The Easter Bunny is getting ready to hop up to your house—and we have just the thing to add a little magical fun to your Easter celebration. Check out these creative Easter ideas for Easter Bunny fun, like making a bunny trail and the Easter Bunny tracker. Once you know how he’s going to make his arrival, be prepared with Easter games for kids and hilarious Easter jokes.
Easter Bunny Tracker
Track the Easter bunny on your smartphone! Compatible with both Apple and Android phones, download the app and then, on Easter Eve 2024, March 30 at 5 a.m. you'll be able to follow the Easter Bunny as he delivers treats to kids around the world.
We know there will be some eye-rolls over this idea for Easter Bunny fun, but how cute would a pastel-themed Easter tree be? It’s also a fun place to have the furry guy drop Easter baskets filled with goodies. Go for an all-white tree like this one, and go wild with Easter decorations. This is also a perfect place to leave a plate of carrots the night before!
The Easter Bunny can drop a winding trail of jelly beans to the kitchen—with this delicious bunny fairy bread serving as the treat at the end of the trail. Skip over to Hello Wonderful to find out how to set up this easy idea for Easter Bunny fun. Pair it with pastel-colored milk made with a few drops of food coloring in your little one's morning glass of milk for a festive breakfast. Note: if you have animal friends who'd gobble up a jelly bean trail, the Easter Bunny can leave a trail of inedible white cotton balls through your house instead.
The clever Easter Bunny doesn't leave baskets out in the open: he hides them at the end of a tricky scavenger hunt. Happiness is Homemade put together a free printable packed full of treasure hunt clues, with each one leading to the next. You'll be able to drink your morning coffee while your kids decipher the clues.
We love this extra-sweet tradition for Easter bunny fun! Simply gather a handful of jelly beans and, with your little one, plant them outside. While your bunnies sleep, you can swap out the beans for lollipops. Voila! Your kids will wake up to a magical lollipop garden on Easter morning. If you're worried about your dog gobbling up the jelly beans outside, or if it's too chilly for an outdoor planting session, you can bring the magic jelly bean fun inside with this easy lollipop garden craft.
What will the Easter Bunny be sure to leave as he hops through your house? Paw prints! You can create a bunny trail that leads through your house with a template and white flour. It's an affordable way to sprinkle a little egg-stra magic on Easter morning. Find all the DIY tips here. If your bunny's in a hurry, simply pick up a pack of oversized pink-and-white paw print decals and spread them out on the floor. Get them here.
The Easter Bunny's surprises don't have to end with candy-packed baskets. Bake a hidden bunny chocolate and vanilla funfetti cake for a sweet Easter brunch finale. It's easier to make than it looks! The Itsy-Bitsy Kitchen has step-by-step instructions to guide you through the process for this fun Easter idea for kids.
Make your own Easter Bunny fun hideaway with these super fun steps from Allison Murray from Dream a Little Bigger. You can simplify with some paint and stencils for a quick DIY project.
Music soothes and supports a baby’s social and emotional growth, and it offers cognitive benefits for baby as well. You can get as simple or complex as you like with a wide variety of toys and activities to help introduce your little one to everything from classical to country. Here are 10 ways to introduce your baby to the magic of music.
1. Sing to your baby. It seems simple, but so many parents may forget or hesitate to do it: Sing to your baby! “Parents have long soothed babies with just the comfort of their voices,” says Raffi (pictured above), the “Baby Beluga” songwriter who recently released a new album, Dog on the Floor. “Babies are soothed by a parent’s familiar, loving voice, even with the simplest of lullaby melodies.” So brush up on classics like “Hush, Little Baby” and “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” You can even just hum your favorite T Swift tunes. Whatever is easiest to remember and most fun for you will work just fine for your wee one.
2. Encourage making noise. As soon as your baby is able to comfortably grasp and manipulate objects, give them household items that make interesting noises. This could be a closed container filled with dry rice or beans, pots and a wooden spoon, a metal whisk and cupcake tin, some crinkly tissue paper, or anything else that produces sound. See what your baby does with the items first and show enthusiasm and interest in the results. You can make noise together and demonstrate new ways of tapping out a rhythm.
3. Introduce your favorite playlist. Playing recorded music is another way to encourage a child’s love of songs. Put on a record or ask Alexa to fire up your favorite playlist. It doesn’t have to be “baby” or “kid” music; it can be anything you enjoy. Another option is listening to the family-focused albums of some musicians you may already be familiar with, like Lisa Loeb’s Lullaby Girl or Shawn Colvin’s The Starlighter.
4. Find your old instruments. Dig out your trusty trombone or dust off an acoustic guitar and show your little one how you play an instrument. Even if you haven’t done it since your days in the school band, your child won’t care about any imperfect playing.
5. Offer a wooden musical toy. Baby toys that double as instruments or basic noisemakers are always a hit with newbies. The Petit Collage Musical Menagerie Wooden Animal Instruments ($30, above) has three different percussive playthings to choose from: an elephant shaker, a lion with bells, and a giraffe guiro (a Latin American percussion instrument). Let your little one choose a favorite and Mom and Dad can play the others to make for your first family band.
6. Sign up for a music class. Attending a music class is a great way to add a social aspect to the experience for baby. There are classes based on age and also some where the age can range widely so your wee one can learn from the bigger guys. And, chances are, you can attend a free trial class in between seasons to see how you like it. Then, each week, you and your child will have a chance to hear live or recorded music, play with egg shakers, tambourines, drums, and more, and sing and dance with other families and caregivers.
7. Try an activity toy. Infants and young toddlers will flip for the Fisher-Price Kick & Play Piano Gym ($49.99). It takes advantage of baby’s near-constant movements by keeping a keyboard right where all the action is afoot. Whether your wee one wants to lay down and play, try tummy time, or has learned to sit up, they can press the musical notes on the keyboard to hear individual pitches or short songs.
8. Engage in interactive play. Any bouncing babe with head control would love to listen to and look at this interactive HABA USA Musical Crocodile Glove Puppet ($15.99, above), which gives older siblings, parents and caregivers a fun way to inspire a love of music and play. The little reptile has a handheld accordion sewn onto one paw, which you can manipulate to squeeze and squeak against the other paw padded with Velcro.
9. Introduce a plush that plays tunes. Vosego’s stuffed bears that play classical music is a great option for introducing new sounds and melodies to little ears. The Ludwig and Amadeus bears ($54.99, above) will play 40 minutes of Beethoven and Mozart’s best compositions at the press of a belly button. There’s even an autobiography to be found in each bear’s pocket for Mom or Dad to read to baby.
10. Tickle the silliest ivories. If your child has already shown tons of interest in music and mastered simple instruments, they may want to check out the PlayMonster Mirari Pop! Pop! Piano ($25.95) for a wild ride of sound. Let them figure out how to press the keys and hear a sound, then delight as they see a star pop up and jump to another pipe. And with the flip of a switch, you can toggle between musical notes and silly, kid-friendly sound effects like giggles and boings.
Have a surplus of candy because there were fewer—or no—trick or treaters this year? Or perhaps your kids scored big and can’t possibly eat all of it. Donating your haul of Halloween candy to soldiers stationed abroad, neighborhood firefighters, and others will surely sweeten someone’s day. Keep reading to find out where to drop off the dulce, below.
Operation Troop Treats
iStock
Operation Troop Treats is the nation’s largest dentist-sponsored Halloween candy exchange benefiting U.S. Service Members and their families, teaching children about good dental health and the importance of giving back to those who serve our country.
Donate Halloween candy at any participating dental office nationwide from Nov. 1-6 and receive a toy in exchange for each child's candy donation. Local dental offices will send Operation Gratitude the donated candy, dental kits, and funds to cover the assembly and shipment of care packages for U.S. troops.
Click here to find out your nearest donation location.
Murphy-Harpst is a nonprofit residential treatment center in Atlanta that serves severely abused and neglected children and teenagers. It is an emotional, spiritual and physical safe haven, offering residential treatment, placements in specialized foster care, and community programs that serve at-risk young people and their families. And they'd love your excess candy to share with the children in their care!
Drop off or mail to Murphy-Harpst, Attention: Pam Kramer, 740 Fletcher St., Cedartown GA 30125
The Halloween Candy Give-Back Program gives families a way to donate surplus candy to deployed troops, veterans, and first responders with the goal of forging strong bonds between the civilian and service communities nationwide. This year, donation locations will not be set-up due to COVID-19; however, Operation Gratitude encourages donors to ship candy directly to them (OG Candy Processing Center, ATTN: Halloween Candy, 8967 Oso Ave., Building D, Chatsworth, CA 91311), or better yet, contact a local military base, veteran organization, or first responder department to see if they are interested and able to take the candy.
If you would like to register to donate excess Halloween Candy, click here.
Ronald McDonald House supports families with children battling illness by providing a "home away from home" while seeking treatment. Some local chapters of the Ronald McDonald House accept unopened, surplus candy donations.
Find a local chapter here. Contact the one closest to you to verify that they're taking donations before loading up you haul of sweet stuff!
Local fire stations are not only where the big hook and ladder trucks are stored, but they're also where firefighters live when they're on duty, waiting for an emergency call. And, while they usually keep it pretty healthy around the house, we're pretty sure everyone likes a little late night chocolate, now and then.
PAW Kids is a community organization that provides safety and sustenance. PAW House is a safe and loving after school enrichment program where students can find reading mentors, homework help, and more. Claudia's House is a neighborhood food pantry that offers daily meals for the community, meals for seniors, and more.
Donations can be dropped off at Claudia's House on Mon., Tues., & Thurs. from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Claudia's House is located at 1633 Donald Lee Hollowell Pkwy.
The holidays may still be several months away, but you can get a jump on it thanks to Amazon’s annual “Toys We Love” list. With picks ranging from baby to 12 and older, these best-selling and hot toys take the guesswork out of picking the perfect toys for kids. We’ve picked our top 10 faves, so keep scrolling!
Babies & Toddlers
Tegu Magnetic Wooden Block Set
For parents who love wooden toys, this new set of Tegu blocks is perfect. The 42-piece set comes with nine shapes (including magnetic wheels), and contains no small parts, lead, plastic and is made with non-toxic, water-based lacquer finish.
Little Tikes First Bathroom Sink with Real Working Faucet
Kiddos constantly under your feet while you're getting ready? Get them their own bathroom! This adorable new playset comes with an electric pump that runs actual water through the working stink. In addition, littles can style their own hair with the working hair dryer and play with other realistic bathroom accessories like a toothbrush, toothpaste, mirror, comb and more.
Do you have a budding veterinarian? They'll love this adorable 10-inch plush monkey that actually plays sounds! Coming with a stethoscope and syringe, kids can take care of their furry friend, in addition to scanning the QR code to gain access to exclusive NatGeo content.
Time to throw another shrimp on the barbie! This adorable bundle set comes with everything Bluey needs for time at home with the fam: a huge four-room house, removable furniture, Bluey, Bingo, Chilli (Mum), and Bandit (Dad).
Melissa & Doug Blue's Clues & You! Wooden Cooking Play Set
This set is 42 pieces of fun! So what comes inside? Twenty give double-sided cardstock food pieces, pot with lid, plate, utensils, spatula, serving spoon, paw print-shaped oven mitt, wooden Mr. Salt, Mrs. Pepper and Slippery Soap, cookbook activity card and reusable grocery list! The reversible top can transform into a grill or sink, and has click and turn knobs.
Easily throw pottery with National Geographic's new innovative pottery wheel. It comes with a tool to help easily create bowls and pots, plus there are no batteries required!
The gang's all here! This four pack of villains comes with Cruella De Vil, the Evil Queen, Maleficent, and Ursula, complete with accessories in bright colors.
Raya's Journey: an Enchanted Forest Board Game for Kids
Join Raya and her friends as they seek to save Kumandra. Players will use dice to navigate the board, look under decorative teak sculpts and try to be the first to the finish line.
Ready to make your commute to school a bit more exciting? Waze, the popular navigation app, is collaborating with PAW Patrol for a fun new experience that turns each drive into a mission. It even includes navigation instructions from your kid’s favorite pups!
To celebrate release of PAW Patrol: The Movie, you can activate this new feature once you’re signed into Waze. You’ll be able to hear navigation commands from Chase, Marshall, Skye and Ryder. You can update your profile’s “mood” to match one of the pups on your map. You’ll even be able to change your car’s icon to the show’s iconic police car, fire truck or helicopter!
As you negotiate the usual traffic and stoplights, you might even run into Mayor Humdinger and his pesky kittens. Fortunately, Waze makes it easy to find the fastest route to school (or Target).
The feature is only available for a limited time and you can activate it here. Or simply open the Waze app and click the PAW Patrol banner to get started. Time to make family drives paw-some!
You’ve caught yourself humming the PAW Patroltheme song enough to know it’s one of your kiddo’s favorite shows. Now, for the first time EVER, Ryder and his gang of pups are heading out of Adventure Bay and taking to the big screen! Get your pup packs ready and head to your local theater to catch PAW Patrol: The Movie on August 20! Read on to get the scoop.
Head Beyond the Bay
Follow your favorite furry friends outside of their beloved Adventure Bay into the big, busy Adventure City where their arch-rival, Humdinger, has been elected mayor to disastrous results. But luckily, the PAW Patrol is on a roll, and they work together with a new pal Liberty—the city-savvy dachshund— to put things right.
Name That Pup
Chase, Marshall, Rubble, Skye, Rocky and Zuma are joined by their new pal, Liberty, and an outstanding new cast of supporting canine characters. Listen closely and see if you can recognize the celebs behind the voices, including Yara Shahidi, Kim Kardashian, Tyler Perry, Jimmy Kimmel, Randall Park and Dax Shepherd. In addition, you’ll find a star-studded soundtrack by artists including Adam Levine and Alessia Cara.
On air since 2013, with nearly 200 episodes (most of which we’re betting your kids have seen more than once), PAW Patrol: The Moviewill thrill fans of the show in new ways while holding on to that core mission of the pups—do good, and be kind.
PAW It Forward
Just like the pups do, you can PAW It Forward! Parents, kids, and fans alike are talking about different ways they can pay it forward in their own community, whether at home, in the classroom, or with friends and neighbors.
PAW Patrol: The Movie is premiering on August 20 in theaters and on Paramount+, so book your seats and be there on the double!
Attention PAW Patrol fans! Walmart has a win-win proposal: right now, you can pre-order select toys from the new movie and when you do, you’ll get special access to a virtual showcase, including a sneak peek at the upcoming film!
Multiple toys are eligible in this offer, including an action figure set, transforming movie vehicles and eight-piece role-play sets for your little fans. Prices start at $12.97 and all of the toys come with free shipping. Totally paw-some!
Once you’ve purchased, you’ll receive ticket instructions in your inbox within 24 hours. The virtual showcase features a preview of PAW Patrol: The Movie with an intro by a special guest from the film. It also promises other fun activities for the family! You can tune in on August 8 starting at 1 p.m. ET.
In case you missed it, the new PAW Patrol movie comes out in theaters on August 20. Check out our preview for a look at the trailer and character images!
Calling all PAW Patrol fans! Nickelodeon recently announced a brand-new interactive streaming experience for the PAW Patrol-loving preschool set—and it includes a 45-minute stage show and a shared viewing room.
PAW Patrol Live! At Home is exactly what the name sounds like. Instead of going to a a theater, stadium, or other mega-venue to watch your fam’s fave Nick friends, you can watch this PAW-tastic production 100 percent from home.
photo courtesy of Nickelodeon
Amy Hyland, Executive Vice President, Nickelodeon Strategy, Business Development and Operations, said in a press release, “As we look forward to a return to normalcy and welcoming families back to our live events, we continue to invest in innovative ways to grow our Nickelodeon Experiences business during these unprecedented times. With PAW Patrol Live! At Home we’ve produced a one-of-a-kind co-viewing event that allows us to recreate the communal theater experience and give families a way to connect with not only fan favorite Nick characters, but their loved ones as well.”
Nick’s new PAW Patrol Live! At Home experience will include a pre-show with digital games, an e-shop, printable activity sheets and a Pup Pup Boogie dance-along video. The pre-show options are available immediately after your ticket purchase.
The show itself will stream Apr. 24 and 25 at either 7:00 a.m. PT/10:00 a.m. ET, 9:00 a.m. PT/12:00 p.m. ET or 2:00 p.m. PT/5:00 p.m. ET in English and in Spanish. Click here to purchase tickets in advance.
Parents can purchase a single ticket for access on one device or a group ticket that comes with one single ticket and three additional access codes to share with friends and family. Single and group pass ticket holders can also log on to re-watch the experience through May 2.
A kid’s show that’s modern, heartwarming and just so darn delightful that even parents will enjoy it? It does exist. Episodes of this original series are short, sweet, and much like chips; you can’t stop at just one. Bluey, a 6-year-old Blue Heeler pup is full of personality with a loveable, curious spirit—dare we say, she’s our spirit animal?! We realize this is an animated show about a family of dogs living down-under, but its realness and relatability draw us in and keep us coming back for more!
Along with adorbs younger sister, Bingo, Bluey loves to turn everyday family life into endless, playful adventures. Dad, Bandit, and mom, Chilli, are like the cool neighbors you want to hang with—they parent with a sense of humor, big heart, and a little self-deprecation every now again, and we can relate. But wait—this is a show for your kids, we swear!
Now your preschooler can bring the fun and imaginative play home with their best Australian buddies! (And if you happen to get in on the action, too, we get it.) Check out these cool new Bluey toys that your little ones will adore just as much as the show!
Bluey Family Home
$39.99
Your kiddos will feel like they're inside the show with this awesome playset! Bluey's family home includes plenty of space to play in the living room, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom. It comes with two beds, two stools, two sofas, two rugs, a bathtub, toilet, dining room counter, a fridge and, of course, one Bluey figure ready for adventures!
Let’s roll! Bluey and Bingo are ready to explore on their individual scooters included in this figure set. When you press Bluey or Bingo’s paw down, they attach to the scooter and are ready to go. The scooters even have moveable wheels and come with helmets for both Bluey and Bingo.
Take Bluey and her family on road trips in the Heeler Four Wheel Drive 4WD Family Vehicle! The top opens up to fit the whole family inside, and it features a roof rack that holds two surfboards. Your kiddo can cruise Bluey and the family to the beach so they can ride the waves. The family vehicle also comes with a fun sticker sheet so your preschooler can decorate the outside of the car.
Get the whole crew together with this four-pack of figures featuring Bluey, Chilli, Bandit and Bingo! These cute poseable figures are the perfect size for preschooler's hands and are compatible with other Bluey toy sets like the Heeler 4WD Family Vehicle and the Family Home Playset. These little toys are perfect for on-the-go play!
Giddyup! Bluey is ready to ride! This magical set includes a Bluey figure, a Unipony figure, a saddle for riding and a bale of hay for Unipony snacking. Recreate fun moments from the show by helping Bluey hop on her Unipony (which she attaches to thanks to the saddle) and head off to adventure!
What’s better than chocolate eggs for Easter? A chocolate egg with a marshmallow center featuring your kids’ favorite characters for Easter. Yes, for fans of The Mandalorian, Frozen, Paw Patrol, Trolls or LOL Surprise!, these adorable hot chocolate melts will be a hit. Measuring in at 6.5″ x 4.5″ at costing $5.99, drop it in hot milk to see the marshmallow pop out, or eat it as a chocolate egg. Keep reading for the details and adorable pics!
Frozen
Who's in the middle of this Frozen-themed hot chocolate melt? Why, it's Olaf, of course! Click here to buy.
Trolls
This happy troll will be a fun surprise on Easter! Buy it here.
Paw Patrol
How cute is this puppy paw marshmallow? Fans of Paw Patrol will go wild for it. Buy it here.
LOL Surprise!
LOL Surprise! is one of the original unboxing collectibles, so we're not surprised (see what we did there?) that there's a hot chocolate melt too. Buy it here.
This Baby Yoda hot chocolate melt will be a hit with any Mandalorian fans this Easter treat. While it's currently sold out, be sure to keep checking the website to see when it's good to order!