On the Hunt

The kids enjoyed a couple different egg hunts this year.

The first was at a park, with our homeschool co-op.  The ladies who organized that event did and awesome job hiding a zillion eggs all over the park.  Each kid was told to collect 20 eggs (to make sure everyone got some).  Our kids had a blast. 

Jersey #5 did not reach 20 eggs before he decided to stop and check out what was inside those eggs.  He was too curious about the contents of the eggs, to care about reaching the maximum limit.

Jersey #3 made me proud.  He found 3 boys from his previous co-op classes, and they decided to hunt together.  As soon as the announcement was made that they could begin, the four boys ran off toward the eggs.  Jersey #3 found the first egg, picked it up, and immediately handed it over to his friend.  That friend's Mom happened to be watching.  She approached me to tell me what my son had done, and how impressed she was with him.  She says usually the kids are thinking about collecting the eggs for themselves.  She was amazed that Jersey #3 gave up his first egg for his friend.  He has such a kind heart.  What a kid!

We also enjoyed an egg hunt in our own backyard on Sunday afternoon.  I used the eggs that the kids' gathered at the co-op egg hunt, and filled them with jelly beans.  Our puppies were so curious about the new "toys" in the backyard, that they started to hunt them even before the kids could get outside.  The puppies would steal and egg, eat the candy out of it, and then replace the egg in a new location.  They were easy to spot because the egg was open.  Silly puppies.  It added a new element of competition to the egg hunt to have to race against the puppies as well as the siblings.

We add an element of education to our "prize egg."  

All of the eggs are filled with candy, except 1.  The prize egg is the empty egg.  Inside the empty egg is written, "Empty.  He is risen!"  As Christians, that is the whole point of our Easter celebration:  the tomb is empty!  God is SO powerful, HE conquered death.  This is the exact thing I want my children to learn and realize.  Incorporating an empty egg into our egg hunt, helps even the youngest of children understand the concept of empty.  They will build on this to an understanding of why it is so important that Jesus did not stay dead.  He rose from the dead, and we have an opportunity to spend forever in heaven with Him!    

Jersey #3 found the empty egg this year.  He was so excited!