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Easter Crafts-What Fun!

Have fun and help your kids understand that giving is as much a part of Easter as it is for Christmas. After all, Jesus gave us new life through his death and resurrection.

Even small children can pop a candy or two into a plastic egg, affix an Easter sticker on each side and take them either to a local nursing home or, if you're brave enough, to a soup kitchen. Go with the kids, certainly, but have them go around the tables with baskets and personally hand out the decorated eggs. In either case, call ahead for numbers needed.

Crafts at home can be fun, too. Let the kids decorate the eggs for your family or friend-and-family Easter egg hunt. Stick Easter stickers on a few of the finished creations yourself before hiding them. Have a basket of prizes to give to those who collect one of these.

Because children's parties are so overdone these days, keep prizes simple, but fun. Crayons and a drawing pad for one, small stuffed bunnies and chicks, stickers, other fun items that won't break the budget (and maybe teach kids that it's just fun to compete). Don't give candy. Kids get too much in Easter baskets. The last thing you need is hyperactive, sugar-laden children before the holiday!

A fun craft for older children is making an Eye of God decoration using small bits of yarn and craft sticks. This craft fascinated my children and my grandchildren, as well as countless numbers of Sunday school and Kid's Club members. It isn't necessarily related to Easter, but I've used it for many holidays.

Legend has it that Indians placed Eyes of God on the church alter to watch over those who prayed. Find one such legend and easy instructions at http://www.caron-net.com/kidfi les/kidsapr.html.

This also can be used as a friendship/caring project or for name markers at your holiday dinner. To make name markers, place each Eye of God in plaster of Paris or hardening putty inside a hair spray or other plastic lid that is about an inch across. Let harden, then use blank adhesive labels with guest names written in the center. Affix small Easter stickers at each side.

Spend part of Saturday with your kids, baking and decorating bunny and chick Easter cookies. Any sugar cookie recipe will work, even boxed mixes.

For small fingers, provide colorful candy sprinkles as decorations on the cut cookies before they are baked. And do let even young ones help with the cutting. Older children love to decorate with the small tubes of sweetened food coloring (and more sprinkles).

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