Easter is nearly here. That means school holidays are practically upon us already, and grandparents all over the world will be looking for things they can do with the grandkids.
The weather has a big part to play in what we do and don’t do at Easter. At Ask Granny we’ve put together some ideas for what you can do if the weather’s good; and what to do if it isn’t…
When the Weather is Good…
Try an Easter Egg hunt. This can actually be done indoors or outdoors, and the length of time it takes is completely up to you. Try hiding a series of clues in and out of the house – you can use outdoors a lot when the sun is shining – which will lead your child to his or her prize. Remember that he or she is a lot younger than you, so make up clues that will make sense to the little ones!
Clues are a good way to ensure that some semblance of order is retained during the hunt – i.e. that the children don’t smash up the whole house! You can get some good ideas for clues and setting up the hunt at: Give Presents Find Gifts
An Easter outing is always a good idea, too. Easter Monday is a Bank Holiday so why not start the day with a fun trick (don’t make it too messy) before heading out into the great outdoors to work off some of that chocolate?
You’ll find that most of the UK’s main attractions are open for business starting (roughly) at the Easter weekend: this year, they’ll probably open slightly earlier to catch the beginning of the holidays. Depending on the age of your children, a theme park visit could be in order (try Thorpe Park; Chessington World of Adventures; or Alton Towers); or if you’re lucky enough to live near some of Britain’s outdoor spaces, you could pack a picnic and some sports equipment and make a good healthy day of it.
If the Weather is Bad…
Let’s face it, the UK at this time of year is hardly a sunshine destination. We might be lucky, and get a glorious belt of spring sun at just the right moment – but then pigs may also start doing aerial demonstrations over Buckingham Palace. So the prudent grandparent always has a fund of indoor activities stocked up for the children over the Easter Weekend.
Board games are a surprisingly popular alternative, given the amount of hours your grandkids usually spend staring at screens. Some of the best are the ones that involve thinking and making things as well as throwing dice. Try a modern edition of Mousetrap and you’ll get to relive your own childhood too.
Dressing up games can also be fun. Get together a box of old clothes and hats – your local charity shop is good for this – and see if everyone can guess who the children are pretending to be.
And above all, of course – have fun!
