Easter crafts

Easter, like all holidays, has turned into a chance to get the family together and put the little ones to work making easter crafts. Whether it's dying eggs or making chicks in a basket, easter crafts are aimed to be fun for the whole family and, occasionally, actually are as much.

The most traditional of the easter crafts is the dyed egg. I remember making these with my parents when I was just a kid, and though I wasn't very craftsy myself, this remains a fond memory.

It's a very simple process. Just hard boil some eggs, let them cool, and then dip them in food coloring. Easy peasy, as they say.

Today, however, that's not enough. Easter crafts have taken on a new life, and some lame old regular dyed eggs just aren't gonna cut it in terms of creating a happy holiday filled with fun stuff and treats.

Take, for example, neon crayon eggs. Just like with the old dyed easter eggs, you'll want to hard boil some eggs and let them cool. Once they're able to be handled by the kids, have them draw pictures or designs on them with crayons. They can choose whatever colors they want.

Once the designs are done, fill a coffee cup with water and add a tablespoon of white vinegar. Then add some food coloring - your choice, or your kid's, of course - and dip the egg. The more food coloring and the longer you hold the egg in the water, the more vivid the colors will be. And if you use neon food coloring, it makes the designs drawn on with crayon even more vivid.

It's a few more steps, but it's worth it since easter crafts are a super fun way to bond with the little ones.

There are other easter crafts as well. You could make chicks in a basket by using an old yellow work glove and sticking it in a basket with easter grass and felt. Have the kids draw little faces on each finger, use felt to give the chicks beaks and combs (or whatever other designs they feel like coming up with), and then decorate as appropriately as you feel is necessary. Your kids will love it.

Easter may not be in the same league as Christmas or Halloween when it comes to craft-style fun with your kids, but it can still be something to share with the family and a chance to bond over a special time together. Don't let the once a year opportunity slip by without creating special memories that will last a lifetime!