BigBrownMonster

Easter is round the corner and it’s time for eggs, rabbits and *hush* chocolates.

This activity revolves around the premise of Mr Easter Bunny finding his eggs which are hidden away behind windows of a residential block. So kiddo is tasked to help Mr Easter Bunny find those eggs by understanding parent’s hints and through his/her observation of the drawings of the windows.

The ‘making-of activity’ was conducted in 2 parts, hence it’s probably good to have them done over 2 sessions.

Part 1 involved getting Kiddo to draw, colour, cut out Mr Easter Bunny and the 6 eggs.

• Take the opportunity to talk about bunnies, easter, eggs and yes, chocs. But more importantly, kiddo should start learning how to handle scissors (kiddy types) on top of the usual drawing of shapes and colouring skills.
• Mr Bunny is taped to 1 end of an ice cream stick for kiddo to hold.
• The eggs can be painted/ coloured/ decorated on 1 side.
• Use bits of sticky putty to adhere eggs to windows later.

Part 2 required an apartment block’s facade to be drawn and constructed out of a cardboard box (I recycled a diaper carton in this instance).

• Point out to kiddo about where he/she and others live. An opportunity for kiddo to imagine/remember what others’ living spaces may be like. If you have a view of your neighbours’ windows, it’s probably a good opportunity for kiddo to observe certain details (curtains, blinds, potted plants, pets etc)
• Take the artistic license to create interesting takes on who and what may live in places kiddo picks out. You may draw more windows on separate pieces of cardboards and stick them onto existing ones to give variety for future play.
• It is important that the drawings of windows, their inhabitants and activities are recognisable but allow kiddo to help colour them.
• Create tabs on the windows for ease of opening by kiddo.
• Create a base so that the box can stand upright.

How to play:

1. Tell kiddo that Mr Bunny needs to find eggs hidden behind the windows. Spell out how many eggs she has to find.
2. Tell kiddo that she must listen carefully which window you are describing. Place ONLY 1 EGG AT A TIME FOR EVERY QUESTION YOU ASK.
3. Depending on kiddo’s language and comprehension abilities, questions may be vary in terms of complexities. Remember, always give kiddo hints to guide him/her in their attempts:
   • E.g. Straightforward: The egg is behind the window……with an animal that goes ‘meow meow’. What animal goes meow meow?
   • E.g. Need to infer a little more: Someone has found the egg but he has to go soon. So he is saying byebye. Which window is it?
   • E.g Need to understand spatially: The egg is 2 floors above the window with the red flowers. It’s the window on the left. Do you know which window is it?

   

4. Get kiddo to point to the window with Mr Bunny in hand and allow him/her to peel off the egg from behind the window after it’s being located and get her to stick it on side of the cardboard house as he/she goes through the game.
5. Congratulate kiddo once all eggs are found.
6. Stick on new window cards to allow yourself to ask new questions if kiddo wants to continue playing.

Another way of playing is to play it as a memory game.

1. Have numerals 1-6 written on the other side of the eggs.
2. Stick them on in a random order.
3. Open the windows and show them where the eggs are. May want to have kiddo handle the box for a while so he/she can remember the placement of the eggs.
4. Ask kiddo to return the box and get Mr Bunny to pick out eggs 1-6 in ascending order.
5. Allow only eggs to be peeled off in the order you want.
6. If kiddo’s good then it’d be a quick game. If hints are needed, refer to how they can be asked from the above game.
7. Once all eggs are found, congratulate kiddo and him/her to arrange eggs in the order you want on the table/ stick onto the box.

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