It’s almost time to start filling those Easter eggs for your children to hunt and crack open!
Now, let me just start off by saying that while I love reading, writing, and teaching small children, I also love candy. So this is by no means some sort of anti-candy article. But, I will say that filling my kids’ Easter eggs with educational items like these as well as candy is a great way to bring balance into my home Easter morning.
Including these items in the hunt elevates them to “prize” status which is a wonderful benefit to taking the time to fill these plastic eggs every year. Here is my list of Easter egg fillers that are fun and promote literacy:
Here's my list of Easter egg fillers that are lots of fun — and also promote literacy:
1. Puzzle pieces. Puzzles are great for cognitive development as well as storytelling. You can vary how many pieces each egg gets based on puzzle size. Bonus: put the puzzle together while eating a few treats!
2. Fun erasers. Making mistakes is just a natural part of writing, but making erasing those mistakes more fun is a great reason to include these.
3. Alphabet stickers. Alphabet stickers are inexpensive and fun for all ages. Your kids can use these for art, making signs, spelling out names and labelling books.
4. Crayon rocks. These little tiny crayons can be found all over the internet and help young children develop proper writing grip.
5. Pencil toppers. Making writing fun is a must and pencil toppers whether bought or homemade always help!
6. Letter magnets. If you don’t already have these on your fridge, get them now and make them part of your hunt!
7. Beads. Beading is a wonderful activity that promotes the fine motor skills needed for writing, and in my experience they’re great for developing patience too.
8. Play dough. Hand strength isn’t just for bodybuilders – we all need it for writing, andplay dough is my favorite tool for developing hand strength. Just knead it, mold it, and have fun!
9.Toy figurines. These little toys may not look like much but they are stories waiting to be told – whether they’re animals, people, even famous landmarks. Children naturally turn into storytellers when they play with these.
10. Alphabet stamps. Use these stamps for making cards, posters, even writing letters. You can also use them in play dough for a fun sensory activity!.
NOTE: Do not use small items, such as beads and pencil toppers, to fill eggs for very young children, as these can be chocking hazards.
What do you put in your children’s Easter eggs? Tell us about it on Scholastic Parents Facebook Page!
Featured Photo Credit: Choreograph/Thinkstock
