Easter 2013: Fun facts, candy, crafts, printables and events in Atlanta

Easter 2013 is just around the corner, so it’s a great time to celebrate the popular springtime holiday with kids. To get your family into the spirit of Easter, here are some fun facts about candy, resources for free printables and crafts for kids of all ages, and 2013 events in Atlanta.

Fun facts about Easter and candy
Did you know that Easter is the second top-selling confectionery holiday behind only Halloween? Here are some fun facts about Easter from Candyusa.com.

90 million chocolate Easter bunnies are made for Easter each year.
16 billion jellybeans are produced every year for Easter.
The first chocolate eggs were made in Europe in the early 19th century and remain among the most popular treats associated with Easter.
Each day, five million marshmallow chicks and bunnies are produced in preparation for Easter.
88 percent of adults carry on the Easter tradition of creating Easter baskets for their kids.
76 percent of people eat the ears on chocolate bunnies first.
Red jellybeans are kids' favorite.
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the largest Easter egg ever made was just over 25-ft high and made of chocolate and marshmallows. The egg weighed 8,968 lbs. and was supported by an internal steel frame.

Easter printables for kids
Kids love to make colorful pictures and there are plenty of online resources for free Easter coloring pages, puzzles, games, mazes and more. Below are a few of the better ones.

DLTK: This fantastic website offers free awards, bingo cards, bookmarks, cards, chore charts, doorknob holders, puzzles, mini books and coloring pages, all with the Easter theme.
Kaboose: Kaboose is another great online resource for all things Easter. Find free coloring pages and cards, printables for egg decorations, Easter mazes and word puzzles, plus activity and craft ideas.
Activity Village: Keep your printers busy this Easter with Activity Village’s collection of printables to enjoy with your kids. Features new chick and bunny pictures for younger kids, ideas to decorate Easter baskets, cards, bookmarks, stationery, scrapbook paper, jigsaws, puzzles and word searches.
Family Fun by “Parents” magazine: Browse bushels of Easter printables, coloring pages, egg decorations, stickers, and more fun activities at Disney’s Family Fun website. Free printables and activities include cards, table toppers, mobiles, stickers and of course, tons of coloring pages.
Print Activities: Show your kids some Easter fun without adding more sweets. Print Activities offers free word search and dot-to-dot puzzles, mazes, tracing pages, boggles and a ton of Easter coloring pages for kids of all ages.

Top 10 Easy Easter Crafts for Kids
The Internet is full of quick and easy Easter craft ideas for kids. Below are ten great ones with links for instructions and materials.

Family-friendly Easter events in Atlanta in 2013

Callanwolde Easter Egg Hunt: Saturday, March 30 at 10 a.m. Bring a basket and take part in the giant egg hunt. Thousands of eggs will be hidden on the grounds. Meet the Easter Bunny, play games, pet live bunnies and more. Tickets are $10 for kids ($12 at the door); adults are free. Free parking and shuttle buses will be provided at the Emory University Briarcliff Campus, 1256 Briarcliff Road, just one-half mile north of Callanwolde.
Callaway Gardens Easter Egg Hunt: Saturday, March 30 at 2 p.m. Just a short drive from Atlanta, Callaway Gardens is hosting an Easter egg hunt from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Robin Lake Beach. The event is open to all ages. Bring an Easter basket and hunt for thousands of candy eggs, along with some prize eggs. The Easter Bunny will visit from noon to 5 p.m. to take pictures with children. Egg hunts are free with admission to Callaway Gardens.
Northeast Cobb Community Helicopter Egg Drop: Saturday, March 30 from 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. at Sprayberry High School. Kids can hunt for thousands of eggs on the ground. Thousands more will be dropped by helicopter. This fun family event also features inflatables, face painting, photos with the Easter Bunny, and vendors.
Easter Sunrise Service at Stone Mountain Park: Sunday, March 31 at 7 a.m. Experience serenity and peace on Easter morning at Stone Mountain Park. The non-denominational service atop the world’s largest piece of granite is awe-inspiring, especially when the sun begins to peek out on the horizon. There are two simultaneous services that begin at 7 a.m. One is atop the mountain and one is held at Memorial Hall Terrace. The services are free, but there is a $10 one-day parking permit. Church vans and buses are free. The gates open at 4 a.m. Round-trip Skyride fees are $9.00 for adults and $7.00 for children 3-11 and $5.50 one-way. There are no fees for the walk-up trail to the top of the mountain.

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