EASTER FUN: Alternatives to Chocolate

EASTER FUN: Alternatives to Chocolate

BJ is a big fan of an Easter egg hunt but he doesn’t eat chocolate. I, personally, find it shocking that any child of mine should not like chocolate, but I am always willing to help him out with any he is given. We have always had an egg hunt but it has been tricky to find things to substitute for chocolate.

We’re going on an egg hunt.

I am sure BJ is not alone since many children with special needs have difficulties with certain foods, so I thought I’d share some of our ideas for a fun Easter.

BJ usually walks with assistance to do an egg hunt and finds the eggs that are strategically placed at a good height for him. Plastic eggs are a fantastic way for children to participate in a hunt without needing chocolate. The eggs pictured below open so they could have a small toy inside or simply be collected to exchange for a larger gift. We used “blue tac” to stick the eggs to the wall at a wheelchair or walking frame height.

AJ helping out with a plastic egg hunt at a wheelchair or walking frame height.

CHOCOLATE ALTERNATIVES

I have been scouring the stores to find alternatives to chocolate gifts for Easter for different ages and abilities. I hope you find something for your child.

Books are a wonderful gift and for younger children and there are a great range of Easter-themed books.

Books always make a great gift.

BJ was given “Guess How Much I Love You” when he was little and it was one of my favorite gifts he ever received because it is such a beautiful story. I love the idea of books about Bilbys because it is nice to see Australian animals being represented in a book.

BJ used to love “touch and feel” books when he was little and this opened up the opportunity to talk about different textures. “Spot’s First Easter” lift-the-flap was his favorite book when he was younger.

Skye Belle Adventure Books

A very good friend of mine (yes, we do share a surname but we are not related) has written two books that are getting fantastic reviews on Amazon. These books are geared towards boys and girls, 8 years to mid-teens. Skye and Brandon Belle are siblings who go on adventures across the world to find treasure while learning Christian values and truths along the way. I like the fact that Skye is a strong character in her own right. It is available in e-book and paperback.  Full details on the first book, The Lost Treasure of Persia, can be found here and you can find out more about The Copper Map here.

Hair ties, necklaces and bath fizzers.

Hair ties, bracelets and necklaces are the perfect size to fit into the little plastic eggs for a hunt. Bath fizzers have always been popular with AJ. AJ liked the fun of watching them fizz and dissolve and I liked the fact that they gave her joy and didn’t need to be stored. These also come in a dinosaur theme at Target.

Paper Mache egg with Lightening McQueen car inside.

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While in America last year I bought some gorgeous paper mache eggs at World Market; these are a good size to put a gift inside. I also love the old fashioned pictures on the eggs. They came in a variety of sizes and would make a lovely Easter egg hunt with gifts inside.

Grip ball game, Egg Chalk, Foam paint stampers.

Grip ball can be great fun and most come with an adjustable strap to attach to your child’s hand. Catching the ball with velcro makes it a little easier and it is good hand function getting the ball off. I found this one at a dollar store. Middle picture – Easter egg chalk is nice and chunky making for an easier grip that the usually skinny chalk sticks that break easily. I found this in a toy store and at a newsagent.  Pictured right – Foam palm stampers make painting fun and easy. These come with an elastic strap at the back to secure on to a child’s hand. These are from Spotlight.

Ball play is always popular in our house. Different sizes have suited BJ over the years from small handballs (left) to the larger character ones. Sticky tumbling characters have always given him a good giggle. They are thrown against a wall and there is great anticipation as kids watch the sticky footed character climb down, which happens at varying speeds and with differing success rates.  If there are two children in the family it is fun to have races. I found all these items in Target and they were under $10.

For more ideas read the rest of this post by Julie Jones on HWWT.

Easy and Exciting Egg Activities for Easter

Family Fun “Egg”citing “Egg”tivities

MORE EASTER ACTIVITIES

• Easy and Exciting Egg Activities for Easter
• Family Fun “Egg”citing “Egg”tivities
• Easter Hunt Over? Now! Try Peanut Hunt!
• Cooking with Kids: Hatching “wide-eyed” Chicks (Deviled Eggs)
• How to Create A Healthy Easter Basket What Every Parent Should Know!

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