Put on your Easter Bonnet

Easter is fast approaching, so why not get creative and decorate your own Easter bonnet? I remember doing them as a child. I didn't necessarily enjoy wearing them myself, but I loved designing and making them. Have fun and be creative!!

When researching the history behind the Easter Bonnet, I discovered that an Easter Bonnet parade began in New York during the 1870's. The parade gave people the opportunity to show off their new Easter clothes. Women would wear their new Easter hat (Easter bonnet) during this parade.This Easter Parade song on YouTube, gives an example of what the parade was like. For more information check out Wikipedia

Who can play?

The activity is best suited for children aged two years and above, but this all depends on their age and stage of development. If the decorations have a sticky back, younger children would also enjoy this activity (under close supervision)

Safety:

As with any activity, it is best to supervise young children.

What do I need?

• Stick on Easter felt decorations and flowers bought from your local craft/dollar store
• Glue
• Hat
• Ribbons

What did we do?

1. To set up the area, I placed some newspaper on the table to protect it. I then arranged the Easter felt decorations in a tray for easy access and placed the hats next to them. 
   
2. Choose your favourite colour hat and begin sticking on your preferred decorations. If not using sticky back decorations, you may need to apply glue at this point. Bee chose just to use the patterned eggs. When I offered the other items, she said "no thanks, I just want the eggs". This was OK, because it was her personal choice. We talked about what patterns she could see on the eggs.
   
   
   
   
3. We wrapped a ribbon around the hat and tied it with a bow (Bee needed help with this)
4.  We sang along and watched the Easter Parade song and Bee commented on all the pretty hats she could see. 
5. We plan to wear our bonnet during our Easter egg hunt on Sunday.

What did we learn?

• Communication and language-Speaking and listening. Talking about what they are doing.
• Physical development- Fine and large manipulative skills and  coordination.
• Personal, social and emotional- Self help, fun and enjoyment. Pride from finished product.
• Mathematics- Shapes and developing a concept of space. Patterns on the eggs
• Understanding of the world- Learning about culture and the world around them
• Expressive arts and design- Designing your own hat. Being creative.

What could be done next?

• Read Mrs Honey's hat. A lovely book about a lady who has a hat. The objects on the hat are swapped by different animals whilst she is at the park. Happy Little Munchkins have a great activity to accompany this.
• Older children may enjoy designing their hat first on paper and then making it.
• Make your own hat out of card.
• Decorate an Easter basket to go along with your beautiful Easter bonnet.
• Hold an Easter bonnet competition on Easter Sunday. The best hat wins a small egg/gift.
• Have an Easter bonnet parade
• Have a mad hatters tea party.