Easter Eggs

Over the course of this week Vegas jumped from Spring to Summer. The temp is forecasted to hit 90 degrees by the end of this week, and we all know too well how quickly the heat will make outdoor activities pretty sweaty. So we took full advantage and did some outdoor schooling this week, with activities focused on eggs in honor of the upcoming Easter holiday.

We took turns dropping eggs from different heights into different materials (leaves, rocks, paper) and made guesses about which combination would cause the egg to crack.

We practiced some "egg on a spoon" walking and running.

For snack, we enjoyed some delicious "nests" with blueberries acting as Robin's eggs. These turned out so cute.

Chocolate Robin's Nests

1-cup chunky peanut butter
12-oz chocolate chips
2-cups Chow Mein noodles
Blueberries, other fresh berries

Heat peanut butter and chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl for one minute. Stir and continue to microwave in 20-30 second intervals, stirring each time, until totally melted. Stir in noodles and stir until noodles are coated. Spray muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray and spoon approximately 2-tablespoons of the noodle mixture into each cup, gently pressing down in the center with your thumb to create the nest. Refrigerate for at least two hours then pop out of the muffin tins with a butter knife.

We did a cute tie-dye egg project with food coloring and spray bottles. We first colored some designs with white crayon. A few drops of food coloring and some sprays of water make for a cool, though messy, tie-dye effect. I didn't get any pictures of the finished product, but they were pretty cool.

The kids got to try a little three dimensional art this week. I was inspired by some beautiful egg dioramas I have been seeing on Pinterest over the last few weeks. There is something sort of magical about them.

We started with hollow, paper-covered eggs (I got mine at Hobby Lobby). I cut out an oval opening in each and on Day 1 we painted the inside and outside.

On Day 2 we headed to the park, first for a hunt for items to add to our dioramas. Finding "nature" in Las Vegas is always a challenge, but we were able to find some leaves, grass, rocks and flowers.

Next, we took our finds and added them to our now-dried eggs. Along with the items we found at the park I had a few other Easter-themed items (foam carrots, butterfly stickers, etc) to add to the designs. I think they turned out beautifully!

We played some fun games out in the sun and made a new friend. I can't remember this little boy's name, but when he introduced himself to us he stuck out his little hand to shake hands. It was so precious, and all the kids took turns introducing themselves and shaking hands with our new friend. It was one of those moments when you realize your babies are turning into kids, and pretty nice kids at that.