Easter at-home with children: printable games + recipes

While life has definitely changed recently amid COVID-19, it’s still important to keep some normalcy, make the most out of each day and celebrate life where we can. 

Willow Swim girls having easter picnic in garden

With Easter just around the corner, this is the perfect excuse to make the most of it and plan a few fun things to do with the children at home.

It goes without saying that we’re going to miss spending this Easter with our family, especially the grandparents. However, we are going to make the most of it and are going to go all out at home.

We're going to roll out the picnic rug, bake some yummy Easter treats and have a day of games.

Easter garden picnic with cakes and eggs

While we can’t escape the fact that we are living in stressful and uncertain times, I think a day of games is exactly what everyone needs right now as we all bunker down at home. I know it will provide a welcome distraction for my girls.

1. Easter egg hunt

Rather than your regular Easter egg hunt where you hide eggs all around the house, I have created a hunt that is about finding clues to help players find chocolate treats.

For this game, there are a selection of printables to help you set up the hunt around the home and in the garden. I stuck the signs onto wooden sticks and then put these in the grass to mark the way.

Willow Swim Easter egg hunt game

I recommend that you use either wooden or plastic eggs that open up and you can put the clues inside as part of the hunt. You can usually get these at Kmart or Target. Alternatively, you can just hide the notes in plastic containers.

You will need a set of clues and wooden eggs for each child. It might be an idea that each child has a specific colour of wooden eggs so there's no confusion on the hunt.

Then before the game begins, you just need to hide the clues in the eggs and then place them and the chocolate treats around the house. I have provided a handful of clues and ideas for hiding spots, which may or may not work for your house. If they don't work, simply write up your own clues to match your hiding spots.

Instructions:

  1. Follow the Easter signs around the house.
  2. Look for the eggs, open and read to clues.
  3. Solve the clues to find your chocolate treat.

Download: Easter egg hunt pack

2. Pin the tail on the bunny

Here I have put an Easter spin on an old classic that never fails to get a few giggles.

Girl playing pin tail on bunny easter game in back garden with cubby house

Instructions:

  1. Ask the children to stand in a line waiting for their turn. 
  2. Pop a blindfold on the child whose turn it is, turn the child around one to three times (depending on age).
  3. Each child should attempt to pin the fluffy tail (or tail printout) on the bunny and whoever is closest wins. 

Download: Pin the tail on the bunny

3. Spot the difference

If the parents want to sit back for a minute and enjoy a glass of something, this is a great game where you can set the children up and leave them for a little bit.

Instructions:

  1. Sit little ones down with the printouts and some pencils (don't forget to cut the answers off from the bottom of the page).
  2. Ask children to look for the differences in the images and then circle what the spot. After they've spent a little while on this game, you can sit down and go through what they've spotted.

Download: Spot the difference

4. Bunny bingo

Nothing sets the mood quite like a celebratory themed version of bingo.

Before you sit the kids down to play, make sure you print out the bingo cards and cut out the little pictures on the second sheet because you'll use these to call out the bingo pictures.

Girls playing Easter bingo game in garden cubby house

Place the pictures in a bag and nominate someone to be the bingo caller. You'll also need counters, rocks or even little Easter eggs for the players to use to mark off when an item is called out.

Instructions:

  1. Give each player a bingo card.
  2. Pulling out one picture at a time, call out what the image is and the player should place a counter/button/Easter egg on the picture called out if it's on their card.
  3. Once someone has three things in a row, they win.

Download: Bunny bingo

    5. Home for Easter board game

    To play this game, you will need a little object for each player as their playing piece (a little figurine for example) and a dice.

    This is a great game for parents to get involved in too.

    Instructions:

    1. This one is pretty simple, each player has a turn of rolling the dice and moving their piece along the path. There are some questions along the way to encourage some discussion.
    2. The aim of the game is to get home first, and whoever does wins.

    Download: Home for Easter board game

    Easter recipes

    1. Egg-cellent plant-based vanilla cupcakes

    Willow Swim plant based Easter vanilla cupcake recipe

    Ingredients for plant-based vanilla cupcakes

    • 1 cup sugar
    • 1/2 cup plant-based unsalted butter
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 cups self-rising spelt flour
    • 1 cup plant-based milk (I use almond milk)
    • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
    • 100 gms plantbase butter
    • 1 cup icing sugar
    • Pink food dye
    • For Easter cupcakes, use any mini Easter eggs of choice and pop a couple on top

    How to make plant-based vanilla cupcakes

    1. Preheat oven to 180° and line the cupcake pans with liners.

    2. Beat the sugar and butter until creamy and pale. Add the vanilla extract and mix to combine.

    3. In a small bowl, combine milk and vinegar. 

    4. Have your flour ready to pour.

    5. Slowly add the flour to the sugar mixture while alternately adding the milk and vinegar mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture; beat until smooth.

    6. Divide batter evenly among liners, you want each to be about three-quarters full. 

    7. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Note: These cupcakes will not brown on the top so make sure you check them after 18 minutes with a toothpick. Allow cooling completely before frosting.

    8. For the icing mix the sugar, a dash of pink food ye and butter until creamy. Add some plantbase milk (1-2 tbsp) if you prefer the icing softer.

    9. Decorate with chosen Easter toppings.

    2. Easter Egg Nests 

    Willow Swim bunny kids swimmers easter chocolate egg nest recipe

    Ingredients for Easter egg nests

    • 130gms white chocolate
    • 1 packet (100gms) of fried noodles -We use Chang’s brand
    • 18-24 mini eggs to place in the nests

    How to make Easter egg nests

    1. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pot of boiling water, constantly stirring.
    2. Let cool for five mins then add the fried noodles and mix well.
    3. Line a cupcake tray with baking paper strips. Strips approximately 10cm by 5cm.
    4. Fill each cupcake hole with two tablespoons of the mixture pressing down in the centre creating a nest shape.
    5. Place three mini eggs in the centre of each nest.
    6. Allow to set in fridge for 30 minutes.

    You might also like: Recipe love: Plant-based vanilla Ice-cream

    A version of this article first appeared on Realestate.com.au/lifestyle