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Easter High Tea and Lunch Celebrations in Sydney

March 31, 2022 / Sydney / 0 comment

Easter High Tea and Lunch Celebrations in Sydney

Easter is the perfect time for gathering with friends and family for a fancy hotel staycation, a luxe high tea or a fabulous brunch. These Sydney hotels are offering plenty of ways to celebrate Easter in style.

Four Seasons Sydney

Easter is a time to connect with family and make ever-lasting memories, and Four Seasons Hotel Sydney provides many family-friendly options – from a decadent chocolate high tea to an in-room experience with a custom tent – creating an egg-cellent Easter tradition.

Family Fun

With the Hotel’s Family Fun package, little ones arrive to a special Aussie-themed gift and welcomed to a room full of surprises – kids will be bouncing with joy!

The Family Fun starts here with:

Welcome gift for kids
Daily breakfast for two adults and two children at MODE Kitchen & Bar
One in-room kids’ movie with movie snacks
50 percent savings on kids’ laundry items
Kid-friendly bath amenities
Themed linen
With stays in a suite: Tent experience

Kids can wake up Easter morning to find the Easter Bunny has not forgotten about kids staying in the Hotel.

Win the Golden Ticket at Mode’s Easter High Tea

Savour a variety of carefully crafted menu that will treat the palate to a truly memorable experience. The three tiers of handcrafted sweets, savouries and scones on the Easter High Tea menu are made 100 percent in-house.

Just for the Easter holidays, kids are invited to take part in decorating their very own chocolate Easter egg, but the sweetest is what’s inside. Pastry Sous Chef Quentin Zerr has created a large chocolate egg that is nestled on top of a fluffy bed of Pariyas Persian fairy floss accompanied by edible chocolate paints for the kids to create a delicious masterpiece. Once it’s painted, they will quickly want to dive inside to see if they’re a golden ticket winner. Two lucky winners will receive an overnight accommodation in the Family Fun package.

Served in the relaxed ambience of Mode Kitchen & Bar, High Tea is available Friday through Sunday from 2:00 to 5:00 pm; and the Easter themed high tea is available the weekends of April 8-10 and 15-17, 2022.

Easter at Mode Kitchen & Bar

Executive Restaurant Chef Francesco Mannelli and his talented culinary team have unveiled an extensive menu to appeal to all appetites and preferences with a special set menu dinner on Easter Sunday.

For the set menu, guests will be taken on a culinary journey from the moment they sit down with delectable starters such as Easter duck and pork terrine, quail eggs, pickled baby radish and grilled focaccia to Mode Kitchen & Bar’s favourite wood-roasted zucchini flowers with buffalo ricotta, truffle, fresh peas and sprouts.

For the main course, guests will be impressed by the pan-roasted snapper served with organic spelt, broccoli, cavolo nero and “acqua pazza” or a risotto Acquerello with Parmigiano Reggiano and fresh black truffle.

No meal is complete without the signature frozen Easter pavlova with banana, pineapple, passionfruit and bee pollen – and for those looking for something traditionally Easter, there’s a specially crafted Mode Easter delice with carrot cake, dark chocolate and orange, crafted by French born Pastry Sous Chef Quentin Zerr.

Children Dine Free at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts Asia-Pacific

No matter what package or room rate they book, families will enjoy additional dining perks as part of a regional campaign rolled out across all Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts in Asia-Pacific. Valid from April 1 through to August 31, 2022, the extra benefits include:

Free breakfast, lunch and dinner at Mode Kitchen & Bar for children aged six years and under
50 percent off breakfast and kids’ menu pricing for lunch and dinner for children aged seven to 12 years old
Not applicable towards in room dining or high tea.

To make reservations, contact Hello@ModeKitchenanBar.com.au or call the Hotel directly at +61 2 9250 3160.

Four Seasons Sydney
199 George St, The Rocks NSW 2000
https://www.fourseasons.com/sydney/offers/

Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park

Fall down the rabbit hole at Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park this Easter with their range of family friendly dining options and activities for a guaranteed memorable celebration. Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park has always been a destination for families and friends to come together over key holidays in Australia and they are getting ready to deliver even more delicious food, drink, creativity, and fun to their popular concepts.

From Thursday 14th April to Sunday 17th April, the hotel will host a delightful weekend of events from Easter-themed high teas in The Gallery to Easter Friday Brunch and Buffet Dinners at the famous Feast Restaurant.

The hotel promises special visits from Mr Rabbit himself set against the backdrop of a spectacular donut wall and a waffle chocolate fountain. The fun doesn’t stop there with egg-citing Easter egg hunts and kids showbag giveaways – all proving that Easter is set to be a whimsical and unforgettable long weekend at the Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park.

Easter Thursday – 14th April

Seafood Buffet Dinner at Feast Restaurant

Kicking off their Easter celebrations is the best seafood buffet in Sydney, overlooking stunning Hyde Park. Join them for all you can eat fresh seafood and Feast favourites from their signature Feast buffet.

The Seafood Buffet Dinner is available from 5:30p.m. to 8:30p.m. and is priced at $99 per adult and $49.50 per child (11-12 years old). Kids under 11 eat free.

Easter Friday – 15th April

Rabbit Hole Afternoon High Tea at The Gallery

The magic of Easter comes alive with the Rabbit Hole Afternoon High Tea at The Gallery, the best high tea experience in the heart of Sydney’s CBD. Guests can expect a rabbit warren of sweet and savoury treats along with a visit by Mr Rabbit, who will be bringing an Easter gift and colouring-in activities for the little bunnies to enjoy. For the big bunnies, included is a glass of sparkling on arrival.

The Rabbit Hole Afternoon High Tea is available from 12:00pm – 2:30pm and 3:00pm – 5:30pm. It is priced at $99 per person.

Easter Friday Brunch and Dinner

There is something for everyone at Feast Restaurant this Easter. For brunch, kids will be dazzled by a world of sweet treats with hot cross buns and activities including a visit by Mr Rabbit, a themed photo booth, show bag giveaways and an interactive donut wall and waffle chocolate fountain. Meanwhile, adults can enjoy the hotel’s famous seafood buffet dinner with an extended seafood offering.

For those who want to head outside and take in the beautiful surrounds of leafy Hyde Park, the hotel is bringing back their Feast’s Famous Fresh Seafood Takeaway Box which includes jonah crab claw, champagne lobster, balmain bugs and more.

The Easter Friday Bunch is available from 11:30am – 2:30pm at $119 per adult and $59.50 per child (11-12 years old). Kids under 11 eat free.

The Seafood Buffet Dinner is available from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and is priced at $119 per adult.

The Feasts Famous Fresh Seafood Takeaway box is priced at $320. It includes blue swimmer crab, balmain bugs, Sydney rock oysters, jonah crab claw, champagne lobster, mignonette dressing, smoked salmon, cocktail sauce, and lemon wedges. Pre-orders are required by 13 April 2022 with limited numbers available.

Easter Saturday – 16th April

Gallery Easter Family High Tea

A morning of indulgence awaits with the Easter Family High Tea at The Gallery. On Easter Saturday, the family can enjoy a themed high-tea buffet with hot cross buns, a chocolate fountain, an Easter gift for the kids, colouring-in activities, and a visit from Mr Rabbit.
For the adults, bottomless prosecco can be enjoyed as part of the 1.5-hour experience.

The Gallery Easter Family High Tea is priced at $99 per adult and $49 for children (ages 5 – 11years)

Feast Lunch & Dinner Buffet

On Saturday, guests can enjoy Feast’s famous lunch and dinner buffet and elevated seafood offerings which includes blue swimmer crab, balmain bugs and more.

Feast Seafood Buffet is available from 11:30am – 2:30pm and 5:30pm – 8:30pm.

It is priced at $129 per adult and $64.50 per child (11-12 years old). Kids under 11 eat free.

Easter Sunday – 17th April

Gallery Easter Family High Tea

A morning of indulgence awaits with the Easter Family High Tea at Gallery. On Easter Sunday, families can enjoy a themed high-tea buffet with hot cross buns, a chocolate fountain, an Easter gift for the kids, colouring-in activities, and a visit from Mr Rabbit. There will even be a themed photo booth where kids can take photos with and pet Hephner the Alpaca. For the adults, bottomless prosecco can be enjoyed.

The Gallery Easter Family High Tea is priced at $99 per person. The High Tea is also available for takeaway by pick-up only and can be enjoyed in the beautiful Hyde Park or at home.

Feast Easter Sunday Brunch

Join Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park on Sunday for the main event – a festive brunch buffet with classic Easter highlights including a traditional Easter roast, antipasto, a decadent Easter dessert and a glass of sparkling for the adults.

Kids will be entertained with a host of fun activities, including a dedicated kids chill out movie room, colouring, face painting, egg painting, an Easter egg hunt and show bag giveaways.

Feast Easter Sunday Brunch is available from 11:30am and is priced at $129 per adult and $64.50 per child (11-12 years old). Kids under 11 eat free.

Room Service Amenities

For families staying in the hotel over the Easter Long Weekend, kids Easter amenities will be included in the room including a colouring book and egg bags.

Sheraton Grande Hyde Park Sydney
161 Elizabeth St, Sydney NSW 2000
marriott.com

Sydney Harbour Marriott’s Easter Extravaganza

Inaugural Easter Egg Hunt – On Saturday 16 April, join Sydney Harbour Marriott’s inaugural Easter Egg Hunt. From lobby lounges, the library, dining areas and across all parts of the ground floor and other hidden areas, kids are invited to explore and find eggs for their chance to win a mystery prize, along with the bragging rights as Sydney Harbour Marriott’s first ever Easter Egg Hunt winner.

Kids activity corner –Kids will also be able to come along to an Easter Activity Corner on Easer Saturday. From Easter bunny origami, Easter colouring books and an egg painting station, there’s something very egg-citing for everyone this long weekend.

Silvester’s Easter Brunch– On Easter Sunday, Silvester’s will transform into an Easter extravaganza featuring speciality easter treats including Easter donuts, ultimate sticky buns, an interactive pancake and waffle station, a mini chocolate Easter egg stall and a chocolate fountain – the whole family is sure to indulge.

Weekend toys galore – All weekend long, guests can enjoy exciting games, toys and activities across the hotel meaning there will never be a dull moment. From giant games on the play terrace to fun pool toys, in-room puzzles and play tents, Easter kids chocolate amenities – there’s something for everyone at Sydney Harbour Marriott.

Family-friendly rooms: Sydney Harbour Marriott features some of the city’s most interconnecting rooms and two-bedroom suites, with Opera House and Bridge Views, ensuring space, privacy, and a “wow” factor for both parents and the little ones. Several select enhancements are available including in-room tepees or giant cubby houses, complete with a “Hot Shoppe Cafe” setup, so they can let their imaginations run wild as they play shop.

At the heart of family attractions: Families can also enjoy all that Sydney has to offer with the kids’ M Passport Kids Attraction Guide to all things fun and family friendly nearby. Animal lovers can visit Taronga Zoo, catch the ferry to Darling Harbour and visit SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium or WILDLIFE Sydney Zoo, or enjoy a ride across the harbour to iconic Luna Park.

Sydney Harbour Marriott at Circular Quay
30 Pitt St, Sydney NSW 2000
Sydneyharbourmarriott.com

Sir Stamford Easter Sunday Mad Hatters High Tea

On Easter Sunday you are invited a Bonkers and Brilliant Mad Hatter’s High Tea buffet at Sir Stamford at Circular Quay hotel!

Enjoy a decadently delicious adventure down the rabbit hole as their utterly mad Easter celebrations transform the hotel into a wonky world of wonderful sweets and treats.

Sip chilled bubbles or your favourite fine tea while enjoying the scrumptious delights from wonderland.

You would be Mad not to attend!

Sunday 17th April 2022 from 11.30am, $119 pp

NSW Dine & Discover vouchers may be used for this event.

Easter Sunday Mad Hatter’s High Tea Menu

Cold Selection

‘The French Quarter’ Cucumber, Cocktail Prawn & Potato Salad en Croute
Tweedle Dee’s Bruschetta: Pastrami & Dijon Mustard, Green Bean Bouquet
Tweedle Dum’s BBQ Chicken & Chive, Cheese Charcoal Mini Brioche
The March Hare’s Roasted Cherry Tomato , Bocconcini & Pesto Tartlet

Hot Selection

Wonderland’s Signature Curry Puff
The Mock Turtle’s Beetroot, Goat Cheese & Chive Arancini
Alice’s Magical Mushrooms
The Caterpillar’s Duck Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls

Sweets

Cheshire Cat’s Mysterious Strawberry Rhubarb Coconut Sago Bowl
The White Queens’s Scones with Crème Fraîche and Jam
The Queen of Hearts Strawberry Mousse
“Eat Me” Macarons
Topsy Turvy Mango Coconut Tartelette
The Mad Hatter’s Sweet Unbirthday Cupcakes
The Duchess’ Pistachio White Chocolate
The Queens’ Coffee Praline Crunch
“Drink Me” Mango Shots

Menu correct at time of publishing and but may be subject to change.
Special dietary requests are welcomed – please indicate requirements when booking

Sir Stamford at Circular Quay
93 Macquarie Street Sydney 2000 NSW Australia
https://www.stamford.com.au/hotels/stamford-circular-quay-hotel/events/mad-hatters-high-tea-sydney

Easter Activities For Kids

April 7, 2020 / Educational Resources / 0 comment

Easter Activities For Kids

Get creative at home with these easy Easter activities for kids. Bake, craft and play with these Easter-themed ideas.

Easter egg hunt

A simple Easter egg hunt can be done in a small courtyard, backyard and even inside an apartment. Use real chocolate eggs or plastic ones filled with stickers, jelly beans or other small items. The plastic eggs are great for hot weather and we collect ours to reuse them time and time again. Get ideas on how to reuse plastic Easter eggs here.

Easter hat parade

Put on your own Easter hat parade in your living room. Take an existing hat and use craft materials like pom poms, glitter, pipe cleaners to make a magical Easter creation.

Dye your own Easter eggs

Hard boil eggs and use food colouring to dye eggs. You can follow the recipe below. We did this with two years olds so it’s something that’s really for kids of most ages.

epicurious.com

Sensory play ideas

Perfect for babies and toddlers, sensory play stimulates children’s senses of sight, smell, sound, touch and taste. Here is a list of great ideas for how to engage littlies in sensory play:

findingmyselfyoung.com

Bake Easter cookies

Make and decorate your own Easter cookies with this simple recipe that the kids can help with (or make themselves if they’re a bit older):

kidspot.com.au

DIY bunny bags

An alternative to Easter Eggs, these bunny bags can be filled with food or fun treats, and kids can make them for each other, relatives or friends.

mumlyfe.com.au

Create your own marbled Easter eggs

This is a fun STEM activity for students and children at home, courtesy of Penguin Books. Designed for kids in grade 3–5, this ‘eggs-periment’ activity combines science and art.

penguin.com.au

Easter cupcakes

These are so easy to make. Make a basic cupcake base and basic buttercream frosting, then tint the frosting green with a few drops of food colouring. Kids can decorate the cupcakes with the frosting, desiccated coconut or chocolate shavings and mini Easter eggs.

This is my favourite cupcake recipe and favourite vanilla buttercream frosting recipe.

Easter Rocky Road

This Easter loaded rocky road is a delicious mixture of white chocolate, jelly beans, lollies, chocolate eggs and marshmallows.

stuffmumslike.com

Upcycled Easter cards

Create your own melted upcycled Easter crayon shapes and colour in Easter cards with this simple Easter craft.

simplifycreateinspire.com

Easter activity sheets

Download these educational and fun free Easter-themed activity sheets that include telling the time, find-a-words and colouring in.

Download the activity sheets here

Macca the Alpaca Easter printouts

Author and illustrator Matt Cosgrove has created Easter-themed printouts based on ‘Celeste the Giraffe Loves To Laugh’ written by Celeste Barber and his book, Macca the Alpaca.

mattcosgrovebooks.com

Easter activities for kids with special needs

My dear friend Julie has written up some excellent ideas for how to celebrate Easter at home with kids who have additional needs.

havewheelchairwilltravel.net

More things to do at home

Travel the world with kids without leaving your house.

Free online educational resources for kids.

Live stream animal cams from around the world.

Enjoy the perfect virtual day at Disneyland.

Help little ones stay zen with these free online yoga videos for kids.

Try an online ballet class, perfect for adults and kids.

Easter in Sydney 2017

March 28, 2017 / Sydney, Sydney Life / 0 comment

I have to be honest, I call Easter the “chocolate holiday” and it’s my absolute favourite time of year, because I can eat ALL THE CHOCOLATE and have zero guilt about it. I also really love that Sydney puts on so many really fun events for families to enjoy and I can pretend that we’re doing them all for the kid.

With the exception of the Sydney Royal Easter Show, all these activities tend to sell out so I highly recommend booking in advance!

The Great CP Egg Hunt
We love this annual Easter Egg hunt! A long-running favourite for Sydney-siders, kids follow a trail map around Centennial Park on a series of challenges to get to the end and claim their sweet prize (hint: it’s from Darryl Lea!). The focus of the five activities on the trail is getting kids active outdoors with old fashion activities such as egg hunts and egg and spoon races. Bring your camera for a family pic with the Easter Bunny and Easter Bilby at the end. The hunt sells out every year so book in fast.

Age: All ages
Location: Learning Centre, Education Precinct, Dickens Drive, Centennial Park. Please see location map below.
Times: Choose your start time between 9.30 am–2.45 pm. Please come at your pre-allocated start time. The course will take approximately 30-45 minutes to complete.
Cost: $17.50 per map. Prizes and photos will only be available for Children with Trail Maps.
Dates: Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 April
More info: centennialparklands.com.au/whatson/events/the_great_cp_egg_hunt

The Australian Museum Egg Hunt
Take the family to the Australian Museum for a family EGG-stravaganza! Pick up a trail map and search for Australian animals and their eggs in the Museum galleries.

Age: 4 – 12
Location: 1 William St, Sydney
Time: 10am-2pm
Cost: $13 Members child or limited early-bird price; $15 Non-Member child. Adults are free after general admission.
Date:15 April 2017 and 16 April 2017
More info: australianmuseum.net.au/event/school-holidays

The Great Garden Egg Hunt
The stunning Royal Botanic Garden Sydney are the home of a fun Easter Egg Hunt where children will follow their trail map around the gardens and complete five activities along the way. There is a a photo opp with the Easter Bunny at the end.

Age: 3 – 8
Location: The Band Lawn, Royal Botanic Garden Sydney
Times: Start times staggered every 15 minutes between 9:30 AM and 2:45 PM. The course will take approximately 45 minutes to complete.
Cost: $17.50
Date: Saturday 15 April
More info: rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/whatson/egg-hunt

Egg-cellent Easter Trail: Vaucluse House
This is Easter, old school! We felt like we’d stepped back in time enjoying traditional Easter activities from egg rolling to egg-and-spoon racing, as well as vintage sports and craft, at historic Vaucluse House. At the end of the activities kids can claim your chocolate treat before exploring the gardens, meeting the farmyard animals, and sitting down for a picnic lunch on the lawn. The tearoom is open for a splurgy Easter lunch, including their high tea menu.

Age: 5+
Location: Vaucluse House, Wentworth Road, Vaucluse
Times: 11.30AM–12.30PM, 1PM–2PM and 2.30PM–3.30PM
Cost: $15
Date: Sunday 16 April
More info: sydneylivingmuseums.com.au/events/great-egg-hunt-vaucluse-house

Egg-cellent Easter Trail: Elizabeth Farm
Explore Elizabeth Farm on an Easter-inspired kids trail. Try your hand at traditional Easter activities from egg rolling to egg-and-spoon racing, as well as vintage sports and craft, then claim your chocolate treat. After the trail, spread out on the lawn and enjoy a home-packed picnic or treats from the tearooms.

Age: 5+
Location: Elizabeth Farm, 70 Alice St, Rosehill,
Times: 11.30AM–12.30PM, 1PM–2PM and 2.30PM–3.30PM
Cost: $15
Date: Sunday 16 April
More info: sydneylivingmuseums.com.au/events/egg-cellent-easter-trail-elizabeth-farm

Sydney Royal Easter Show
One of our fave events of the year! My family has been attending the Sydney Royal Easter show not just since I was a kid, but since my mum was a kid! it’s Australia’s largest annual event and attracts over 800,000 every year. The Sydney Royal Easter Show has been held annually at Easter since 1823 and is the perfect way for city kids to learn about the country through fourteen days of agricultural competitions, animal experiences, live entertainment, carnival fun and eating lots of delicious food. It’s a crazy, busy and expensive day, but we absolutely love it. Get my tips from 2016 and 2015 on how to have an amazing time at the show.

Age: All ages
Location: Sydney Olympic Park
Times: 9am-9:30pm
Cost: Ticket deals available online
Dates: 6-19 April
More info: eastershow.com.au

Grounds of Alexandria Kids Easter Egg Hunt
The Grounds is busy every day of the year, so you can imagine the chaos of a free Easter egg hunt! While the event is chaotic and I certainly wouldn’t take a littlie there or a stroller, it’s a lot of fun. The staff lay out literally thousands of eggs for kids to find. There were so many eggs the year we went that people were treading on them. The Grounds also has delicious Easter-themed treats in the lead up (their hot cross buns are so good), a massive chocolate Easter Egg to see and potentially eat when it is cracked open on Easter Sunday, and a whole host of fun workshops for kids over the entire school holidays.

Age: All ages
Location: The Grounds of Alexandria, 7a/2 Huntley St, Alexandria
Time: 8:30am
Cost: Free
Date: Saturday 15th April
More info: thegrounds.com.au/Spaces/easter

Easter Family Fun Day
An all-age event in Penrith will see over 6,000 eggs hidden for kids to discover. Enjoy face painting, animal farm and interactive games or get dizzy on the carnival rides: an Unlimited Rides Pass is $12 online or $15 on the day.

Age: All ages
Location: ImagineNations Church, 1 Simeon rd, Orchard Hills
Time: 10:30am-2:30pm
Cost: Easter egg hunt is free.
Date: Good Friday, April 14th
More info: inchurch.com.au/easter

Additional images courtesy of the Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens and the Australian Museum.

Vaucluse House Egg-cellent Easter Trail

March 28, 2016 / Cheese, Family, Outdoor Play, Sydney, Sydney Life / 0 comment

This year we spent Easter Sunday at the beautiful, historic Vaucluse House, taking part in their Egg-cellent Easter Trail. The event is held on Easter Sunday each year, towards the back of the estate, on one of their huge lawn areas.

$17 per child gets you a trail map, four activities, and an Easter treat at the end. The activities are geared towards slightly older children than the Centennial Park Egg Hunt: a Hen Hunt (find the picture of the breed of chicken on the map and write it down), egg-rolling, which was kind of like egg croquet, an egg-and-spoon race with wooden spoons, and the hot cross bun station, where kids were given all the ingredients of a traditional hot cross bun to explore, and then write them down in the correct spot in the recipe in their book.

The Egg-cellent Easter Trail has three timed entries and the activities can be done in any order. There are only three timed groups, and each one has an hour to complete the activities before the next one begins. It’s more than enough time – but also really great to not have to rush, particularly with little kids.

This is an all-weather event – so bring gum boots, rain coat and umbrella if the forecast looks grim. It rained during our session which inspired us to do all the activities pretty quickly, but didn’t take away from the enjoyment.

As well as the Egg-cellent Easter Trail activities, Vaucluse House puts on free Easter colouring in near the animals, and also free traditional games on the front lawn for everyone to enjoy.

We all had a turn at croquet, quoits, skittles and hula hoops.

The Tea Room at Vaucluse House is open Easter Sunday, so we reserved a table in advance (a must as they are always booked out on special days), and enjoyed high teas, fish and chips and other such delights. For a full review of their high tea, check out this post.

Vaucluse House is holding a host of fun-looking events for kids over the upcoming school holidays, mostly geared towards older children.

The house is celebrating its centenary as a museum at the moment, so it’s a particularly great time to visit.

Vaucluse House
69A Wentworth Rd,
Vaucluse NSW
(02) 9388 7922
Get Directions

The Great Centennial Park Easter Egg Hunt

March 26, 2016 / Cheese, Family, Kids, Outdoor Play, Sydney, Sydney Life / 0 comment

Ahhhhh Easter, the chocolate holiday is here again! In our household, we like to celebrate chocolate over the Easter long weekend, as well as spending as much time as we can with family and friends.

This year we finally made it to the Great Centennial Park Easter Egg Hunt. It’s a great, active day out for families in Sydney, and at $17 per participating child, it’s an affordable outing, too. That’s right, no fee for adults, or age requirements, just a $17 fee per child who wishes to have a map and collect chocolate eggs along the way.

The egg hunt is suitable for kids of all ages. More than an egg hunt, it’s a multi-stop engaging quest to follow the map along a specially designed course to it’s fabulous conclusion – the Easter bunny (and bilby!) and chocolate, of course!

To take part in the Easter egg hunt, you’ll need to choose your start time, 9am and 3pm, and buy tickets accordingly. Entry to the course is timed in 15 minutes increments to ensure that it’s never too crowded.

Registration for the course is at the start point, the Learning Centre, Education Precinct, Dickens Drive. Arrive right at the beginning of your time slot – you amy only collect your map and begin the course during your 15 minute time slot. You may, however, take all the time you need along the course to get to the end.

The course consists of five station, with an egg and spoon race (don’t worry, it’s a rubber egg!), hop scotch activity, ring toss and egg hunt for kids to complete at each station before the final stop, where they get a photo with the Easter bunny and bilby and collect their big chocolate prize.

Upon completing each station along the way, kids are given a stamp on their map and a little chocolate egg. The completed map must be presented at the last stop to receive the big chocolate prize – which, this year, was from sponsor Darrell Lea.

The information on the website suggests that the course will take between 30-45 minutes to complete. It took our kids a lot less time to finish, but they had a fantastic time. Each activity was very well suited to our group, with kids aged 2, 4 and 6.

At the beginning of the course, in the Learning Centre, was a large room with tables and chairs, and bilby colouring in sheets plus crayons for families to take a break out of the heat. Nearby, a Combi Van food truck was parked to provide refreshments, and public toilets just beyond.

I would suggest planning to make a big morning or afternoon of the event, by bringing a picnic lunch, bread to feed the ducks (watching the docks, eels, fish and turtles in the lake entertained our lot for minutes! Lots of them!), and anything else your family needs to spend a few hours enjoying the gorgeous Centennial Park.

The Great Centennial Park Easter Egg Hunt is held yearly in Sydney over Easter weekend.

Easter Sunday + Easter Egg Hunt 2015

April 5, 2015 / Cheese, Family, Kids / 10 Comments

Ahhh it’s Easter Sunday, one of the best days of the year. I managed to turn it into a week-long chocolate fest this year by eating a chocolate bunny a day. There is something about Easter chocolate – it just tastes BETTER than regular chocolate, even if it’s a plain milk chocolate bunny by Cadbury.

This year was our first back in Australia with Cheese, and I wanted to make it a lot of fun. After opening her Easter basket in her jammies in the morning, she then dressed in her Elsa costume to enjoy her chocolate spoils before we head out to our friends’ house to enjoy Easter brunch and an Easter egg hunt.

At my friends’ house, the girls decorated cupcakes with chocolate shavings and mini chocolate birds’ eggs. They made the cutest little nests.

We indulged in a”brown feast” of hot cross buns, pancakes and French toast (don’t worry, there was some fruit in there too), before it was time to release the girls on the Easter egg hunt. We used a mix of tiny and small chocolate eggs, plus plastic ones filled with fluffy toy chicks, tiny chocolate eggs and some Easter gummy lollies.

The kids all crashed out and opened their spoils. The plastic eggs were a great hit – they gave an extra fun element to the hunt, as opening them afterwards prolonged the anticipation.

It was a day for family, not just friends. My parents joined us, as did my friend’s. We’ve been close friends since we were 12, so we’re all basically family at this stage.

With my girlfriend who hosted us – I can’t believe we’ve been friends for over 20 years.

With the sugar high still going strong, the girls bounced it out on the trampoline. Haven’t things changed since we were kids? I remember placing a trampoline next to a swimming pool and using it to springboard into the deep end.

It’s always hard to head home after such a wonderful day with loved ones.

Last Easter gifts for the day from Nana and Pop, and a big hug, and then it was all over for another year.

Happy Easter!

Do you celebrate Easter? if so, how did you spend the holiday?

Easter Saturday at The Grounds Of Alexandria

April 4, 2015 / Cheese, Outdoor Play, Sydney, Sydney Life / 0 comment

Our first Easter back in Sydney we have been enjoying everything Easter-y possible. It’s no secret that the chocolate holiday is one of my favourite times of the year, and I like to indulge in it – not just eating too many chocolate bunnies, but also enjoying Easter egg hunts, craft days and whatever activities I can find.

I found out The Grounds of Alexandria were hosting an Easter Fair and put it straight on our calendar. Even the prospect of an 8am start didn’t deter me. Nor did the weather when we woke up and it was pouring rain. It didn’t deter many people, it turned out, as the Grounds was packed with many other soggy families determined not to let the rain ruin their Easter.

The wonderful folks at The Grounds had gone to a lot of effort to make the place special for Easter. We visited a few weeks ago on a sunny day and took some photos of their new bunny, “Kate Moss” and the other decorations. I’m using them here because it was way too wet this morning to post for photos.

This morning, however, looked a bit different. The Grounds staff had hidden 5,000 Easter eggs all over their backyard, including one special golden egg that I don’t think anyone had found when we left later in the morning.

They had also created Australia’s biggest chocolate Easter egg, which will be cracked open and shared tomorrow afternoon.

After a bit of waiting around (it turned out Channel 9 were there to film the hunt, so everything was a bit delayed), the Easter egg hunt began, and, despite the rain, it was a really fun morning for all of the families who made the effort to go.

The eggs were liberally spread everywhere, including all over the ground. Pro: everyone went home with plenty of eggs. Con: people were treading on the eggs. I didn’t pity the guy who had to clean up the squashed remnants of chocolate on the round at the end of the day!

While the Grounds folks had the most adorable little pails for kids to use, Cheese brought her old favourite from home.

After the egg hunt was over (it was over when Cheese decided she had enough eggs – there were still eggs strewn around everywhere!), it was time for face painting and crafts. Channel 9 were there to film the festivities too.

And then it was time to take our sodden selves home!

Happy Easter Saturday to you and yours! What are you getting up to for Easter this year?

Hop Into Easter With A Toys”R”Us Virtual Easter Egg Hunt

April 1, 2015 / Indoor Play, Sydney, Sydney Life / 0 comment

If your family is anything like mine, Easter is a major event on the calendar. For us, Easter is a time for fun. The whole family gets together, and we all eat a LOT of chocolate bunnies.

For a fun twist on a traditional Easter Egg hunt this year, we are trying the Toys“R”Us’ Augmented Reality Virtual Easter Egg Hunt. From Wednesday 1 – Sunday 12 April, families can pop into their localToys“R”Us store and use their smartphone or tablet to virtually interact withToys“R”Us mascot Geoffrey the Giraffe and his Easter bunny friends.

The characters will lead kids on a virtual adventure through the store to find Geoffrey’s Playground and receive a free Easter treat. Once you reach the end kids can record themselves dancing at the playground with the virtual characters and share it on social media.

The Toys“R”Us’ Augmented Reality Virtual Easter Egg Hunt is a free event for kids of all ages (and the first of its kind in Australia!).

10-year-old, Steph Toys“R”Us’ Chief Toy Tester (um, excuse me, can I be chief toy tester please?!), explains the egg hunt further here:

To take part in the Toys”R”Us Virtual Easter Egg Hunt download the TRU Magic app and head into your closest store:

For IOS

For Android

The Toys“R”Us’ Augmented Reality Virtual Easter Egg Hunt is open for the entire Easter period, from Wednesday 1 – Sunday 12 April, at any of the 34 Toys“R”Us locations across Australia in ACT, NSW, QLD, SA, VIC and WA.

Get Easter Treats at Betty Bakery; Kid-friendly Cafes Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, NY

March 30, 2013 / Boerum Hill, Brooklyn Bites, New York, New York Food / 0 comment

We dropped by our local bakery, Betty’s, this morning to pick up some delicious Easter snacks. If you’re like us, you enjoy eating your way through Easter. Yum! Happy Easter everyone!

Marzipan Bunnies – Betty’s Bakery, Boerum HIll

Easter cake and cookies – Betty’s Bakery, Boerum Hill.

Easter Cookies – Betty’s Bakery, Boerum Hill.

Petits Fours – Betty’s Bakery, Boerum Hill.

Highchairs: No.
Stroller storage: No. There is space for a few strollers in the store however – we’ve fit three at once and still had room for other customers.
Easy access: No. There is only one step, but it’s a narrow door frame and tricky to manoeuvre the stroller in.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

Betty Bakery
448 Atlantic Ave,
Brooklyn, NY
Phone: (718) 246 2402
Hours: Tues-Thurs 7:30am-7pm, Sat 9am-7pm, Sun 11am-5pm. Closed Mondays.

Get directions.

Easter Sunday

April 15, 2012 / Family, New York Life / 0 comment

Eloise’s first Easter! I had booked Alec tickets to see a basketball game the day after his birthday – not realising it was Easter Sunday. Oops! We still had a great morning together, and a relaxing afternoon with just me and Eloise.

Happy first Easter baby girl!