Egg-citing things to do this Easter!

With the Easter holidays starting tomorrow, we know it can be overwhelming trying to think of activities to keep the little (and big) ones entertained for two weeks. So, we’ve put our heads together and come up with - what we think is - a rather egg-cellent list of things to do.

Head out on a minibeast hunt - Spring is the perfect time to search for minibeasts. Most insects and small creatures spend the winter either hibernating or as eggs or pupae, so spring is when they all start to wake up. You can observe butterflies, bees and other small insects such as snails and slugs by watching patches of flowering plants in your local park or woodland. You can even make your minibeast hunt a bit more interactive by downloading a minibeast hunt sheet, like this one from the Woodland Trust. Or if you don't feel like leaving your back garden, why not bring the bugs to you with a stylish two tier personalised bug hotel made by Wudwerx, this way you can easily minibeast hunt all year round.

Get arty-crafty - We all know the weather in April can be unpredictable (April showers anyone?), so it's always handy to have some indoor activities lined up. If your kids are like the littlest members of the needi team, anything with bubbles is a sure-fire winner. One thing we have discovered and love is painting with bubbles; Artfulkids has a great article listing 3 different ways you can do this - it's messy but lots of fun.

For a slightly more simple and stress-free crafting activity take a look at our Easter Craft kit, it comes with everything you need to make a bookmark, Easter bunny hanging ornament and a bunny-themed dream catcher, it can also double as a great Easter gift instead of chocolate.

Explore where you live - We often take for granted our local area and are quick to go off and explore places that seem more exotic. But why not hop on the bus and go to a park, historic house, or museum you've been past but never visited before. 

You can also make your day out one of wonder by including a map by Treasure Map Trails. These beautifully illustrated, fantasy-themed treasure maps are designed for children aged 5 to 12. Each one is based on a town's real road layout and includes a few feature buildings so young explorers can find their way around. Reveal a little about your town's local history as you search for treasures such as statues, gargoyles and sculptures.

Head to the zoo - A great day trip has to be a visit to the zoo (farm, or wildlife park), it's sure to please everyone - even teenagers. Many zoos struggled during the lockdown(s), so now is a great time to get back out there and support the fantastic conservation work they do. On average three species of animal, insect or plant become extinct every hour. So for many of us, zoos are the one remaining place we can still see some of these animals. Visit England has a great list of all zoos, city farms, and safari parks across the UK, so you can easily find your closest one.

When you're back home, why not remember your visit with a beautiful wildlife print by Lizzie Martell Illustration, such as the wonderful a3 print of My Animal Alphabet which is just perfect for the younger members of your family.

Get baking - Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate; We’re big fans of it in the needi office but tend to over indulge over Easter (well, we couldn’t possible expect the kids to eat all those eggs on their own!) With so much chocolate in the house, it's hard to know what to do with it all, but thank goodness for the BBC Goodfood website. They have a list of 52 (yes, you read that right, 52!) yummy Easter recipes all designed for cooking with kids, and on many of them, you can use up all that chocolate. 

Or, to make it even easier why not check out our baking kits from Treehouse Bakery or Cambridge Baking Company, that way you don't have to worry about buying additional ingredients and can still use your chocolate eggs for decoration.

Go for a picnic - If the weather allows it, pack up the picnic rug and your tasty baked goodies (see above) and head out to the park for a picnic. Take a kite, football, or your minibeast hunting sheet for a bit of entertainment and while the kids are playing you can enjoy a much-deserved bit of chill out time with a craft beer or two (enjoyed responsibly).

We would love to see what you get up to over the Easter holidays, especially if you combine it with anything purchased by one of our fabulous merchants. So feel free to share your ideas, crafty creations, tasty baked goodies, and more with us using the hashtag #easterfunwithneedi.