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crafting with kids •The accidentalEaster egghunterOne Easter a few years ago, when my kids were youngtoddlers, we had an Easter egg hunt on Easter Sundaymorning in our back yard. Easter Bunny had visited ourhouse overnight and left lots of yummy chocolate eggs andbunnies for the kids to find. It was great, but at the time wenever thought of repeating the event.The following year, a few days prior to Easter Sunday, Ioverheard senior child telling junior child about how excited shewas that Easter Bunny was coming on Saturday night becausehe was going to leave chocolate eggs in the garden again.And there and then the Easter egg hunt tradition was born.It was a fun event for a couple of years but as the childrengrew it became a bit boring and predictable for them. It alsobecame a little unfair for the youngest as his big sister alwaysfound more than him and our fun tradition seemed to endin tears rather than the happy sounds of children munchingon chocolate. So last year a shared basket came into playrather than separate baskets with all the found eggs sharedamongst everyone. Happiness was restored!Now we’ve been lucky over the past five years with ourEaster egg hunts as the weather has played in our favour.We haven’t come across rain yet, but if it’s not heavyrain, it might actually add to the excitement with the kidsthrowing on a raincoat and some boots. Now hot weather isa different story. Sun and heat do not agree with chocolateeggs. My advice for a hot Easter is to freeze the eggsovernight and hide them at the last possible moment. Anddon’t make a mistake that I made one year. Count how manyHave you ever wondered whoactually begins a family traditionor why? Well apparently I starteda new Easter tradition in our housewithout even realising it.eggs you hide in the garden and check that the kids havefound them all. Otherwise you might discover a new ant nestunder the back hedge building around a forgotten egg.I’m not sure how many more years this tradition willplay out in our household as kids don’t stay young and naîveforever. This year I might add a different spin. My childrenare older, eight and five, and the Easter egg hunt of old wouldprobably last a good four minutes. But I heard that, this year,the Easter Bunny is doing a treasure map hunt with a map andclues. This egg hunt sounds like fun, hopefully lasting at leasta good half an hour ... weather pending!Happy hunting. •About AmandaA freelance stylist, projectdesigner and creative consultant,Amanda Lefebure is a qualifiedvisual merchandiser and a crafterpar excellence. Her work appearsin publications such as New Idea,That’s Life and Total Girl and she’sa regular project contributor tothe Herald Sun Home Magazine.Amanda has two children, agedeight and five, and still sews onher Mum’s old sewing machine ...25 years and counting!Get Creative Quarterly Autumn 2011 95