Have some quality time

Your children won’t care about everything being the biggest and the best, they just appreciate having some time with you! Typical New Year’s Eve activities may also prove to be overstimulating for them.

Keep it simple and I’m sure everyone will have a great time!

Here are some ideas for a low-key celebration:

· Host a party dinner – put on your favourite clothes and have a picky tea filled with everyone’s favourite foods.

· Watch a feel-good film – find a film that you’ll all enjoy and get some snacks.

· Make a non-alcoholic cocktail – your children can’t drink alcohol but that doesn’t mean they don’t want to celebrate with a fun drink! Make a non-alcoholic cocktail for you and the kids to both enjoy.

· Have a games night – play some classic party games on the countdown to New Year- there are some great board games out around this time of year.

Stick to your routine

You can still celebrate New Year’s Eve with children without changing the time that your little ones go to bed. Bring forward the New Year’s celebrations a few hours if you have young children so that they keep to their sleep pattern. Stick to your usual bedtime routine (brushing teeth, reading a story, etc.), as these soothing rituals might help them calm down.

Read: Should you let your kids stay up on New Year’s Eve?

Feel free to carry on the celebrations by yourselves once they’re safely tucked in. So long as the music isn’t turned up too loud, there’s no reason why you can’t have a great time and relax for the evening!

Look back to move forward

New Year’s is a time of reflection, so use it as an opportunity to highlight the best memories of the year gone by. You could even put together a slide show of photos from the year and watch them together, or ask everyone their favourite memory and reminisce!

Ask your children if they have any goals for the year ahead- it’s never too early to start. This helps your children to understand that you care about them and their goals. You can also help them to set realistic targets and explore how you can help them achieve them!

Don’t stress!

Any time spent with your family is special, and sometimes it’s hard just to make space for one another. So just relax and enjoy being together!

a

At Schoolhouse Daycare, we enjoy learning, encouraging confidence and we love life! If you think your child would enjoy life at Schoolhouse, then please do not hesitate to arrange a visit.

Need more help or advice? Find more from us here:

• 5 Healthy Habits to Adopt in the New Year
• How You Can Strengthen Family Relationships in the New Year
• Why it is Essential to Encourage a Growth Mindset in Your Children
• How to Build a Positive Parenting Connection

The post A handy guide to celebrating New Year’s Eve with children appeared first on Schoolhouse Day Care.

Now that you have a family of your own, it makes sense that you would want to replicate this for your own children. After all, when they’re older, they will appreciate the work that you put into making this a truly special time of year.

If you’re looking for inspiration to do just that, here are five traditions you can start this time of year.

1. Create an advent tradition

Think of activities that you and your children can take part in every day on the run-up to Christmas. This can be practical tasks such as writing out your Christmas cards, or recreational activities such as making gingerbread houses or Christmas decorations.

2. Go for a Christmas walk

There are many families that go for a walk as part of their family Christmas tradition. Pick a day that suits you best, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or Boxing Day, and set out on a short walk. This is a great way to help your children discover the beauty of nature, and you can even help them to collect twigs and rocks that they can use for crafts once you get home!

3. Decorate the tree while listening to Christmas songs

Kids love getting involved with Christmas decorating, and everyone loves a sing-along! So throw on some Christmas tunes while decorating. Family Christmas traditions don’t need to be expensive or extra special – just involve your kids in the things you do each year, and they will have fond memories of the time you spent together.

4. Make homemade crackers for the Christmas table

Not only is this a great money-saving hack, but it’s also a more sustainable option than buying Christmas crackers from the supermarket. Many Christmas crackers contain foil, glitter or plastic, which means they can’t be recycled!

Find out how to make your own Christmas crackers here.

5. Take a holiday trip to the local library

Let your children pick out a festive book and read it with them during December. Most of these books focus on the theme of giving and can help your kids to appreciate the spirit of Christmas. If you don’t have access to a library nearby, have a look at second-hand websites or download an audiobook.

Read: What are the Best Christmas Stories to Read at Bedtime?

Family Christmas traditions can be anything that you want them to be. They don’t need to cost much money or even take a lot of time! Just do something together that you all enjoy, and it will be special.

a

At Schoolhouse Daycare, we enjoy learning, encouraging confidence and we love life! If you think your child would enjoy life at Schoolhouse, then please do not hesitate to arrange a visit.

Looking for more ideas and inspiration? See more from us here:

• How Much Do Children Really Need From Santa? The Benefits of Having Less
• How to have more happiness with less this Christmas
• 18 Creative Gift Ideas to Save You Money at Christmas
• Why You Should Use Kindness Elves This Christmas (Instead of the Elf on The Shelf)

The post Five family Christmas traditions to start this year appeared first on Schoolhouse Day Care.

Enhancing emotional wellbeing

Isn’t it amazing how a simple act of kindness can light up your day? Random acts of kindness for families aren’t just about making others smile; it’s a surefire way to boost your happiness too! 

When we’re kind to others, it’s like a happiness boomerang – it comes right back to us, reducing stress and making everyone feel good. Plus, these acts of kindness are great for our mental health, helping to ease anxiety and keep those pesky blues at bay. 

Strengthening family bonds

Whether it’s baking cookies for a neighbour or picking up litter in the park, these shared moments of generosity do more than just help others; they bring us closer together!

Acts of kindness open up new ways to chat, laugh, and connect, deepening our family bonds. They remind us that we’re a team, creating a warm sense of belonging and mutual respect.

Promoting empathy and compassion in children

When we dive into random acts of kindness for families, we’re setting the stage for our children to grow into truly empathetic and compassionate people. Kindness activities are like empathy workouts for kids, helping them to put themselves in others’ shoes and feel what they feel. 

Empathy is an essential skill —it’s the foundation for strong friendships, healthy relationships, and just being a good person all around. For more insights and practical ways to teach your child about kindness, check out our blog: How to Teach Your Child Kindness.

Encouraging positive behaviour and social skills

These moments teach kids about the joy of giving without expecting anything in return and the importance of being part of a community. And guess what? These lessons stick. The social skills and sense of responsibility kids learn from kindness play a huge role in their success at school, in future jobs, and in life in general. So, by fostering kindness, we’re giving our kids a head start on a path to a bright and positive future.

Building a foundation for selflessness

Getting into the habit of random acts of kindness with your family plants the seeds of altruism in your children that can grow throughout their lives. When kindness becomes a regular part of their world, it becomes second nature for them to think about others and lend a helping hand without a second thought.

Creating a positive home environment

When families make random acts of kindness a part of their routine, they’re building a home environment where support and positivity thrive. This kindness reduces squabbles and misunderstandings, making room for more peace and harmony. 

We’ve seen how random acts of kindness for families can do wonders, from making us happier and closer to teaching valuable life lessons. As Random Acts of Kindness Day draws near, let’s embrace it as a chance to bring more kindness into our lives and the world around us. Every small act counts, creating a ripple effect that can transform communities.

At Schoolhouse Daycare, we enjoy learning, encouraging confidence and we love life! If you think your child would enjoy life at Schoolhouse, then please do not hesitate to arrange a visit.

Looking for more ideas and inspiration? See more from us here:

• How to Teach Your Children about Love and Kindness
• How to Connect with Your Child Using Their Love Language
• Why it is Essential to Encourage a Growth Mindset in Your Children

The post Random Acts of Kindness Day: the Benefits for Families appeared first on Schoolhouse Day Care.

Family is the most important thing to all of us so naturally, when we think of how to bring even more happiness and success to the new year, spending more time together is pretty much at the top of our list. If you want to strengthen family relationships in the coming year, here are some great ideas that are easy to implement straight away!

1. Follow a routine

Over the Christmas holidays, it’s easy for daily routines to get scraped but what many families don’t know is that lack of structure can be a massive source of stress for children (not to mention the parents too!). As it’s the start of the new year, make sure you start it off right by returning to your usual bedtime and morning routines or by creating new ones. Trust us when we say everyone will be a lot more positive as a result of it!

2. Plan regular family time

Regular family time is vitally important for maintaining a strong sense of togetherness, so to strengthen family relationships this year, get into the habit of planning family time once a week. This could be something as simple as having a film or board games night or planning a weekend trip somewhere. The most important thing is to make the most of this time together so this means no phones!

3. Practice gratitude

Being grateful for one another is very important for bringing each other closer together so resolve to make gratitude a habit in your family this year. Whether it’s having everyone say one thing they are thankful for before dinner, starting a family journal or simply emphasizing the importance of saying “please” and “thank you,” teaching your children (and yourself) to be grateful for what you have is essential for building relationships and for getting through hard times.

4. Improve your communication skills

Communication problems are at the heart of almost every relationship and family issue so why not aim to do better this year? This means teaching your children about the importance of honesty and transparency but also modelling this type of communication to them too! This can be a difficult one to master but if your children see you trying, they will follow suit and you will strengthen family relationships along the way.

5. Support one another in your individual resolutions

Building your family relationships isn’t just about spending time together, it should involve working on yourself too. Sit down together and ask each person what new healthy habit they would like to work on this year. For little ones, this might be as simple as doing more arts and crafts, but whatever answers people give, you should brainstorm as a family the ways you can support each other and follow this through throughout the year. As your children grow so will the trust in your family relationships and you’ll all feel just how much you can depend on one another for support.

6. Get fit together

Habits are easier to keep when you do them with someone, plus it brings you closer! Whether it’s spending more time outdoors each day, getting to bed early or adding more fruit and veg to your daily dishes, sit down and decide as a family how you will prioritise your health this year. If you all decide together, you’ll all be far more likely to stick to it!

7. Prioritise one-on-one time as much as possible

Whether you have one child or several, it’s essential that you have some one-on-one time with them every day. Even if it’s just 5 or 10 minutes, commit to spending some time each day to play with your child and to listen to what they’ve done that day. These interactions show your children how much they mean to you, especially if you’re praising them for a task that they’ve done well that day. This does wonders for their self-esteem and to strengthen family relationships.

8. Praise your child for positive behaviour

While it is important to correct misbehaviour, it is just as essential to praise the type of behaviour that you want from your children. For this new year, try to do this more. Even if it’s just telling them how thankful you are for them, how much you appreciated that they put their toys away or how proud you are of their accomplishments however big or small. Your children can sense how genuine your statements are and if you accompany these with a pat on the back or a big hug, it will help to bring you closer.

It’s always a good time to strengthen family relationships

We are talking about starting the year right, but there’s never a bad time to strengthen family relationships! Whatever time of year, start practising gratitude, communicate openly with each other, and prioritise quality time together – you’ll soon see that you’ll have stronger relationships because of it.

At Schoolhouse Daycare, we enjoy learning, encouraging confidence and we love life! If you think your child would enjoy life at Schoolhouse, then please do not hesitate to arrange a visit.

Need more help or advice? Find more from us here:

• Why it is Essential to Encourage a Growth Mindset in Your Children
• 5 Healthy Habits to Adopt in the New Year
• How to Recognise if Your Child is Stressed and What to Do
• How to Build a Positive Parenting Connection

The post How You Can Strengthen Family Relationships in the New Year appeared first on Schoolhouse Day Care.

What are the benefits of using kindness elves?

There are many reasons why you should use kindness elves this Christmas. They encourage good behaviour, promote helping others and set a positive example for your children. But the real magic lies in the lessons they teach us.

You see, despite our best intentions, telling our children that Santa won’t come if they’re naughty puts all of the focus on their negative behaviour. Instead, kindness elves teach us to focus on the positives.

By encouraging acts of kindness and rewarding selfless behaviour, kindness elves teach our children how good it feels to be generous! They also understand that we slip up every once in a while – they’re not here to judge our mistakes or report us to Santa. This removes any pressure or shame our children may feel during the run-up to Christmas.

At the heart of it, kindness elves teach our children that gifts aren’t something to be earned or bargained for – they are a token of someone’s love and appreciation.

How should you use your elves to encourage kindness?

Since your elves won’t be getting up to their usual mischief this year, it’s a good idea to re-introduce them to your children. Kindness elves often like to introduce themselves with a letter. This way, they can explain why they’ve come to stay and what your children can expect during their visit.

Kindness elves like to spread Christmas cheer with kind gestures. During their stay, they will leave notes and ideas for fun and thoughtful activities for your children. On some days, they will even leave special treats to reward good behaviour! You will still find them hiding around the house (bathing in the kitchen sink or climbing into your mixing bowl), but this year it will be to encourage acts of kindness – like doing the washing up or baking for a neighbour.

25 days of kindness

If your elves need some inspiration, we’ve come up with 25 ideas to help you spread some kindness this Christmas.

1. Smile at a stranger
2. Make someone else’s bed (as well as your own)
3. Give someone a hug
4. List 3 things you’re grateful for
5. Bake for a neighbour
6. Write someone a Christmas card
7. Donate old toys/clothes to charity
8. Do the washing up
9. Visit a relative
10. Help carry the shopping
11. Pay someone a compliment
12. Draw your friend a picture
13. Tell a family member you love them
14. Help cook the dinner
15. Write down your favourite things about your parents/siblings
16. Hold the door open for someone
17. Call a Grandparent
18. Pick up some litter
19. Leave a kind note for a friend or family member
20. Tidy your room
21. Give someone a high five
22. Help wrap up some Christmas presents
23. Invite someone new to play with you
24. Donate some food to your local food bank
25. Write a thank you letter to Santa

If you’re still wondering why you should use kindness elves this Christmas, we ask you this – what better way is there to spend the festive season than making a habit out of helping others? We hope we’ve inspired you to reinvent your Elf on the Shelf and to spread some extra kindness this Christmas season.

At Schoolhouse Daycare, we enjoy learning, encouraging confidence and we love life! If you think your child would enjoy life at Schoolhouse, then please do not hesitate to arrange a visit.

Looking for more ideas and inspiration? See more from us here:

• How Much Do Children Really Need From Santa? The Benefits of Having Less
• How to have more happiness with less this Christmas
• 18 Creative Gift Ideas to Save You Money at Christmas

The post Why You Should Use Kindness Elves This Christmas (Instead of the Elf on The Shelf) appeared first on Schoolhouse Day Care.

Always keep a first aid kit and clean-up kit

Even though you´re likely doing all you can to keep your kids safe, accidents do happen, so it´s good to be prepared.

Packing a small first aid kit along with the rest of your stuff doesn’t take up that much space. Plus, if one of your children gets a bump, a scrape, or even an unexpected ailment, you’ll be equipped to deal with it on the spot.

Tantamount to this is a clean-up kit: tissues, wipes, hand gel, etc. are all items you should never leave home without. No matter how young or old your kids are. They can prove to be very handy when you least expect it.

Sunscreen your way to fun

Skin cancer affects not only healthy adults but also children. Plus, why let a perfectly good day at the beach get ruined by sunburn?

Many people think getting sunburnt isn’t possible with cloudy or overcast weather, but that’s a misconception. If you or your kids plan to go for a dip, reapply the sunscreen every two hours, either before or right after swimming.

Come up with a nice entertainment checklist

While there´s sun, sea, and sand, children still need to be entertained.  At the bare minimum, here’s what we recommend as part of our family beach trip essentials:

• A bucket and spade for all the sand digging and castle building (great activity for the grownups too)
• A beachball, beach paddles or football for fun-filled family games
• A fishing net and sturdy waterproof sandals for the rock pooling
• Bodyboards and snorkels if your kids are a little older and know how to swim
• Reading material when you want to sit back and lose yourself in a good book for a while

Time to hit the road and lose yourself at the beach. Hopefully, the weather won’t turn!

___________________________________________

At Schoolhouse Daycare, we enjoy learning, encouraging confidence and we love life! If you think your child would enjoy life at Schoolhouse, then please do not hesitate to arrange a visit.

Need more help or advice? Find more from us here:

• A Parent’s Survival Guide to the Summer Holidays
• 10 Things to Do with Your Children Over the Summer Holidays
• 5 Ways to Make Happy Memories this Summer
• 4 healthy snack ideas to try during the summer holidays

The post Family beach trip essentials: What to pack for a successful day at the beach appeared first on Schoolhouse Day Care.

Choose a good variety of snack foods

Staying at home and away from school means your kids are usually tempted to have snacks high in sugar, salt and fat. Once in a while may be okay, but we want to avoid this whenever we can.

When it comes to choosing healthier snacks, aim for ones that are nutritious and low in empty calories. Things like:

• low-fat dips and spreads,
• raw vegetable sticks,
• fruit salads,
• wholemeal toast,
• low-fat yoghurt,
• reduced-fat cheese,
• and so on.

These types of snacks – think high fibre, high protein, and low sugary carbohydrates – are the name of the game. They will keep hungry bellies fuller for longer.

Healthy snack ideas

1. Granola, granola, everywhere!

Homemade granola bars are very popular with kids, especially when you pop them fresh out of the oven. You can even store them in the freezer for a while, and then just heat to serve when needed.

If you want to bypass making granola yourself, however, you can buy them from almost every supermarket. Here are some of the best options.

2. Irresistible low-sugar fruit and yoghurt cups

If you can find a good low-sugar fruit and yoghurt cup from your local shop, great! However, make sure to check the ingredients as they can still be loaded with sugar and carbs that will make your kids run in circles for at least a few hours before they have a sugar crash.

If you want to be sure that what you´re giving your children is in the bracket of healthy snack ideas, homemade fruit and yoghurt cups are the best way to go. They are easy to make too:

Put fruit and organic/raw honey at the bottom of some mason jars and stuff in the yoghurt. Add frozen berries as they get mushy after being thawed. Now, pack a small travel container or mason jar with some granola to stir in the yoghurt and berry mix. Stock it in the freezer and whip that good stuff out when your children crave a cool, sweet and tangy snack any time of the day.

3. Good old-fashioned toast

Did you know that toast, as basic (and boring) as it sounds, is still among the most common healthy snack ideas this summer?

The truth is, toast makes for a very nutritious lunch or even tea for your toddler, and it takes minimal effort too. Smashed avocado on wholemeal toast works brilliantly. Add a sprinkle of seeds and some nut butter with cucumber sticks. Alternatively, you can try an egg on the toast with some tomatoes on the side or baked beans.

Life is good indeed!

Well, what do you think? Give the above healthy snack ideas a try and admire the ear-to-ear grins on your children’s faces.

___________________________________________

At Schoolhouse Daycare, we enjoy learning, encouraging confidence and we love life! If you think your child would enjoy life at Schoolhouse, then please do not hesitate to arrange a visit.

Need more help or advice? Find more from us here:

• 8 Healthy Foods for a Growing Child
• Tips for Parents – How to Live on a Budget with Children?
• 10 Packed Lunch Ideas For Parents
• The Best Inside Activities for High Energy Kids

The post 4 healthy snack ideas to try during the summer holidays appeared first on Schoolhouse Day Care.

Royal Baby Names to get inspired by and what they mean

Edward: Rich guard

Many kings have gone by the name Edward over the centuries, although the most famous one has got to be King Edward VIII. He enjoyed the title of King for less than a year, although many other Edwards throughout history have ruled even before 1066.

Undoubtedly, Edward is the most popular name for English monarchs, and perhaps your newborn might enjoy the name and royal heritage too, as he grows up!

William: Resolute protector

The popularity of William as a royal name goes back to 1066 when William the Conqueror was in power. So far, we have had four King Williams, with our present Prince William becoming no.5 eventually – well, that is unless he wishes to take oath under one of his alternative names.

It’s a great name for a boy who will act as the protector and provider of your family one day.

Louis: Famous warrior

Did you know that Prince William and Prince George, his son, both share Louis as a given name? In fact, Kate and William’s youngest son’s name also happens to be Louis. It’s among the most popular royal baby names today, particularly in France, as a remarkable 20 kings have shared that name throughout different eras.

Elizabeth: Oath of God

Queen Elizabeth II is the longest-serving British monarch in history, sharing her name with the illustrious Queen Elizabeth I, who ruled between the late 1500s and early 1600s.

It’s a very befitting name for a girl who wants to grow up to be a fine lady, carrying herself as elegantly and beautifully as the Queen.

Helena: Light or torch

Princess Helena was the fifth child of Prince Albert and Queen Victoria. She loved contributing to charities and is also among the founding members of the British Red Cross and the president of the Royal British Nurses’ Association.

Want your baby girl to be kind and humble as she grows up while shining brightly and inspiring others to do the same? With royal baby names like Helena, you can’t go wrong.

Louise: Famous warrior

The fourth daughter of Queen Victoria, Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, is probably the most famous royal Louise in British history. She was an avid supporter of the arts and advanced education and an early feminist as well.

With these royal baby names, you’re sure to create a trend or two in your own home, while seeing your child develop into an exemplary young man or woman. Which is your favourite?

___________________________________________

At Schoolhouse Daycare, we enjoy learning, encouraging confidence and we love life! If you think your child would enjoy life at Schoolhouse, then please do not hesitate to arrange a visit.

Need more help or advice? Find more from us here:

• 6 Key Reasons to spend More Time Outdoors with Your Baby
• From Newborn to 12 Months: A Quick Guide to a Baby’s Sleep Schedule
• 12 Tips to Soothe Your Crying Baby
• 13 Things Your Baby Loves and Why

The post A Royal Baby on the Way? Check out these Regal Names inspired by the British Monarchy appeared first on Schoolhouse Day Care.

Rainy day activities

Let’s go on a picnic (rain version!)

Let’s begin with the traditional “Going on a Picnic” game with a twist: rain! Have your little ones take turns as they add the items they would love to bring on a picnic while it’s raining. The participants keep on adding to what the previous ones have already added, until the list gets so massive that no one can remember all the items!

For example: the first player says “I’m going on a picnic in the rain and bringing hot chocolate” – the second player says “I’m going on a picnic in the rain and bringing hot chocolate and an umbrella” – and so on.

Freeze dance

It’s true: no toddler or pre-schooler can say no to a freeze dance. It’s a great way to pacify restless children and get their sillies out! Play some fun music on the stereo and pause it, then resume it. Between the pause-resume transition, children need to stop dancing and freeze in the position they are in.

Easily among the most fun rainy day activities – good times indeed, keep a camera handy!

The great indoors (camping)

With this one, we can get really creative. You can either set up a tent or come up with a DIY one. All you need to do is drape some sheets over the couch or a similar object and pretend you’re getting all cosy somewhere in the woods!

Grab some snacks and comfy blankets, and take your smartphone or tablet along for a family-friendly movie while everybody snuggles and enjoys the indoor adventure.

Indoor obstacle course

Now we’re talking! If you want to up the adventure factor by a few notches, then here are some awesome ideas:

Get on all fours and crawl underneath the kitchen or dining room table. Then do a couple of jumping jacks, shoot a sock or two in the laundry basket and walk from the kitchen or living room to the nearest bedroom while balancing a book on your head – err, or something similar – you get the idea!

You can plan your obstacle course however you like or even look for some online ideas, including this one.

Hopscotch

It’s a classic, isn’t it? Yes, we believe it will always be!

All you need is some Painter’s tape to create hopscotch for your little ones to hop through. Painter’s tape is actually a safe bet as it can be cleaned easily without leaving any marks.

When you’re indoors, and your little ones can’t seem to contain their energy, give the above rainy day activities a go and breathe a sigh of relief later.

___________________________________________

At Schoolhouse Daycare, we enjoy learning, encouraging confidence and we love life! If you think your child would enjoy life at Schoolhouse, then please do not hesitate to arrange a visit.

Need more help or advice? Find more from us here:

• The Best Inside Activities for High Energy Kids
• 12 Fun Learning Activities Your Kids Can Do at Home
• 15 energy-burning activities for children stuck indoors
• Fun Spring Activities to Do as a Family this Spring

The post Rainy Day Activities: Creative Indoor Games for Children appeared first on Schoolhouse Day Care.

Tip 1: Use different coloured eggs

If you have more than one child, it’s a good idea to colour-code which eggs they have to find. Not only does this avoid any arguments but it also gives the younger ones an equal chance of finding which is what makes the hunt fun!

Tip 2: Make it age-appropriate

Depending on the age of your little ones, some may need more help in finding the eggs than others. Get creative with how you can help them while still making it a fun game. Here are some suggestions from younger children to older.

• Leave tell-tale bunny prints – you can make little bunny footprints out of plain paper or by making some in talcum powder or flour to guide your children to the eggs. If they are a little older, you can just have the prints near each hidden Easter egg as a hint.
• Draw a map – you can draw a map of the house or garden, wherever you have hidden the eggs, and make it into a treasure hunt. For younger children, you can make pictures of where eggs might be hidden (such as a chair for the dining room).
• Turn it into a scavenger hunt – so much more fun than just finding eggs! Depending on the age of your children, you can make this as easy or as difficult as you like. Hide a clue with each egg to help your child find the next one; each clue can be a riddle, a rhyme, a song or a quote or even something that is specific to your family such as “where Dad spends most of his time.” Each clue should indicate the location and send your children all around the house. A game like this really encourages teamwork!

Tip 3: Always keep track of the eggs

There’s nothing worse than finding a melted chocolate egg under the couch cushion a few months after Easter, so keep track of them to avoid any nasty surprises! This can be simply noting down where you’ve hidden them and ticking them off as your children find them or you can number them, just make sure you have a way of knowing that they have all been found.

Tip 4: You can still do an Easter Egg hunt without the chocolate

If you don’t want to overload your children with chocolate, get creative and come up with some alternative ways to have fun. There are so many ways that you can mix it up but these are our favourites:

• Hunt for rewards – buy some plastic Easter eggs and fill them with slips of paper that reward your children for finding them. Things like ‘stay up for an extra 15 minutes,’ ‘ride in the front of the car to school’ or ‘choose what we watch on movie night.’ Your children will be just as excited when they get to redeem their rewards whenever they want.
• Word game – there are two ways that you can make a game out of words but for both, you need to buy some alphabet stickers or write a letter on the outside of each egg first. The first game is to let your children hunt for the eggs and then they have to make the longest word that they can out of their egg stash to get a prize. The second game is that they have to work together to form a word that you have spelt which could be a clue to a surprise or a certain treat or what you’re going to do on the weekend.

Tip 5: Extend Easter beyond the egg hunt

If you don’t want to do an Easter Egg hunt or you feel like it is over too quickly, use the rest of the Easter weekend to engage in other fun Easter-themed activities. Here are a couple of quirky ideas to give some inspiration:

• Egg and spoon race – a classic game which is fun for all the family! You can keep it simple or make it into an obstacle course. For older children, you can even split into teams and blindfold one player while the other directs them through the course (just be careful!).
• Magic planting – plant some jelly beans in the garden with your children and say that they will magically transform into their favourite sweets by morning. While they sleep or in the morning, replace these with lollypops or their favourite sweets and say that they are a gift from the Easter Bunny.
• Gift baskets – arts and crafts, a homemade card, and some rice krispie Easter eggs that you baked – fun and a nice gift for family or friends!

Have fun as a family this Easter and start making memories that you will never forget!

At Schoolhouse Daycare, we enjoy learning, encouraging confidence and we love life! If you think your child would enjoy life at Schoolhouse, then please do not hesitate to arrange a visit.

Need more help or advice? Find more from us here:

• Fun Spring Activities to Do as a Family this Spring
• The Best Inside Activities for High Energy Kids
• 15 Creative Gift Ideas to Save You Money at Christmas
• 5 Reasons Why Messy Play Is Important and Benefits Children

The post Essential Easter Egg Hunt Tips for Parents appeared first on Schoolhouse Day Care.