (paper,
flower pot, photo frame, etc.) with glue and place on the shells.
You can seal them in with another coat of glue when they dry.
EASTER STORY COOKIES
To be made the evening before Easter
You need:
1c. whole pecans
1 tsp. vinegar
3 egg whites
pinch salt
1c. sugar
zipper baggie
wooden spoon
tape
Bible
Preheat oven to 300 F.
Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the Wooden
spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was
arrested he was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3.
Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. vinegar into mixing bowl.
Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross he was given vinegar to drink. Read
John 19:28-30.
Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus
gave his life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11.
Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste
it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents
the salty
tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke
23 :27.
So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1c. sugar.
Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves
us. He wants us to know and belong to Him.
Read Ps. 34:8 and John 3:16.
Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are
formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's Eyes
of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus.
Read Isa. 1:18 and John 3:1-3.
Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered
cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where
Jesus'
body was laid. Read Matt. 27:57-60.
Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF.
Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door.
Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matt. 27:65-66.
GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the
oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was
sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.
On Easter morning open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the
he cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On
the
first Easter Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read
Matt. 28:1-9
Rabbits
Submitted by Jan
A Fat Bunny
Materials:
Bunny and carrot
A fat bunny rabbit with ears so tall.
And two pink eyes about this small,
went hop, hop, hopping to get some lunch.
He found a fresh carrot,
Yum, yum, crunch!
Mister Rabbit
Materials:
Rabbit and four carrots
Mister Rabbit in the carrot patch
Digging up the carrots. Scratch, scratch.
He ate the first little carrot, round and fat.
He ate the second little carrot just like that.
He ate the third little carrot, orange and sweet.
He ate the fourth little carrot, what a treat!
Mister Rabbit in the carrot patch
Digging up the carrots. Scratch, scratch, scratch.
Five Bunny Rabbits
Material :
five rabbits
Five bunny rabbits sitting by my door
One hopped away and then there were four.
Four bunny rabbits sleeping near a tree
One hopped away and then there were three.
Three bunny rabbits now what will they do?
One hopped away and then there were two.
Two bunny rabbits resting in the sun.
One hopped away and then there was one.
One bunny rabbit left all alone.
He hopped off down the road
maybe to your home . . . .
Egg Weigh/Ordering & Sequencing
Submitted by Theresa
Collect eggs (for example, from Pantyhose or plastic Easter eggs)
and place inside them items, such as pebbles, spool of thread, paper
clips, etc.
Have children take turns placing the eggs in order from heavy to light.
Extend this activity using more eggs or by having the children pair eggs that
seem to weigh the same, and then, have them actually weigh them.
They could also try to guess what is inside the eggs.
Easter sensory experiences
Submitted by Karen
We use a kiddie pool during our bird unit and fill it with shredded
paper (or Easter grass). We hide plastic Easter eggs in it
that the
"birds" have laid, and let the kids climb in and pretend to be birds. They love
it!! If you have access to a cassette tape of bird sounds,
you can have that playing for special effects!
RESURRECTION COOKIES
Submitted by Teri
ingredients:
large marshmallows
biscuit dough
bowl of melted margarine
bowl of cinnamon and sugar
Have the children flatten the uncooked biscuits.
Wrap a marshmallow in each one and pinch the edges tightly together.
Dip the dough balls into melted margarine and roll in cinnamon sugar.
Bake the biscuit at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes or until lightly
browned. When the biscuits are cool, give one to each person. They'll
get
a big surprise when they bite into the treats. They'll be hollow and
empty, just like Jesus' tomb.
EASTER SPICES
Cut a cross from sandpaper. Punch a hole in the top of the cross
and
string a length of ribbon through it to make a hanger. Explain that when
the women went to the tomb they took sweet smelling spices to put on Jesus'
body. Remind the children that when the women got to the tomb they
discovered that Jesus had risen from the dead. Color the crosses and
then
decorate them with glitter glue and then helo them sprinkle spices such as
nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, etc. on the wet glue.
RABBIT FLANNEL BOARD STORY
Submitted by Jan
Materials Needed:
l Large Rabbit
l Small Rabbit
Squirrel
Porcupine
Red Bird
Yellow Duck
Groundhog
Red Wings
Pond
Tree with hole in it
Rock with red door
THE LITTLE RABBIT WHO WANTED RED WINGS
Once upon a time there was a little white rabbit with two beautiful
pink ears and two bright red eyes and four soft little feet but he
was not happy.
"Oh mummy, I wish I had bristles like Mr. Porcupine."
And when Miss Puddle Duck went by with her two little red feet, the little
white rabbit
would say "Oh, mummy, I wish I had a pair of red feet like Mrs. Puddle duck’s."
One day Mr. Groundhog heard him.
"Why don’t you go down to the old wishing pond. Turn around in a
circle three times and then make your wish."
So the little white rabbit went down to the wishing pond, where he saw a little
red bird.
"Oh, I wish I had a pair of little red wings," he said and he turned around three
times.
All of a sudden he had a pair of little red wings. The little rabbit
then walked back home.
The rabbit and his mother lived in a hole in a tree when he went to go in,
his mother yelled, "Go away, no strange rabbits allowed."
"But mother it is me" he yelled, but she did not know any rabbits who had red
wings.
He then went to Mr. Squirrels house. "Please Mr. Squirrel, may I sleep
in your house."
Mr. Squirrel slammed the door. You see, he had never seen a rabbit with
red wings. The little rabbit sat down and cried. "Oh, I wish
I did not have these red wings anymore."
Mr. Groundhog heard him and told him to go back down to the wishing pond and
wish them off. So the little white rabbit went to the pond, turned around
three times and made his wish. All of a sudden the wings disappeared.
Then he ran home to his mommy who knew him right away and was so glad to see
him.
And the little white rabbit never, never again wished to be someone different.
EASTER MATH
Submitted by Mary
Put a colorful variety of plastic eggs into an Easter basket. Make
paper egg shapes out of colors that match plastic eggs. Use the paper
eggs to make pattern cards by gluing eggs onto tag board. Provide
empty egg cartons so the children can copy patterns with plastic
eggs.
Introduction: BEFORE AND AFTER
Submitted by Kathy
Age level: 3 year olds and above
(I used this with Kindergarten when teaching CCD during Lent concept
was death (before) brings new life (after))
Objective: To introduce the concept before and after
Materials needed: oak tag , white and black construction paper, black
felt pen, popcorn kernels, glue, small paper cups, toothpicks, , popcorn machine,
seeds, plants, moon and stars cut outs, sun cut out, (teaching Religion?-cross,
tomb with stone rolled away bring in concept death brings new life), cocoon
cut out, butterfly cut out
Preparation: cover half of oak tag with black construction paper and the other
half with white construction paper vertically
Print "before" on the dark side (left hand side) and "after" on the white (right
hand side)
glue popcorn kernels on the left hand side. Pop the kernels and discuss
after effect glue to the right hand side (give some to the children in cups)
Talk about the words "before" and "after"
Before is how something looks now. After is how it has changed! Look
at the popcorn kernels. This is how they look before they are popped.
(glue your kernels onto the oak tag.
Cook popcorn listen for the popping sound. Notice how the kernels change
When the popping is done put some in the cups or the children to eat and glue
some to the right hand side of the poster.
Discuss how the popcorn has changed and discuss eating the popcorn after it
has been popped
Glue seeds onto the left side of the poster
Plant seeds with the children and discuss how the plant will change and what
plants need to grow. Discuss that now the seeds are just seeds but when
they grow they will become plants Glue a picture of the plant onto the right
side of the poster.
Before plants grow they are seeds and after they grow they become plants
Read the book " The Hungry Caterpillar"
After reading the story discuss that before there was a butterfly there was
a cocoon and after there was a butterfly and glue the respective pictures onto
the correct sides of the poster
Glue and discuss night time before day time ( can be either way but in concept
death brings new life this would be the order) I believe young children would
see it this way as well
* Religion concept Jesus died on the cross (before) to bring new life-Resurrection
(after)
Graham cracker house for Easter
Submitted by Nancy
Ever make a gingerbread or gram cracker house for Easter. They are
so much fun. Decorate them with green coconut for grass. Use tiny
bunnies, chicks, and mini eggs around the ground. You can make a
roof with those Easter candy corns. Any easter candy is cute. A little
basket can be made into a wishing well outside the house. Just be
creative. Easter m and m's make a neat walkway. I use the whole rectangle
to make a bigger one rather than just a square one. Use pink frosting
to put it together.
Down on the Farm
Submitted by Margie
ACTIVITY: Egg Match Up
CURRICULUM AREA: Math
AGE: 2 1/2 - 5 years
OBJECTIVE: To enhance children's development by providing
for their exploration of ONENESS.
MATERIALS: Several different colored plastic easter eggs; permanent black
pen
PREPARATION:
1. Write the number 3 on 1/2 of an egg ... just beside the seam.
2. On the other half of the egg, next to the seam, draw 3 horizontal
dots; below the 3 dots, draw 4 horizontal dots...then just below the 4 dots,
draw 2 horizontal dots. (3 horizontal lines is enough)
HOW TO PLAY:
The child takes one egg half and matches it to the other egg half, twisting
it to match the number of dots that it corresponds to.
PROVIDE SEVERAL PLASTIC EGGS, EACH WITH A DIFFERENT NUMBER MATCH.
VARIATIONS:
You can enhance or change this in many ways. For older children, do addition...ex: 3
+ 2 = ... then write the numbers vertically: 4 , 6
, 5 .
Try multiplication, mixing colors, subtraction, Farm animal to item they produce....you
can be really creative with these eggs.
EGG UNIT
Following cross curricular ideas submitted by Peg
Math
Hide eggs in room. Ask each child to find a specific number of eggs.
Ask child to use complete sentence to tell where eggs were found.
Pattern plastic eggs in egg carton. Teacher can start the pattern
and then child has to complete.
Write numbers 0 - 5 on plastic eggs. Provide enough jelly beans to
fill each egg. Children place corresponding number of jelly beans in
each egg. (For a treat when child has completed task I give them one
jellybean (a fresh one - not one handled by children).
Sort plastic eggs by size and color
SCIENCE
Crack open raw egg and talk about egg whites and yolk. Boil an egg
and crack open. Talk about the differences between a raw and boiled
egg. Boil some more eggs and using flashlight, spin and roll try
to find which eggs are hard boiled and which are raw. Separate egg
white from yolk and beat - talk about what is happening to the egg
whites.
Cooking
Each child will break his/her own egg into a plastic or dixie cup and
pour in 1 T. of milk. Stir. Using an electric fry pan cover bottom
of pan with water. Place each child's cup with egg mixture in water.
Let cook on med. for about 5 - 10 minutes stirring with fork occasionally. Count
while stirring egg. How many seconds does it take to cook the egg?
Chart results and compare. Talk about how eggs are changing as they
cook.
FINE MOTOR
Lace around different oval shapes.
Playdoh for molding egg shapes
Title: 5 LITTLE EASTER EGGS
Submitted by Peg
Tune: 5 Elephants Went Out To Play
5 little Easter eggs lovely colors wore
Mother ate the blue one then there were 4.
4 little Easter eggs two and two you see
Daddy ate the green one then there were 3
3 little Easter eggs before I knew
Sister ate the yellow one then there were two.
2 little Easter eggs Oh, what fun!
Brother ate the purple one then there was one.
1 little Easter eggs see me run!!!
I ate the last one and then there were none.
Title: I'M A LITTLE BUNNY
Tune: I'm a Little Teapot
I'm a little bunny soft and sweet
Here are my ears and here are my feet
When I'm in the garden, I look for treats
And nibble on all I like to eat.
Title: Funny Little Bunny
Sat upon a stump.
Flicked his floppy little ears
And then he gave a jump!
Title: Egg Carton Counting and Math
Use a cardboard egg carton to hold 12 plastic easter eggs. On each
plastic egg write one number on each egg from 1 to 12 using permanent
marker. Fill a small bowl with buttons or other small objects. The
children count out the objects to fill the eggs, matching the number
of items with the number on the egg. To incorporate math, put a math
problem on the egg, such as 2 + 3, the children put the number of items
in the egg that represent the answer. The children in our day care
love it, we have 4 year olds learning math quite easily.
Title: My Bunny Hops all Thru The Garden
Submitted by Peg
Tune: My Bonny Lies over the Ocean
My bunny hops all thru the garden
My bunny hops all thru the yard
I like to play tag with my bunny
But trying to catch him is hard
Come back, come back
Oh come back my bunny to me, to me
Come back, come back
O come back my bunny to me
My bunny is so soft and spunky
My bunny is a friend to me
My bunny is such fun to play with
Come join us and you too will see
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