Happy spring, friends!

Warm days have returned, and I'm so excited about all the beauty and fun that this season brings. I have teamed up with Nellie's Free Range Eggs once again to bring you some ideas for hosting an Easter themed party, picnic, or playdate for your kids. This isn't your average party, either: I'll be sharing adorable deviled egg chicks and colorful eggshell planters that you and the kids can make together. Nothing says spring like chicks, fresh flowers, and pastels!

When the time came to throw this Easter themed party, the kids were looking forward to having a picnic outside, but unfortunately, it was a grey and rainy day in San Antonio. We didn't let that put a damper on our spirits, though: we just brought the fun indoors! Spring skies can be unpredictable, but luckily, this party is easy to host right in the comfort of your own home. The kids had a blast and enjoyed plenty of classic picnic foods, regardless of the weather.

If you would like to plan an Easter party for your little ones, I guarantee that you'll find some inspiration in this party guide. To make the event a memorable one, you don't have to go over the top. In fact, in my experience, simpler is better; it's all about having fun and creating special moments with your kids. So let's get the party started, my friends!

Easter party invitations

First things first: set the tone for your Easter event with themed invitations, which will give your guests an idea of what to expect. Will it be an Easter egg hunt? Easter brunch? An outdoor picnic? A potluck? Be sure to explain what type of event they are being invited to and whether you would like them to bring anything, such as food, rain boots, or an old t-shirt that they don't mind getting paint on. If you're feeling crafty, use contruction paper and other supplies from your local craft store to make each invitation colorful and festive!

Easter themed picnic menu

Planning the menu for a party is one of my favorite activities, and picnic menus in particular are my go-to, especially during spring. Combining store-bought items with a few homemade finger foods makes it easy to feed hungry kids!

Easter charcuterie

The star of my picnic menu for this Easter party was a spring charcuterie board complete with crackers and flower-shaped cheese made from cheese slices and a mini flower cookie cutter. I also added fruits and veggies, homemade energy balls (which are my kids' favorite snacks), and mini chocolate eggs to the board to ensure that the kids had access to a variety of yummy and nutritious snacks. There's really no right or wrong way to create a charcuterie board; simply add whatever you think your guests will enjoy the most!

Deviled egg chicks recipe

I wanted to make a homemade snack that my kids could help assemble, so I decided on these deviled eggs with a cute twist. Don't they look just like chicks? Since the party was being thrown for kids, I didn't want the flavors to be too complicated, so I just created a classic deviled eggs recipe with a yummy mustard and mayo yolk filling thick enough to be spooned into the egg whites with a cookie scoop.

My young kids were not so sure about peeling the hard-boiled eggs and using the cookie scoop, so I took care of that part, but they happily decorated the chicks using blue confetti sprinkles for eyes and carrot for the nose.

Making deviled eggs is a simple process and requires very few ingredients. I have been using Nellie's Free Range Eggs for a long time now, and I love how much brighter and darker the yolks are than most eggs you find at the grocery store. This is especially important when making these deviled eggs, as it gives the little chicks a beautiful yellow color. As you may have noticed, my family consumes a lot of eggs weekly, so my husband and I make sure we purchase the most nutritious, wholesome eggs for our family. Knowing that Nellie's Free Range Eggs are Certified Humane is very important to us.

Ingredients:

• 12 large Nellie's Free Range Eggs, hard-boiled and peeled
• 6 tablespoons high quality mayonnaise
• 3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Carrots, for decoration (nose)
• Sprinkles or capers, for decoration (eyes)

Directions:

• Cut off the top third of the hard-boiled eggs. Carefully remove the yolks and place them in a medium bowl.
• Add mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper to the yolks and mash together with a fork until well blended.
• Using a cookie scoop or two spoons, scoop the yolk mixture into the bottom portion of the egg whites. If your mixture is not firm enough to use a cookie scoop, add extra mashed, cooked yolks until desired consistency is achieved.
• Decorate finished eggs using a small triangle-shaped piece of carrot for the nose and sprinkles or capers for the eyes.

I let the kids enjoy their deviled egg chicks and charcuterie before moving on to the activity. The protein-rich deviled eggs and yummy snacks gave them the energy they needed to work on their spring eggshell planters later!

Easter themed activity

There are so many ways to celebrate Easter. Easter egg hunts are always exciting, but consider adding a craft or activity to your party plans so that the kids have time to wind down at the end of the day.

DIY eggshell planters

For my party activity, the kids and I decided to make planters out of eggshells. My kids absolutely loved putting these planters together! They thought it was fun and very relaxing (according to my son who usually can't sit still!). We splatter-painted the eggshells the day before the party so that they were ready to be turned into planters the day of. They turned out so festive and perfect for spring!

Supplies:

• Nellie's Free Range Eggs
• Acrylic paint
• Paint brushes
• Mini cups (disposable or whatever you use for crafting)
• Paper towels or newspaper
• Organic potting soil
• Spoons and bowls (disposable or whatever you use for crafting)
• Small fresh potted flowers
• Egg carton to display planters

Directions:

• Cover a flat surface with paper towels or newspaper to arrange your eggs. I recommend doing this process outside as it can get messy!
• Gently tap the top of each egg against a hard surface until it has started to crack. Carefully remove pieces of shell from the very top of the egg, leaving about three quarters of the remaining shell intact. Pour out the yolks and whites, then wash and fully dry the empty shells (adults can do this step ahead of time).
• Fill up mini cups with paint in the colors of your choice.
• Using a brush, start splattering paint by tapping your paint brush with your index finger. Let the shells dry completely.

Time for the kids to fill their planters!

• Fill up mini cups or bowls with potting soil and let the kids use spoons to carefully add soil to each egg.
• Gently remove small potted flowers from their soil, keeping the roots intact. Transfer the flowers to the eggshell planters.

This activity is not only loads of fun for the whole family, but it makes for a festive and decorative display for your kitchen or windowsill, too. These little planters will definitely brighten up any corner of your house!

I hope you enjoyed these Easter themed picnic party ideas, my friends! Happy party planning!

Did you throw an Easter themed picnic party? Tag your photos with #nelliesfreerange so we can see! Or click here to see our other themed parties in the series. And don't forget to check out Twinkle Twinkle Little Party for more inspiration.