7 Tips for Grandparents at Easter

Easter is right around the corner, and that means it's time to get your ducks in a row (and not just on your mantle).

We’ve compiled 7 tips to make sure your grandkids will be begging to stay at Grammy’s house for years to come.

1. Plan the Day Ahead of Time

Even if you’re not a planner, there are a few things you need to figure out before the celebrations begins.

Check the weather. Will it be nice enough to do things outside or will you have to make inside plans? If it’s supposed to rain (and there’s a decent chance it will thanks to April showers), do you have extra umbrellas for the ones who never remember them?

Make sure your menu for the day is mom and dad approved. Maybe little Joey suddenly only eats foods that are white. Maybe little Anna has a serious sweet tooth and won’t eat anything else if she sees chocolate.

It also doesn’t hurt to get a quick routine update from the parents. Are Joey and Anna in desperate need for a nap by 2pm? Do they need to be home by 5 to finish their homework?

Find out the little details and plan your day around them. The stress levels will be far lower, you’ll cut out any last-minute trips to the grocery store, and you’ll dodge unexpected temper tantrums.

2. Have an Easter Egg Hunt

Nothing screams Easter like an Easter Egg Hunt!

Some families use real dyed eggs, while others use plastic eggs filled with candy. Avoid filling any egg containers with non-edible items like erasers or stickers, because some kids assume it’s candy and might start eating it (not fun).

Also, if you’re using plastic eggs, be sure to tape them shut. We don’t know about you, but if our candy fell out onto the ground, we might start crying…

While choosing Easter candy, keep in mind that for kids, quantity is much more important than quality. The more candy they find, the more excited they get. Don’t bust your budget on gourmet treats — instead, go for the inexpensive favorites like jellybeans, small chocolates, and gummy animals.

Whatever you do, don’t hide the eggs outside more than an hour before your planned start time. You don’t want to cancel the hunt because a raincloud decided to pop up unexpectedly.

3. Decorate Eggs

Dying and decorating eggs is a tradition as old as time. Many families will do this the night before Easter, while some like doing it the day of. (What do you do? Post in the comment section below!)

Kids love being crafty, so make sure you have all the supplies you need beforehand. Pick up a simple egg decorating kit, and if you’re feeling extra creative, maybe some rhinestones, stickers, glitter, thread, gold and copper leaf, or (gasp) paint.

Decorating Easter eggs is an easy way to keep your grandkids entertained.

4. Have Some Crafts and Games Ready to Go

If you’re not keeping the kids busy, the doors open up to lots of unwarranted events (raiding your pantry, getting stuck somewhere, or painting a mural on your bedroom wall).

Stock up on some crafts and games. All you need is some coloring books, maybe a finger painting station, and a board game for backup.

You can even be a Super Nana and have a dedicated craft for the day. Bunny paper plates or a Peep house, anyone?

5. Have Easter Movies Running (or Run to the Theater)

During the Christmas season, we can’t help but have holiday tunes playing in the background. The same concept goes for Easter.

If you want to switch it up, have a classic Easter-time movie play in the background! It’ll give the bored ones something to focus on, and it’ll add a nice festive touch to your home.

We can’t help but recommend It's The Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown (1974) and Peter Cottontail — The Movie (2006).

If you want to go above and beyond and have some serious time to fill, take the kiddos to the theater. Here are some kid-friendly movies that’ll be showing in Decatur, IL around Easter 2019:

• Dumbo (released March 29)
• Missing Link (released April 12)
• Wonder Park (released March 15)
• How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (released February 22)
• Penguins (Disneynature) (released April 17)

6. Set Some Boundaries

While your main objective of this day is to have fun, things can get out of control behind your back.

Before you start anything, make sure everyone is on the same page (kids and parents).

Find out any eating rules, bedtime preferences, TV limitations, and so on. You know how hard it can be to get children to stick to the rules. The last thing you want is your lovely grandchild running to her parents saying, “But Grandma let me do that!”

Once you figure out those rules, make sure to voice any of your own. Maybe you don’t want kids eating in the living room (new carpet!), or perhaps you don’t want them messing with your Easter decorations (very pricey!).

While a tantrum-free visit isn’t guaranteed, making sure everyone is on the same page can lower the tension and ease stress.

7. Enjoy the Day!

While there’s so much you want to fit into the day, make sure that in the end, you’re enjoying it. Soak up the precious moments with your grandkids, and don’t take anything too seriously.

The egg dye didn’t turn out? The DVD has a scratch and won’t play? The cupcakes you made burnt? It’s all OK. Easter is a happy celebration, and as long as everyone is together, there’s nothing to worry about.

After all, you do have the peace of mind in knowing you can hand those little ones back to their parents at the end of the day.

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