Count Down to Easter With a DIY Advent Calendar

Put those plastic eggs and basket to use in the 12 days leading up to the Easter Bunny’s arrival with this easy project that’ll help kids count down to Easter morning.

From: H. Camille Smith

Photo by: Sarah Busby; Styling by H. Camille Smith

Sarah Busby; Styling by H. Camille Smith

By: H. Camille Smith

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Materials Needed

dozen plastic eggs
basket (that you'll ultimately use as the child's Easter basket)
scrapbook numeral stickers
shredded paper or wood excelsior (for filler)
preserved moss

small assorted foil-wrapped chocolates
jelly beans
pom-pom chicks or bunnies
small toys, erasers or stickers

Prep Basket

Add a layer of Easter grass, shredded paper or wood excelsior to fill the bottom of the basket (Image 1). Top with a decorative layer of preserved moss (Image 2).

Sarah Busby; Styling by H. Camille Smith

Photo By: Sarah Busby; Styling by H. Camille Smith

Prep Eggs

Add numeral stickers, 1-12, to the top half of each plastic egg, leaving the hinged area uncovered so the egg can freely open.

Photo by: Sarah Busby; Styling by H. Camille Smith

Sarah Busby; Styling by H. Camille Smith

Fill Eggs

Add an assortment of surprises (Image 1), like candy and small toys (Image 2) to the numbered eggs – one for each of the 12 days.

Sarah Busby; Styling by Jill Tennant Anderson

Sarah Busby; Styling by H. Camille Smith

Photo By: Sarah Busby; Styling by Jill Tennant Anderson

Photo By: Sarah Busby; Styling by H. Camille Smith

Fill Basket

Place filled eggs in basket, lining them up from day 1 to day 12 (Images 1 and 2). Note: For our basket, 4 rows of 3 fit perfectly but create a layout to best suit your basket (Image 3).

Sarah Busby; Styling by H. Camille Smith

Photo By: Sarah Busby; Styling by H. Camille Smith

From: H. Camille Smith

Photo By: Sarah Busby; Styling by H. Camille Smith

Have Fun

Each day, let kids open that day’s egg. Make it a game, having them guess what might be inside.

Sarah Busby; Styling by H. Camille Smith

From: H. Camille Smith

Photo By: Sarah Busby; Styling by H. Camille Smith

From: H. Camille Smith

Photo By: Sarah Busby; Styling by H. Camille Smith

From: H. Camille Smith

Photo By: Sarah Busby; Styling by H. Camille Smith

Easter Morning

Repurpose the countdown basket to serve as an Easter basket, swapping out the now-empty plastic eggs for assorted goodies.

From: H. Camille Smith

Photo by: Sarah Busby; Styling by H. Camille Smith

Sarah Busby; Styling by H. Camille Smith

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Count Down to Easter With a DIY Advent Calendar

Related To:

Prep Basket

Prep Eggs

Fill Eggs

Fill Basket

Have Fun

Easter Morning

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