Traditional and Green Easter Crafts for Families

Easter is a great time of year for families, especially for young kids as they partake in traditions like Easter egg hunting and the Easter bunny. It's also the time of year known for elaborate baskets, beautifully painted eggs, and detailed floral arrangements. This year take your traditions to the next level by partaking in some Easter crafting with your family.

Easter Crafts for Kids #1: Easter baskets.

It's just not Easter without the traditional Easter basket as most children receive a basket full of treats and gifts every year. The tradition is dated far before the consumer version we know today, as in ancient times it was traditional to take baskets with seedlings to temples in celebration of Spring. Later on, Catholics reflected the ancient tradition by taking their Easter food to mass to be blessed.

Nowadays, Easter baskets are filled with all kinds of goodies like chocolate covered eggs and toys. Rather than buying them pre-made, have your children partake in the making of some of these gift baskets. Your local craft store should have all the supplies you need in order to make your baskets extra special.

For an eco-friendly twist you can use recycled materials and even use real grass in your baskets.

Easter Crafts for Kids #3: Egg dying.

The Easter egg has become synonymous with the Easter tradition, as children partake in scavenger hunts looking for eggs filled with treats. Likewise, the dying of eggs has become ingrained in the tradition as well. This year, try decorating your own eggs with your kids. You can either buy an egg dying kit or use natural dying methods to decorate your eggs.

If you are exo-conscious and don't want to waste eggs, you can even make wool eggs and dye them to your liking. For instructions on eco-friendly egg dying visit Nature Mom's Blog .

Easter Crafts for Kids #3: Handmade cards.

Handmade cards are one of the simplest and most effective gifts anyone can give. They are also one of the most varied crafts out there because they can be made in so many different ways. For very small children stick to construction paper, crayons and some glitter. As your kids get older, the cards can be more involved, such as buying water color paper and painting original pieces on the cards. For the eco conscious, try using recycled paper, homemade paint, and vegetable ink instead of conventional materials.

Sources:
The History of the Easter Basket
Nature Mom's Blog: Eco-Friendly Easter