Spring just began, and Easter is almost here! As we enter a season of more sunlight, warmth, and new life, here are some fun ideas for your family to enjoy each other and create memories this year.

1. Make paper baskets

For this activity, all you’ll need is one piece of 12x12 cardstock or paper, one strip of paper for a handle, and some glue. Choose a paper in your favorite pattern or color or use white paper that your kids can color prior to making the basket!

Pro tip: Most scrapbooking paper is 12x12 inches, so you can look for that at the craft store! (You can make larger or smaller baskets with different sized squares even though directions are for a 12-inch square.)


1. Measure and fold the paper into nine even squares, with fold lines three inches from each side.


2. Unfold the square. On two opposite sides cut along the fold lines 4 inches in, just to the first crossline fold. This forms flaps on the two sides.


3. Fold up a flap on one side. Fold in the two squares beside the flap until the two outer corners meet. Glue in place. Repeat for the other side. This forms the basket.


4. Cut a strip of paper to make a handle and glue it in place.

You can use these baskets as simple easter baskets, decorations, for kids crafts, or anything else!

2. Have a “new life” hunt!

Going outside and having a scavenger hunt for “new life” is such a fun spring activity. And, as a bonus, your kids will benefit from time outdoors (especially if you’re like us and are attempting 1000 Hours Outside)!

Make a list of things for your kids to find around your neighborhood, at your park, or maybe on a trail somewhere! Some ideas to get you started: new leaves, flower and/or tree buds, bird feathers, eggshell pieces, a caterpillar, a new blade of grass, seeds, and a flower petal. (P.S. If you made paper baskets from the previous idea, use them to collect your scavenger hunt items!)

3. Make “Bird Nest” snacks

Get a 5oz bag of crispy chow mein noodles, 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, and 1 cup butterscotch chips. Grease a muffin tin, and then melt down both your chips in the microwave or on the stovetop. Once melted, stir in your noodles and then divide the mixture between the 12 greased tin cavities, making a “nest” in the center.

These snacks taste so good and are fun for little hands to help with! Optional: fill the nests with Cadbury mini eggs. Let cool and harden for at least an hour before enjoying!

4. Resurrection eggs

We are Christians, so one of our favorite activities for this season is Resurrection eggs. I fill 12 plastic eggs with tiny mementos that represents different parts of the Easter story: a donkey, a rope, a crown of thorns, and other objects, ending with an empty egg to represent the empty tomb.

We open one egg together each morning and talk about what they represent. This has been a wonderful, hands-on way to introduce the different elements of the Easter story to our kids!

5. Raise baby chicks!

This is a fun spring activity that we jumped into two years ago. This idea is more work-intensive (and expensive), but it is worth it! Check out your local farm store, because they likely sells chicks every spring.

Chickens don’t take too much time investment and are relatively simple to care for. Here’s a great beginner’s guide to backyard poultry to get you started! (Although, definitely check to make sure you’re allowed to have backyard chickens on your property before making the investment.) Our kids have loved playing with the chickens, collecting the eggs, and taking care of our “bawk-bawks”, as they are affectionately called in our house!

6. DIY memory game

This is extra fun if you have preschoolers and kindergartners, as this activity is tailored for their brain development level. Using plastic Easter egg halves, hide matching pairs of things underneath. (This can be as simple as rocks, twigs, and leaves from your backyard, or you could be the “fun mom” and use snacks!) Take turns uncovering two egg halves and trying to find matches. Whoever finds the most pairs is the winner!

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There are plenty of other simple spring and Easter activities: visit a local farm, create a flower collage, go on a nature walk, make flower crowns or leaf rubbings, or decorate your own flower pots! Whatever you choose to do, making memories with your family around holidays is something you will always cherish.