If your children enjoy making things, then Easter-themed crafts can keep them busy for a while. Good staples include making Easter cards, creating a miniature Easter garden, making Easter decorations for your home or decorating eggs. If you’re opting to decorate eggs, hard boil some eggs, leave them to cool, then decorate them with painted designs, or transform them into shiny creations with glue and glitter (decorated eggs are best not eaten, so keep these for decorative purposes only!).

The Make and colour section of the CBeebies website is a great source of inspiration for more craft activities. The Funky Birds Nest activity is particularly appropriate for this time of year, as you can make a nest with little chicks to go inside it, then fill it up with mini chocolate eggs when Easter arrives.

For edible Easter goodies, why not have a baking session? These delicious Easter egg nests are perfect for children of all ages to make, as they don’t require much cooking - the hardest part may be waiting for them to set before eating them! Older children could try making hot cross buns or traditional simnel cake.

In theory, the spring weather should bring with it some sunny days, but whether it’s sunny or not, it’s always good to get out and about in the fresh air. A good free activity for an afternoon is a nature walk in the countryside. If you’re feeling organised, you could prepare a list of things to spot, or make it up as you go along. Good seasonal natural aspects to spot include ducks, ducklings, swans, cygnets, different shaped leaves, lambs, blossom on trees or spring flowers. 

Alternatively, you could have a refreshing walk by the sea, collecting seashells along the way or looking in rock pools to see what life you can see. For children who love exploring nature, the Wildlife Trust often runs good events for children, especially in school holidays. You can search for events in your area on their website.

If you’ve got bikes, or don’t mind hiring them, then another nice way of spending a morning or an afternoon is to go on a family bike ride. For cycle route ideas, check out Sustrans. If the weather turns windy, you could try your hand at teaching your children to fly a kite.

A visit to a National Trust property is a favourite for us and there are usually Easter-themed activities for children, such as special trails around the gardens. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) hosts child-friendly events too, such as the Easter weekend family garden trail at RHS Wisley.

One of the highlights of the Easter holidays when I was young was taking part in an Easter egg hunt and it’s great fun to re-create this for the younger generation. It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate or large scale, and it can be inside or out. Simply hunting for a secret hidden egg can provide heaps of excitement for young children.

You could also look out for an organised Easter egg hunt taking place locally. For an atmospheric location, the Forestry Commission is running various egg hunts in forests in England, Scotland and Wales. Enjoy England also have some Easter egg hunts listed.

The sound of several weeks off over the Easter holidays may seem like a lot to fill, but when you’ve packed it full of varied activities, the time will fly! 

Rachel Newcombe is a freelance writer.