FOR EASTER THIS YEAR, I DECIDED TO CELEBRATE AT HOME INSTEAD OF FIGHTING THE CROWDS AT LOCAL EVENTS. I CREATED AN EASTER PARTY JUST FOR MY TWO KIDS. I PURCHASED A LARGE STUFFED BUNNY WITH FLOPPY EARS ON THE CHEAP AT MARSHALLS ($4.00) AND GOT AN IDEA FOR A SCAVENGER HUNT PARTY. MY LITTLE ONES LOVE DORA AND HER MAP, SO WE WENT ON LINE AND DOWNLOWDED PICTURES OF DORA'S MAP, BOOTS, TICO, DORA. WE CREATED A MAP OF OUR CONDO WITH THE CHARACTERS TO DECORATE THE BORDERS AND EACH LANDMARK. WE MADE A TRAIL THAT TOOK THEM ROOM TO ROOM. EACH ROOM HAD A LITTLE SURPISE WAITING FOR THEM. WE NORMALLY HAVE 3 OR 4 EASTER BASKETS PER CHILD FROM DIFFERENT RELATIVES. TO MAKE THE HUNT MORE INTERESTING I PUT ONE BASKET (PER CHILD) IN EACH ROOM. I PUT MY BASKETS ON THEIR BEDS. I PUT GRANDMA'S BASKETS IN THE KITCHEN, AND GODMOTHER'S BASKETS ON THE FLOOR IN THE MASTER BEDROOM. ONE SAT ON A LARGE TONKA TRUCK IN THE CENTER OF THE ROOM, THE OTHER WAS HIDDEN NEXT TO THE BED BEHIND THE MISSING STUFFED BUNNY. TO START THE FESTIVITIES, THEY WERE HANDED PLUSH ANIMAL EGG BASKETS TO COLLECT THEIR EGGS WHEN THEY WALKED THROUGH THE DOOR . I SPREAD THE EGGS OUT ON MY LIVINGROOM FLOOR.(EASY TO FIND FOR TODDLERS)I BOUGHT SOME PREFILLED NICK JR. EGGS TO GO ALONG WITH THE THEME. I ALSO MIXED IN REGULAR SOLID COLORED CANDY STUFFED EGGS, ACTIVITY EGGS, AND EGGS WITH TOYS INSIDE. I ALSO FOUND PLUSH BUNNY EARS FOR A $1.00 AT A LOCAL STORE WHICH THEY WERE GIVEN ALONG WITH THEIR BASKETS. (SO CUTE FOR PICTURES!) I ALSO INFLATED 10 YELLOW HAPPY FACE BALLOONS AND SPREAD THEM ACROSS THE LIVING ROOM FLOOR. IT REALLY MADE THE ROOM LOOK FESTIVE. I LET THEM ENJOY EGG COLLECTING (AND EATING OF CANDY) FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES. WHEN THEY WERE SETTLED IN, I RAN IN FROM THE KITCHEN AND EXCLAIMED, WE HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM! DAFFODIL'S COUSIN IS MISSING AND WE HAVE TO FIND HIM. SHE NEEDS HELP FINDING THE MISSING BUNNY!" (DAFFODIL IS MY DAUGHTER'S SMALL STUFFED BUNNY)THE LOOK ON MY KID'S FACES WERE ADORABLE "WHO DO WE ASK FOR HELP WHEN WE NEED TO FIND SOMETHING?" THEY IMMEDIATELY YELLED "MAP!" THEY WERE HANDED THE MAP AND THE SEARCH WAS ON. FIRST STOP WAS THEIR BEDROOM WHERE THEY FOUND THEIR FIRST BASKETS ON THEIR BEDS. "IT LOOKS LIKE THE BUNNY HAS BEEN HERE HE LEFT YOU GUYS SOME BASKETS." THE NEXT STOP WAS THE KITCHEN WHERE WE HID GRANDMA'S BASKETS. THEN THE FINAL STOP WAS THE MASTER BEDROOM. THEY IMMEDIATELY WENT FOR THE BASKET ON THE TONKA TRUCK. I THEN LET THEM CIRCLE THE ROOM UNTIL I FINALLY HEARDMOMMY I FOUND THE MISSING BUNNY! IT WAS GREAT. WE FINISHED EVERYTHING OFF WITH EASTER CUPCAKES THAT I BAKED AND DECORATED THE NIGHT BEFORE. SOME WERE DECORATED AS BUNNIES SOME AS FLOWERS AND EASTER EGGS. WITH THE LEFT OVER BATTER I ALSO MADE AN EGG SHAPED CAKE. I USED REGULAR WHITE FROSTING TO FROST THE CAKE AND THEN USED WILTON ICING IN A CAN TO DECORATE IT. THE WILTON CANS OF ICING ARE GREAT THEY EVEN COME WITH DIFFERENT LITTLE TUBES THAT MAKE DIFFERENT DESIGNS. (LIKE LEAF SHAPES STARS ETC.) I MADE THE EASTER BASKETS MYSELF. I SPLURGED A LITTLE THIS YEAR BUT THE STORE READY- MADE BASKETS DIDN'T HAVE ANY TOYS MY KIDS WOULD REALLY ENJOY. FOR MY DAUGHTER I BOUGHT THREE DISNEY PRINCESS BATH DOLLS. IT HAD ARIEL CINDERELLA AND SLEEPING BEAUTY. (ON SALE AT TOYSRUS FOR $9.99 A PIECE.) I ARRANGED THE DOLLS IN THE BASKET AND SURROUNDED THEM WITH ASSORTED CHOCOLATES. (CADBURY EGGS WILLY WONKA EGGS PETER RABIT CHOCOLATES ETC.) FOR MY SON I USED AN EASTER BOWL INSTEAD OF A BASKET LOOKED REALLY CUTE AND ALSO HAD MORE ROOM FOR THE TOYS. I BOUGHT THREE LITTLE SETS OF HIGGLY TOWN HEROES FIGURINES. (ALSO ON SALE AT MY LOCAL TOYS R US FOR $4.00 A PIECE)I ARRANGED TWO SIDE BY SIDE AND STACKED THE THIRD ON TOP. SINCE MY SON DOESN'T LIKE SWEETS I STUFFED SOME INDIVIDUAL SIZED POTATO CHIP BAGS AND CHEETO BAGS IN FRONT OF THE TOYS. (I THINK HE ENJOYED THE CHIPS MORE THAN THE TOYS!)THEN I FINISHED OFF WITH A CELLO BAG AND CURLY STRING. (I DID THIS FOR BOTH BASKETS.)MY KIDS ARE STILL TALKING ABOUT HOW THEY FOUND THE MISSING BUNNY AND ARE STILL PLAYING WITH THE MAP. OVERALL I THINK THEY HAD A FUN EASTER AND THE PARTY WAS A SUCCESS. I THINK WE MAY MAKE THIS A FAMILY TRADITION. "