Easter activities from the garden and kitchen
Easter is nearly upon us - and with that, comes an opportunity for spend meaningful time with your family, and create lasting memories together.
To help you out, we thought we’d share four fun ideas from the garden and kitchen, which the whole whānau can get involved with this Easter.
Natural Dyed Easter Eggs
Did you know that our kitchens are full of natural dyes? In fact, onion skins, avocado stones, and the tailings of red cabbage can all be used to transform plain white eggs into colourful Easter eggs!
Not only do these rainbow-coloured eggs look stunning as Easter decorations, but they also provide hours of entertainment (and plenty of rich learning opportunities) for tamariki, as they experiment with the various colours that different fruit and vegetable scraps can produce.
It’s simple to do - just bring your chosen food scrap to a boil with some water. Once cooled and strained, add your hard-boiled eggs. When the egg has reached the desired colour, remove it, pat it dry … and admire it!
Egg Box Treasure Hunt
Treasure hunts also make for a fun learning experience - and one that the whole family can get behind!
For a fun twist on the classic kids activity, arm your tamariki with their very own treasure box, in the form of an egg box - and challenge them to fill it with natural items.
Depending on their age, you could have them collect items of certain colours, shapes, textures, sizes, or types.
Carrots for the Easter Bunny
We all know that bunnies love carrots - including the Easter Bunny!
Why not get your tamariki involved in harvesting carrots? Autumn is the perfect time for doing so - and with the help of some well-prepared, free-draining soil, and a sunny spot in the garden, these versatile vegetables will be ready for you all to enjoy for dinner in just a few months.
For something a little different, windowsill gardening can be a fun experience for children - with carrots making for a fantastic homegrown harvest, only requiring a small pot or window box.
Plus, growing carrots indoors means the temperature and moisture levels can easily be monitored and controlled - which can spark rich conversations for you and your tamariki about what plants need to thrive.
Get Creative with Your Carrot Tops
Do you throw away the lanky greens on top of your carrots? As surprising as it may be, these tops are actually edible. And, with a sweet earthy flavour, and a few bitter notes, they’re delicious!
This Easter, why not have your children getting creative in the kitchen, finding ways to make the most of your carrot tops?
There are plenty of ways to use them - whether it’s in a soup, hummus, salads, or even smoothies. But, we have a soft spot for carrot top pesto - which is perfect for eating as a dip, or pairing with pasta, meat, or fish.
Not only is this a unique way to reduce food waste (something we are passionate about, here at Garden to Table) - but seen as carrot tops are rich in in vitamin C, vitamin K, and potassium, it’s a great way to squeeze in some extra nutrients too.
Happy Easter!
We hope these activities provide you and your family with an opportunity to spend time together creating lasting memories this Easter.
We always love hearing what tamariki get up to in the garden and kitchen over Easter - why not share your favourite activity with us via Facebook and Instagram?