Learning through Crafts

Crafting with little ones is perfect for bringing out their creative side, nurturing their inner artist and exercising their imagination. But crafts can also be a wonderful learning tool in other ways as well.

As an unschooling home educator, I use play and art as part of the learning process. We learn and craft with the seasons, the things we see and do daily, and whatever interests my children currently have. 

Of course, right now it is coming up to Easter, so there are lots of beautiful spring, egg and other Easter themes in abundance! We have been making these chick in egg cards (left) to send to my daughter's friends and pen pals, a prime example of learning as we craft. The activity led to a discussion about the life cycle of the chicken, farms, and whether there are chicks in the eggs that we have in the fridge! 

We also belong to a home educators book club on Facebook, which has a different book to read every week or fortnight, and we incorporate lots of crafts and similar activities alongside the reading of the books. We've made stick people in the forest for Stickman (below left), play dough aliens (below centre) and a washing line full of colourful cut-out pants for Aliens Love Underpants (below right, which prompted a mini science lesson on the weather, how clothes get dry, and what we could use to "dry" our craft by representing the wind and sun). Not to mention Jack and the Beanstalk stick puppets, Room on the Broom peg dolls, Three Little Pig houses made of smoothie boxes - well, you get the idea! 

So, when you craft together, think about what other elements you can bring in to teach your child, to make learning fun! Even simple concepts like cutting paper or lacing beads (motor skills), counting out or measuring materials (maths), or trying out a new way of painting (art) are teaching key lessons.

Here are some ideas for the season for you! hlkljgk shows you how to dye eggs naturally for Easter in her Natural Egg Colouring lens. This activity combines craft with science, as you can explain the dyeing process and so on.

You can also get inspired by general craft ideas and apply an Easter theme. Here I show you How to Make a Shadow Puppet. You can teach children a basic history of shadow puppetry or the science of reflection and shadow, and create an Easter puppet show at the same time! 

Finally, why not inspire further crafting this Easter by popping a crafty gift egg inside your child's Easter basket? CorrinnaJohnson has some beautiful examples of these in her lens Crafty Non-Candy Easter Egg Surprises. 

Happy Easter, and happy crafting!  

  

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Special Easter Treats Equal Special Easter Memories

I have always enjoyed creating fun food for holidays, birthdays and special occasions, but Easter treats are especially delightful.  There is something inherently fun about bunnies, lambs, chicks, and decorated eggs.  

They all represent the celebration of new life and spring, which make them most appropriate for our Easter celebrations.  


Making Special Memories While Making Special Easter Treats

In our home, everyone gets involved in making special Easter treats.  One of my all time favorite Easter memories was actually when my son was in college.  He called to ask if he could come home for the weekend before Easter, bring a friend and make Easter cupcakes for a charity bake sale.   

There are many reasons why that request thrilled my soul, all of which I am sure any mother of college age children could understand.   I had a wonderful time drinking coffee, taking pictures and watching the guys "create" their special Easter treats.   It is truly amazing what all you can learn about your children if you simply listen to their conversation while they decorate cupcakes.  

The faces they put on the Easter bunny and lamb cupcakes were simply downright hilarious.  Needless to say, their cupcakes sold out at the bake sale and I never even got to taste one myself, but I know for a fact, they were delightful.

Cupcakes in photos were created by using
  the Wilton Mini Cakes Bunny Rabbit Pan Mold 
 and the Wilton Lamb Mini Treats Pan

More Special Easter Treats Suggestions 

Stepping out of my own kitchen and into the homes of other  authors, I find there are several awesome Easter treat suggestions that would truly be a lot of fun for the whole family.  

Andreaberrios  invites us to make this gorgeous and creative Easter Cake Pops.  

She offers suggestions and recipes for chicks, bunnies and Easter egg cake pops.  I am certain any of these would be extra special Easter treats.





Seeking More Special Treats 


If you are like me and you are constantly on the lookout for special treats.

Now tell us, do you have a special Easter treat story full of special Easter memories to share?

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Cooking for Easter

For many families, Easter is a day for tradition and celebration, but traditions have to start somewhere.  

Most of the Easter traditions in our family were started by my mother, and her chicks have simply followed her example throughout the ensuing years.  

However, any of us can start a new Easter tradition without having to terminate the family traditions we hold so close to our hearts.  I have found several things in the following articles, that I would like to add to our Easter family traditions.

Some changes are just for fun, while others are for dietary needs.


The Easter Menu

The traditional Easter menu in my childhood home was similar to Treasures-by-Brenda's Traditional Easter Dinner Menu.   The one main deviation that Brenda makes from our family menu is a luscious carrot cake.   As I read her article, I wondered why I have never had a carrot cake for Easter.   It just makes since.  Easter bunnies need Easter carrot cake!  

Therefore, a new tradition must be started in our home this year.  We need carrot cake on our menu.


Easter Recipes for Vegetarians & Vegans

As the "chef" for holidays, I vowed to try to find ways to make cooking for the holidays easier.  

One of my personal favorite tips is to do as much in the days before the holiday as possible.  Then, you can focus on enjoying the actual day.

Good Housekeeping has published some totally awesome "Easter Brunch Ideas" article.   The site is packed with recipes for just about everyone.  They even has recipes for Vegetarians and recipes for Vegans!   Discovering this article thrilled me beyond description.  You see, my daughter is a vegan and I have been quite challenged to find recipes that are actually vegan friendly.   

Therefore, a new tradition and addition to our Easter dinner will be this Vegan Spinach and Mushroom Quiche Recipe.  Since my husband is the Quiche chef of the family, I will get help in the kitchen too!


 


Easter Desserts

I love all of the fabulous specialty desserts for Easter.  Frankly, the pleasure derived from making and serving the desserts far outweighs eating them for me.  

As you can well imagine, I actually had a difficult time selecting the dessert article to feature.  

In the end, I selected two articles that really stood out because they both offer a variety of fun ideas and recipes.  

Good Housekeeping presents several really beautiful Easter cake Ideas and Country Living focuses solely on fabulous Easter cupcakes.   


It is truly a difficult decision.  I just might have to have multiple Easter desserts this year.  

Now that really would be a new Easter tradition! 



Please Share Your Easter Menu Ideas and Articles

We would love to hear your menu ideas, suggestions and tips for making the Easter holiday easier, and Easter Recipes.  Please share your Easter recipes and tips links in the guestbook below.  

I look forward to hearing from all of you!    

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Easter is Coming... Let's Party!

With less than a month to go before Easter, now is a good time to finalize plans for your Easter party, get-together or egg hunt. Learning what others have done may give you a fantastic idea you can incorporate into your holiday celebration this year.

Kid's Easter Party

When it comes to Easter parties for kids, WriterJanis has got it covered. In her lens titled "How to Plan an Easter Party for Kids and Easter Party Ideas" she covers almost every option. From invitations to centerpieces, games to music, and food to decorations -- there are ideas for anyone planning a hopping Easter celebration with children.

Easter Egg Hunt Ideas

If you are planning an Easter egg hunt for older children, lestroischenes has some great ideas. She uses herself and her family as examples in her lens titled "The Easter Egg Hunt". I found this lens interesting as it gives the version of an egg hunt from another part of the world -- France. It's a fun lens!

Easter Party Food Ideas

You have to have some sweets! Our very own MissMerFaery has a great idea with her "Bird Nest Cupcakes" lens. Such a simple but cute idea that's perfect as a sweet treat addition to any Easter party or get together.

Puzzlemaker shows us a lot of different cupcake and treat ideas themed for Easter featuring M&M's as a main ingredient in the decorations on this lens: "Easter Cupcakes and Treats with M&M's".

A bunny, a carrot, a flower and a chick, these ideas are simple but fun and the perfect addition to your Easter party.

The best part? The kids can help with the decorating.

It's Time...

Now, armed with some helpful information and creative ideas, I hope you will get to planning your Easter party soon. The bunny will be here before we know it and we all want to be ready!

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