Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in new orleans, LA

Best Bet: Easter

by Kelly Leahy

April 10, 2009

Easter is coming up fast. The Husband and I have already broken into the candy necessitating another trip to Target this weekend. In addition to last minute shopping trips, there are other plenty of other fun things fit for families this holiday weekend.

First off there is the Crescent City Classic, a 10K race that goes down Esplanade Avenue and ends at City Park which would be a nice place for a family picnic.

There are the parades on Easter Day. There are the big ones in the Quarter and then there's the random one that goes down my street every year without fail. I'm guessing I'm not the only one to witness the spontaneous unexplained parade phenomenon in this city.

Finally, there is food. If you have plans to boil this weekend, be sure to reserve your crawfish now as there will be a run on them today (Friday) and many (all?) seafood shops are closed Sunday. If you are looking for a Sunday brunch there are places still taking reservations. A brief rundown of some of the more popular can be found here.

 

 

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5 Ways to Green Up Your Easter

by Kelly Leahy

April 07, 2009

Here are five easy ways to make your Easter a little safer for your preschooler as well as the Earth.

1. Use natural egg dyes. Martha Stewart's website has recipes for creating natural egg dyes using cabbage, tumeric, beets and onions. A surprising array of colors result from using this technique and none of them are DayGlo.
2. Ditch the plastic grass. Years ago in a pinch I filled our Easter basket with shredded paper and have been doing it ever since. The cats don't eat it, it uses up some left over green paper and I can compost it when we are through. A paper shredder is highly recommended though it could be done by hand.
3. Think quality, not quantity. Forgo the high-fructose corn syrup filled goods and choose a few fair trade chocolates for the kids to share. Whole Foods has a good selection of organic candy year round.
4. Reuse the same Easter basket year after year. Set it out empty for the Easter bunny to fill overnight. You can also reuse the same plastic eggs for the annual hunt.
5. When filling the basket, choose items that can be used by your preschooler year round. The One Spot at Target has some great gardening items from herb and flower seeds to galvanized pots and tools for planting.

[Photo Credit: Martha Stewart]

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Holiday Activities to Share this Week

by Kelly Leahy

April 06, 2009

My holiday activities this week have included stockpiling candy like there is no tomorrow and hitting the Target One Spot for pint sized gardening supplies to dole out on our secular Easter morning. At the same time my brother is making a trek down to Southern Florida to visit with our parents and then with the in-laws where he will celebrate Passover. Needless to say I've been giving some thought to both holidays. Here are a smattering of activities to do with your preschooler this week. Who knows, maybe a new tradition will be born.

1. Make your own hunt. With most schools and preschools closing down early this week, you may find yourself with some unscheduled days. Why not gather some of your favorite preschoolers and parents together for a massive Easter egg hunt at someone's house or at one of the many city's parks? Instead of candy, fill eggs with stickers, flower seeds or coins.
2. While during an internet search for "New Orleans" and "Passover," I came across two recipes for "matzah ball gumbo." New Orleans has a long history of Jewish immigrants and it's no surprise that their meals became infused with African spices and seasoning. If you are looking to be adventurous this Passover, why not try some Red Soup or Creole Matzah Balls, a skillet fried side dish to complement any meal. Need supplies? check out the Kosher Cajun Deli on Severn.
3. Catch a parade. There are several parades throughout the city on Easter Day. Some are big parades like the one that goes along St. Charles or Chris Owen's French Quarter parade complete with hat contest.
4. Carrying on with New Orleans Passover fusion dishes, I found an interesting recipe for Pecan Kugel featuring egg noodles, pecans and lots o' brown sugar. Yum.
5. If you care to brave the mall, Lakeside has its annual Easter Bunny photo op. In the event that sitting on a six foot tall rabbit freaks your kids (and you) out, check out the live rabbits on display.

No matter how you choose to spend your holiday week and weekend, make it fun!  Read more...