6 DIY Easter activities your kids will love—before and after the holiday

Whether you celebrate it religiously or take more of a cultural, pastels-and-egg-coloring approach (or some combo of the two), Easter is a super fun spring holiday. And while planning fun Easter activities that involve frolicking happily in the grass may seem just as daunting as picking out your kids’ adorable dresses and bowties and actually getting them to wear–not destroy—said outfits, it doesn’t have to be that way!

We’ve worked with one of our favorite bloggers, Niña Williams (an Iowa-based home décor expert of HGTV fame), and rounded up six of our favorite DIY Easter activities to celebrate the holiday, from cookie decorating to piñata-making, each of which will feel like arts and crafts to them and look Insta-worthy to you. (Plus, there’s no real, live bunny pooping everywhere to worry about, so that’s a win.)

Related: 45 Easter basket ideas that aren’t candy

1. Stuff a bunny piñata

What kid doesn’t love a reason to take a baseball bat to a hanging object and be rewarded with mountains of candy, right? And since April is exactly six months from October, it seems like treating Easter as the Halloween of the spring is, well, totally fair. If you’re feeling extra crafty, you can make your own with a little papier-mâché and cardboard, or take the slightly less time-intensive route and buy an empty bunny shell to fill at home. (No shame in the latter!)

2. Make egg-themed cookies

Here’s a secret: Egg-shaped cookies are really, really easy to make because they’re just ovals. So whether you shape your cookie dough by hand, let your minis do it or use a proper cookie cutter, chances are, they’ll look the part. When they’re all baked and ready comes the really fun part: Frosting them! Set up decorating stations in your kitchen with various color icings, sprinkles and more and let your kids design their own treats. You can even turn it into a competition and bring in other family members to judge—even if Grandma and Grandpa will just say that everybody wins.

Related: How to throw an Easter tea party for your little ones

3. Decorate their own Easter baskets

Okay, so we’re not breaking any new ground here, but let’s be honest: Decorating Easter baskets is a fantastic seasonal pastime, and for good reason. A few glue sticks, some construction paper, stickers, and perhaps some glitter (if you’re brave), and you’ve got yourself a proper art studio in the making. Let your littles color and attach their own decor to store-bought white baskets, and encourage them to really make it their own. One great way to up the ante? Use the baskets they start this year and then put them away for next year, so they can build on their hard work. It’s a good way to get them to put extra care into it, and it’s great to see how their design skills progress as they get older.

4. Leave a bunny basket

Santa gets a treat—shouldn’t the Easter Bunny get one, too? It’s only fair, even if there’s no chimney-descent to speak of. Start with candy, and have your kids decorate the outside for a handmade touch of Easter. The real winner of this endeavor is, of course, YOU, mama, because someone has to eat that candy before the kids wake up from their naps, amiright?

Related: 5 ways to create a memorable Easter basket for your kids

5. Paint an egg mural

What’s better than art projects you can do outside? Not only will it help foster their creativity, but it’ll also get them some much needed post-winter Vitamin D (and let them take a break to run around when needed). If the weather permits, spread out a giant piece of paper on your patio or on a blanket on your lawn, bring out some kid-safe paints and brushes and get to work! You can mix and match pastel colors, show them how adding white paint in with bolder hues makes it more muted, and let them get a little messy. Let their masterpiece dry in the sun and hang it in your kitchen to marvel at during Easter brunch!

6. Bake a candy cake

If you haven’t picked up on it yet, sweet treats are a theme here. Not only is baking together prime for memory making, but it also is a great way to pass the time if the weather is less-than-ideal (April showers and all that). But don’t just bake any cake for Easter, go all-out on a candy cake. It’s simple: Take two boxes of cake mix (yes, two, but bear with us) and make two round cakes; layer them with frosting, and frost the outside of the stacked final product. Then, have fun! Use things like miniature Kinder chocolate eggs and anything else you find delicious to make a beautiful creation that will haunt your dentist’s dreams.

[This story was originally published on March 20, 2020. It has been updated.]

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