Easter Surprise -2yr- Easter Basket Cake

EASTER SURPRISES PARTY - 2 YEAR OLD  My daughter's second birthday fell very close to Easter this year.  So, an Easter-themed party seemed just right. 

Of course as soon as the theme was chosen, I searched the Birthday Party Ideas website for some clever, fun ideas for the party.  We sent adorable invitations to her friends - I was very fortunate to find the most perfect birthday bunny invitations from a local dollar store. 

I purchased nearly 400 eggs (on clearance for .29 a dozen) for the 11 little guests to hunt that day.  My daughter and I filled them with candy, little surprises, and stickers that I bought on sale or after Valentine's Day for 90% off.    I bought each child a brightly colored Easter basket for .59 a piece, filled them with Easter grass, and then I printed a little card with each child's name to tie on the basket so they wouldn't get mixed up on party day.  I also picked up little prizes here and there for the Easter Egg hunt prize shop that I would create.  I found lots of adorable prizes at great prices…especially after Valentine's Day.   

The guests arrived at 9AM as this party was a breakfast party.  I set up our table for the little guests with adorable Easter-egg themed partyware.  I covered the adorable plastic Easter tablecloth with Easter grass and jellybeans - and a couple adorable bunnies and chicks served as the precious centerpiece.   

For the cake, I made it look like an Easter basket - complete with coconut grass, eggs, a plastic bunny, and a ribbon-covered pipe cleaner handle.  It was adorable.  We made each child their own little cupcake basket too. 

As the children came in, I had set up a bunny coloring station to keep them busy until all the guests arrived.  Then, we served the children pancakes, sausage and juices.  They loved it!  We also had a table set up for the adults with bagels and spreads, fruit, muffins, coffee and juices. 

After the children finished breakfast, I had purchased a cookie-coloring craft for each child.  After they finished decorating their cookies, I gave them a ziploc bag for their cookie to decorate with Easter egg stickers.  They turned out great - and were a nice, easy and not to messy craft for little ones. 

After the crafts, I read an Easter Egg hunt story.  Then we played a game "All my eggs in a basket."  We had a basket filled with a dozen plastic eggs and the little ones had to toss them into a bigger basket.  It was fun.  Each child "won" the game - and received a bottle of bunny bubbles as a prize. 

After the game it was time for the big surprise - a visit from the Easter Bunny!  I borrowed a bunny costume from our church and our friend wore it.  The children were delighted to see the bunny stop by for the Easter egg hunt that was about to transpire!  The eggs were hidden all over our front and side yard.  They were everywhere!  The children took their baskets and hunted tons of eggs.  The bunny even helped.  After the hunt was complete, the children took their eggs to the counting station - where they were awarded bunny money which I had made on the computer and printed copies.   

Then, the children took their eggs to the jellybean shop - we had set up our kids' playroom tent outside for the children to visit.  I had decorated it with balloons, cutouts and more.  Inside I had filled 4 oversized baskets with prizes - and on each one was a sign - one dollar or two.  The children used their bunny money to purchase prizes from the shop.  Each child left the shop with 6 little prizes.  They loved it! 

We served cake and opened gifts.  The last event of the day was a visit to our daughter's flower garden that we created for the party.  I purchased numerous silk-stem flowers on sale and stuck them all in our shrubbery in the front yard.  I also created a sign that said "Birthday Flower Garden."  The children were invited to stop by the flower garden on their way out to pick a flower.  The children loved this and enjoyed choosing the perfect flower to take home with them.  It was a great, fun party! 

My daughter loved it and parents loved it too because it was all over and done with before 11AM - so it didn't interfere with nap times and they had the rest of the day to do whatever they wanted.  Have an Easter-themed party - your little one will love it!