Toddlers want nothing more than to be involved in every single thing that you do. Cute? Yes. Handy? Not so much. But with a little ingenuity, we can always find a way to embrace their sweet little enthusiasm and give them something to do, play, explore and practice all the things little brains and bodies like to practice. So here’s my take on what Easter tree decorating for toddlers is all about.

Enjoy!

Easter tree decorating for toddlers

This Easter activity is so simple and therefor so genius.

As Mr Fox, who will be two (TWO!) next month, was getting all tangled in our Easter tree, I quickly decided to grab our cup holder and let him play with the wooden Easter eggs as much as he wants without destroying my carefully put together Easter tree arrangement I only worked half a day on.

Not expecting too much of it myself, Mr Fox surprised me by spending close to half an hour hanging Easter eggs in his ‘Easter tree’, taking them back down again, collecting them in his little tray and hanging them up again. It was such a success I felt I had to share.

Why do toddlers like this kind of activity so much?

Well, I have a thought or two on the subject.

1. Toddlers want to be part of what is going on, and while everyone around them is getting into a certain Easter spirit, they naturally want to take part in that as well. It’s a great way for the littlest ones to start grasping the concept of seasons and seasonal celebrations such as Easter and Christmas.

2. Toddlers want to physically get involved and preferably be given the freedom to do their own thing. Giving them their own tree and their own Easter eggs to decorate it with, without anyone telling then where it needs to go and that they can’t touch it anymore is pure Easter heaven for a toddler. If an activity is set up so they can completely self regulate, it teaches them SO much. The whole Montessori educational system is built on the idea that children need uninterrupted time to pursue their own interest and engage in thoughtfully set out activities that they can do independently. Activities

3. It fits their developmental level perfectly. This activity is very simple so it’s easy to stay focused on the ONE task at hand. It’s difficult enough to challenge their budding fine motor skills and easy enough to not get frustrated. The amount of eggs are perfect so they can complete ‘one round’ within a minute or two and can choose to have another go or be happy to leave it as it is. This ‘high success rate level’ is pretty important at that age!

So there you have it. Now all you need to do is find one of these wooden cup mug rack tree and get yourself a box of Easter egg decorations to hang. Put it all on a tray and you’re ready to go!

Should you be looking for more ideas to set up invitations to play, learn and explore throughout the year? I’ve collected a whole bunch of simple but cool ideas to play on a tray in this article. I’m confident there will be many ideas you’ll absolutely love.

Have fun!

Ann*

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