Lollipop Seeds that Sprout for Kind Deeds (An Easter Tradition)
Easter has always been one of those holidays that have been difficult for me conceptualize what to do for my daughter. Of course, there are the egg hunts, brunches and baskets overflowing with sweets, but I always felt like we could do something a little more. Last week, I learned about the lovely lollipop seed tradition that Cherri Prince's family enjoys and would like to share it with you. Cherri's tradition is not too fancy, something any family can do, yet incorporating it into your Easter holiday will leave you with some picture frame moments that will last a lifetime. Cherri has written a charming book explaining her tradition from the point of view of none other than the Easter Bunny himself. Lollipop Seeds that Sprout for Kind Deeds captures the whimsical nature of children's minds while reinforcing the importance of good deeds. The Easter Bunny initially questions why he is distributing eggs and candy for Easter. Just as many of us do when searching for an answer, he consults his grandmother. Grandmother explains that he should also be giving children lollipop seeds as well. As each child completes a good deed, they toss their seeds in a patch. On Easter morning, their "good deeds" should sprout. I love that not only does this book incorporate the Easter Bunny but he seeks his elders for advice--something relatable within the family structure. All in all, the books does a great job of reaching children. The splendid tale is coupled with adorable illustrations. The book is truly the type that your family would hold on to as a keepsake and take out from year to year, reading the tale. It is pleasure to have a book like this for Easter! Even at nearly 9-years-old, my daughter enjoyed Lollipop Seeds that Sprout for Kind Deeds. She actually refused to let me read the book to her--she wanted to be the one to read it out loud. Right away, she thought of about a dozen good deeds and is excited about tossing her lollipop seeds before Easter. Each book comes with 2 packages of lollipop seeds and 2 markers so that you can mark where you spread your seeds. Parents--be sure to pick up some lollipops to "sprout" on the eve before Easter. I love that the book was printed and made in the U.S.A. Really a wonderful book to add to your collection and something that your kids and grandkids will love! The book has such a great message and wonderful illustrations to go along. --Two Moms, A Little Time and a Keyboard BlogWhat a great story! We all value kindness as adults but for children, it may be a more abstract concept to grasp. The book Lollipop Seeds That Sprout Kind Deeds introduces this wonderful Easter tradition and encourages children to think about what may be a nice action to do for someone else. They are rewarded not only by our thankful words but also by something more tangible: a lollipop. Included in the book are 2 packets of Lollipop Seeds and 2 Lollipop Seed Markers (sadly, no lollipops are included). My daughter was very excited when she saw Lollipop Seeds for the first time. I told her they were special seeds and wouldn t sprout unless she did something kind. Since she is quite young, I helped her out figure out what could be a kind deed. I ve decided to introduce this tradition a little differently. Instead of tossing seeds on Easter eve, I decided to encourage all kinds of kind deeds for the weeks leading to Easter. Each time I catch her doing somethink kind, I make note of it and offer that she place a seed in her special pot (note that Lollipop Seeds can sprout in any soil!) I told her Lollipops wouldn t necessarily sprout right away so each morning she asks to see her pot just in case lollipops sprouted. To me, it made more sense to do it this way because I want to encourage her to be kind all the time, not just because it s Easter. She also needs to learn what kind deeds are so we take extra care to point them out. She is naturally generous so we have many opportunities to do so. The other part of my reasoning is that I also didn t want her to do something nice just because she wanted to get a lollipop as a reward. By making the sprouting random, she learns that kind deeds don t necessarily need to be rewarded by something tangible. Just making someone happy can be a reward in itself. lollipop seeds 3I think this book is a great idea to introduce kind deeds and celebrate them. It s an easy Easter tradition to implement, all you need is some sort of container and something to use a soil. I personally used a simple candle holder with kind words printed on it and filled it with red shredded paper. I figured a magical soil would be ideal for sprouting lollipop seeds! I can t wait to introduce this tradition to our youngest daughter and to see my oldest think and plan kind deeds all by herself as she grows. --Emily Reviews BlogWe have all heard of Elf on the Shelf for Christmas, now there is an adorable family tradition for Easter called Lollipop Seeds. I was sent a copy of The Lollipop Seeds that Sprout for Kind Deeds to review with my family. I absolutely love this new Easter tradition. This is a great tradition that teaches children the importance of doing something nice for others. The tradition is every time your child does something nice, whether it be sharing their toys or helping their parents around the house, they get to plant a seed in the lollipop garden. I have been writing down when my own kids do something nice and then about a week before Easter they will go out and plant the seeds that they have earned. I also told my kids that each time they do something that is not nice or fight with each other they get a seed taken off of them. It has been working, I have four boys and they are determined to have more lollipops grow than their brothers so if they get one taken off of them they work extra hard to earn another one. They are very excited to plant their seeds the week of Easter. They know that when the Easter Bunny comes he will sprinkle some magic on the seeds and when the kids wake up Easter morning their lollipop garden will be in full bloom and they will be able to go out and pick their lollipops. --South Hills Mommies Blog