Easter is an exciting time of year for young children, with Easter egg hunts, Easter baskets, and Easter bunnies. But why not add some literacy activities to the mix? Here are some fun Easter activities to do with your toddler and preschooler.

1. Easter crafts – Arts and crafts are always a hit with little ones. You can make Easter cards, decorate Easter eggs, or create an Easter-themed collage. You can use materials such as paper, paint, glitter, and stickers to let their creativity run wild. Your child can ‘sign’ the card or ‘write’ their own Easter message.
2. Easter baking – Baking is a fun activity to do with your little one. I LOVE baking with my son, and so does he! Easter is the perfect occasion to make some delicious treats. You can bake Easter cookies, cupcakes, or a bunny-shaped cake. Your little one can help you mix the ingredients, decorate the baked goods, and, of course, taste-test them. Read instructions, follow them and talk about what you are using, quantities, what to do (mixing, stirring etc..)
3. Easter sensory bin – Sensory bins are a great way to engage your little ones senses and encourage exploration. You can create an Easter-themed sensory bin using materials such as plastic eggs, shredded paper, grass, and small toys. Let your child explore the bin, and encourage them to touch and feel the different textures. This is a great opportunity for speaking and enhancing language development.
4. Easter dress-up – Dressing up for Easter is always fun. You can let your little one wear a cute Easter outfit, such as a bunny costume or a floral dress. Or, you can also make Easter-themed accessories, such as bunny ears or a flower crown. Talk about what you are doing and using, things to decorate with etc and get the language development and vocabulary growing!
5. Easter egg hunt with letters – Hide plastic Easter eggs around the house or garden, but instead of filling them with candy, fill them with letters. As your little one finds each egg, they can identify the letter and say a word that starts with that letter.
6. Bunny puzzle – Draw a large bunny on a piece of paper and cut it out into puzzle shaped pieces. Have your little one put the bunny back together while you talk about its different parts e.g ears, nose, tail, etc..
7. Easter storytime – Gather some Easter-themed books and read them with your little one. Reading is a fantastic way to encourage early literacy skills, and there are plenty of Easter-themed books to choose from. Some of our favourites include “The Easter Bunny That Overslept” by Priscilla and Otto Friedrich, “Llama Llama Easter Egg” by Anna Dewdney, and “Pete the Cat: Big Easter Adventure” by James Dean.
8. Bunny rhyme time – I love nursery rhymes! Encourage your child to make up silly rhymes about bunnies. For example, “Floppy bunny, hoppy bunny, likes to eat a carrot sunny!” You can also read rhyming books about bunnies or other Easter-related characters. And don’t forget the lovely song about the little bunnies sleeping until it’s nearly noon!
9. Spring vocabulary – Take a walk outside and point out all the new things that are popping up for spring – flowers, birds, butterflies, etc. Talk about the names of each of these things, and encourage your child to repeat them.
10. Easter storytelling – With your child, make up a story about the Easter Bunny and their adventures delivering Easter eggs. Encourage them to use descriptive words and phrases to make the story more interesting.
11. Egg carton matching – Cut an egg carton in half and write letters on the inside of each egg holder (tip: start with letters in your child’s name). Cut out small squares of paper and write a corresponding letter on each one. Have your preschooler match the letters.
12. Easter tracing – Draw Easter-themed shapes on a piece of paper (like eggs or bunnies) and have your little one trace those with markers, crayons or just their finger.
13. Easter speaking prompts – Create simple speaking prompts related to Easter such as “What does the Easter bunny do all day?” or “If you were an Easter egg, what colour would you be?” Make it fun and silly.
14. Easter alphabet playdough mats – Create playdough mats with each letter of the alphabet and Easter-themed images like bunnies, eggs, and chicks. Have your child practice forming each letter with playdough and say the letter sound.
15. Easter egg bowling: Set up a bowling alley in your home or backyard using cardboard tubes with plastic eggs balanced on top, as the pins. Use a soft ball and try to knock down the eggs to get a strike. Talk about what you are doing, count how many eggs are knocked down, keep score and discuss tactics!

These are just a few fun Easter literacy activities to do with your toddler and preschooler. Enjoy and happy Easter!

Karmal x

(Visit my website www.learninglighthouse.net for freebies!)

p.s. Don’t forget to download your free pdf detailing 5 easy activities for your toddler or preschooler here.

Need help with getting your preschooler to grow and thrive at home? My Developmental Activity Cards give you 30 simple play-based activities that support learning in a fun and playful way. I guide you through each activity step by step. Just click on the relevant link below to learn more about each set.

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