There are so many ways to incorporate Easter into your home, and what better way than with something homemade?
But if you have a new baby, it can feel overwhelming, particularly if you've just celebrated your baby's first Christmas too... so many things to plan for!
If you do want to take part and make some nice Easter keepsakes or cards to give to your family, then here are a few very simple ideas for you to make at home. These designs are easy enough so that you can celebrate your baby’s first Easter and allows you to make treasured memories at the same time... and the best part is that it won’t take long to do either!
Easter Craft Essentials
You'll need some craft items before you begin making anything, and it’s a good idea to purchase some baby-friendly paints before embarking on any projects so that they won’t affect their delicate skin.
I can recommend the Crayola Washable Paint Set which is non-toxic and a water based paint, so even if it gets on any clothes, it washes out. My son has sensitive skin and we have never had an issue with this paint; it is great for prints.
Other things you will need are some pieces of card, white preferably so the paint stands out but you could also use Easter colours such as pastel shades. You also need a small soft paintbrush for painting the skin, and some coloured pens for the details once the paint is dry.
Hand Prints
Hand Prints are relatively simple to do with a little one; the hardest part is getting the baby or toddler to open their hand flat for the print. You may need to do a few trial and error efforts, but once you’ve got a print you can make it into an Easter friend.
I recommend doing a yellow print and making it into a baby chick once it is dry, simply use an orange and black pen for the details, like I did with my son's hand below. If you have a large piece of card, you could even make a family of chicks with the whole family's hand prints!
Foot Prints
Footprints can be a little trickier, but just make sure you’re supporting your baby and use gravity to set their foot down from a held standing position.
If you have a newborn baby, then I would recommend you put the paint on their foot and then bring the paper to them instead while they are lying down.
You can do a Rabbit or Easter Bunny with a foot or even a Bunny and a giant Carrot like we have done.
Remember where on the card to place the foot or hand if you want to turn these into folded cards for your loved ones, you will need to fold it across the middle, either horizontally or vertically in order for it to stand. Or you can cut out any designs or prints once dry and glue them onto a new piece of folded card. If you choose to cut out the prints then make as many prints on an A4 page as possible to save on paper.
Fingerprint Painting
Another fun card for the whole family is fingerprint painting, and turning those ovals into Easter Eggs!
Simply get everyone to do five to ten fingerprints across an A4 page, use multiple Easter colours, and then once it’s dry, you can decorate your eggs using pens. Fold it up once you’re done to make a fun and unique Easter card.
Check out how ours turned out! Get everyone to write in it and don’t forget to add the date to the back as well as a reminder of your baby's first Easter.
This one is great fun for all members of the family to do, and is less messy than painting an entire extremity like a hand. Simply dip the finger into a paint pot or the lid and gently press flat against the paper to create the oval print. Once dry go around some of the ovals with a pen, making little egg shapes, use patterns to make them into Easter eggs.
Handprint Family Portrait
Another lovely idea is to have a descending handprint across one large piece of paper. Start with the person in the family who has the biggest hands, and once that person’s print is dry the next person adds their hand and so on.
The newborn baby is last to place their hand, and then you write next to each hand print to whom it belongs to, then pop the date at the bottom. It’s a great way to compare how children’s hands grow by every Easter, and you can do a new portrait of everyone’s hands each year.
Baby Easter Photoshoot
Lots of people like to take a photo of their baby dressed up, you could buy an outfit or some Rabbit ears, but a cheaper way to take an Easter photo, is simply to repurpose what you already have at home.
For instance, I use a blanket in a basket, place your baby inside it comfortably and surround them with Easter-related items. Eggs, plants, flowers, chicks, rabbits etc, no matter if they're cuddly toys, drawings, real eggs or chocolate eggs, whatever you have to hand that reminds you of Easter.
Use some letters to spell out their name or write Easter 2023, and experiment with taking pictures at a few angles with the basket on a neutral background, such as a wooden floor or a plain carpet.
If you don’t have a decorative basket large enough for the baby to lay inside, you could use a Moses basket or a Pram Carry Cot that lays flat. Simply decorate it with a throw like I have in my photographs, and use any Easter-related items you may have around the home. Most homes have a Rabbit cuddly toy, for instance.
It doesn’t matter if your baby falls asleep during the photoshoot either; you can quickly place Easter eggs around them and toys. Just remember to remove all the items as soon as you have taken any pictures and place your baby back into their usual safe sleeping environment.
The most time-consuming part of a photoshoot is the setup; once you have that you can place your baby on or inside and take your pictures. Being at home is also more comfortable for everyone involved and a familiar place for a newborn.
Family Portrait Tips
If you are looking to do a family portrait for Easter, my top three tips are:
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Seat everyone in one place in a neutral setting, such as a sofa against a plain wall
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Tidy any mugs and mess out of view.
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Place your mobile phone on a flat surface opposite the sofa with the camera on self-timer mode because this gives you chance to press it and then get into position.
To make an Easter photoshoot fun for a family, you could all wear Rabbit ears, floral clothing, each person could have an egg to hold, or everyone could dress up in costume. But whatever you decide to do just don’t forget to smile!
Wishing you all a wonderful Easter, and I hope I have inspired you to give some crafts a good go this Spring season!
