Come springtime, children look forward to hunting for eggs, chocolate and other treasures as the highlight of their Easter weekend.
Families can treat children to backyard DIY festivities or head out on the town to search alongside neighbours. The Easter Bunny is coming and us parents need to be on our game. Here’s what you need to know to host your own Easter egg hunt and where to find community events near you.
The Homemade Hunt
- Designate a window of time to go shopping for supplies. I shouldn’t need to say it, but leave the kids at home!
- You can decide if you want to boil and decorate real eggs or keep those for omelets at brunch. You will, however, want to pick up themed decorations, small toys and, of course, an endless array of chocolate. Don’t forget the woven basket in which children can carry their cherished stash.
- If your eggs are destined to be painted, you can channel Fabergé, but otherwise be sure kids are at the table. Have a supply of dyes, felt pens, stickers and glitter. Of course, food-safe dyes or dyes created from food such as beats, turmeric and cabbage mean eggs can be stained and then eaten. Read labels carefully.
- Outdoors is an ideal location for an egg hunt. Unless the weather interferes, find any treed corner in your neighbourhood, be it a small or large park, a yard or even a boulevard garden. I have a friend whose grandma didn’t have a yard but stashed chocolate eggs in her houseplants. Her grandkids had a blast.
- Send an adult ahead of the gang to stash the goodies. Sidewalk chalk, balloons and signage work wonders to make your hunt festive and colourful.
- Remember to keep track of where you hid the eggs and think through the rules of the hunt in advance. Communicate landmarks and boundaries before the hunt commences and give the youngest a head start. When staging an egg hunt, the more the merrier. Drop a few eggs in obvious view for the little ones and outsmart the older kids with a challenge like a scavenger hunt.
- Finally, you can then enjoy the rewards of your preparation and sit back with a latte and a zoom lens while the kids do all the work.
Happenings and hunts in your ’hood
Stanley Park
Hop on the Easter train and be sure to bring your own basket. Stanley Park miniature train festivities include games, crafts and face painting.
The train is open April 16 to 21. Monday to Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Adults $3.75, children 3 -17 $8.75 and children under 2 $5.25. All tickets must be used the day they are purchased.
Community Centres
Kids love being close to home at Easter so thankfully we can always depend on our community centre event planners to come up with creative and affordable activities (most are free or less than $5).
The following community centres will offer Easter egg hunts this weekend. Carnival games, crafts, open gyms, breakfast and of course a visit from the Easter bunny vary depending on location.
The Easter festivities at Kitsilano Community Centre are always popular, said manager Celia Deluca. The message: arrive early.
“Our Easter Eggstravaganza is an opportunity for neighbours, families and community members to come together for a fun event,” said Deluca. “Aside from our outdoor egg hunt, special visits from the Purple Pirate and the Easter Bunny are a big hit.”
Creekside hosts its Easter event on April 17; Killarney and Mount Pleasant on April 18; False Creek, Hillcrest. Kensington, Kitsilano, Marpole, Renfrew and the Roundhouse host on April 19; and Sunset on April 20. Visitvancouver.ca to register and learn more.
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