Mommy Arts & Crafts

Find-the-egg Scrolls

   I was mulling on the idea of holding a stay-at-home Easter Egg Hunt for the boys and I wanted it to be a learning experience.  So I decided to create riddles.  I created find-the-egg scrolls.

   First, we needed the eggs, but I didn’t want to use hard-boiled eggs so I used plastic toy eggs instead.  I recovered the old toy eggs from our junk pile (whew! good thing I found them) and let the boys decorate them.

   We used scrap materials of course – old folders, used gift wrappers, even puncher hole circles for the eyes.  We had fun decorating!

   You should have heard them chatter while they were at it.

   Ryan exclaimed, “How will we know which one is mine and which one is Raffy’s?  We can’t mark 'R' coz we’re both 'R'!  I know, I’ll use 'Y' and Raffy can use 'A'!”

   “I’ll make hats!”  Raffy declared (of course it is Mommy who’d make them, they will just cut, tape and paste, but I don’t mind).  Soon enough, the hats became crowns (good, much easier that way).

   It turned out Raffy’s eggs became the Royal “A” Family.  And since Ryan’s had capes, his eggs became the Superhero “Y” Family.

 Meet Raffy's eggies - Queen, King and Prince and Princess

Ryan's eggies are the Superhero "Y" Family

   Then I had to compose the riddles.  I wanted it to be simple yet not too easy and I wanted it to relate to Jesus too.  So here’s how some of them went:

      Jesus warned Peter "before the cock crows" and this eggie is there now where he grows.

      Climb up a hundred steps it seems, for the eggie is on top under the beams.

      By the manger where Jesus was born, the eggie sits looking forlorn.

      Where cookies are made and pancakes on top, the eggie sits inside ready to pop.

   I teamed up with Daddy when it came time to hide the eggs.  I hid them as he guarded the boys so they can’t see.  After hiding them, I declared, “Mommy Goose has laid the eggs!”

   “Let me at ‘em!” Raffy shouted.  “Me first!”  Ryan screamed.  They already decided who picks a riddle first with a round of bato-bato-pick.

   It turned out to be a fun-filled home-made stay-at-home Easter Egg Hunt.  I also planned the hunt to be argue-free.  That’s why the find-the-egg scrolls and the eggs had Raffy and Ryan versions.

 The "Y" Family in a wonderful pose on a tree trunk.

Oh no!  They rolled down!

   “Ryan, Raffy, don’t tell if you see an egg if it’s not your turn.” I reminded.  Daddy didn’t know where I hid the eggs so it was fun for him too – but his role was to help the boys with the riddles.

“Raffy, no running!”

“Yey! There you are!  You naughty eggie you.”

   I tell you the moment was priceless.

It took some effort balancing these on the swing eh Raffy?

 The Prince and the Princess

    Of course, I inserted questions to remind them of the meaning of the season.

“What day is it today?”  Easter Sunday!

“What does it mean?”  When Jesus became born again!

   So that’s why we’re having fun, we’re celebrating!

   “What does Easter mean, Mommy?” Ryan asked.

Hmnn, that is tricky – I couldn’t tell him the reason for the pagan custom, now can I?

   “It’s an old custom that has nothing to do with Jesus, but we’re just using it to play a game.” 

 Ryan posing with his eggie family.

 Raffy thinks he's the dragon scaring the princess.

 

“Raffy, can you spell riddle?”

“R-I-D-D-L-E”

I believe my job here was done.