Easter is early this year.

Easter is always the 1st Sunday after the 1st full moon after the Spring Equinox (which is March 20). This dating of Easter is based on the lunar calendar that Hebrew people once used to identify Passover, which is why it moves around on our Roman calendar.

Based on the above information, Easter can actually be one day earlier (March 22) that is rare.

Here’s the interesting information. This year is the earliest Easter any of us will ever see the rest of our lives! And only the most elderly of our population have ever seen it this early (95 years old or above). And none of us have ever, or will ever, see it a day earlier! Here are the facts:

1. The next time Easter will be this early (March 23) will be the year 2228 (220 years from now). The last time it was this early was 1913 (so if you’re 95 or older, you are the only ones that were around for that!).
2. The next time it will be a day earlier, March 22, will be in the year 2285 (277 years from now). The last time it was on March 22 was 1818. So, no one alive today has or will ever see it any earlier than this year!

The facts above was emailed to me, and I thought I’d share.

Happy Easter everyone!

We are very excited to announce the arrival of Green Toys! After waiting since last year, Green Toys finally started making their first shipments recently, and we received ours this weekend!

Green Toys are truly green. Its line of classic toys are made from 100% recycled milk jugs! Their packagings are also 100% recycled materials. Not only are the products eco-friendly, but the entire process and logistics have been very well thought through. The products are made in California, where the laws regarding environmental and toys are the strictest. It not only creates and preserves jobs in America but it saves a lot of energy and reduces greenhouse gases by not relying on so much back and forth transportation to/from other countries.

And the toys are great classics that children enjoy. A sand play set, garden set, cookware set, and tea set. We can’t wait for the weather to be warmer so we can play outside with these Sand Play Sets and Garden Sets.

Our 2.5 year old daughter loves to play with trains, pushing them up and down ramps, through tunnels and into stations. She loves this double-lane bridge! Its massiveness is obvious when she’s next to it. When including the 2 on-ramps, the bridge expands to a total length of a very impressive 56 inches long!

Trains aren’t just for boys. Our daughter loves to build tracks with her older brother, insisting on a particular layout or pattern. There are a variety of bridges and tracks to accommodate the most complex rail system. These vehicles and trains are her favorite ones and can fit into her toddler-sized hands perfectly. All nontoxic and made in Vermont, USA. A great substitute for the famous blue train.

Tell the famous Aesop’s fable, The Lion and The Mouse with this Lion and the Mouse puppet. We’ve also recently added other story time puppets by Zid Zid Kids.

View more from Zid Zid Kids

It’s sometimes tough to get the kids to go bath, but ever since they received these HABA squirters. They quickly jump at the chance to go when it’s bathing time. Our preschooler boy got this ship.

Our 2 year old got this cute little frog. She likes it so much she even brings it to bed with her.

I actually thought they’d just float the things around, but what’s surprising to me was how they loved spraying (squirting) water at one another and bursts out into giggling fits. Or squirt water into the air.

I can’t wait till summer when they can actually have lots of fun outside with these toys, and I don’t have to keep reminding them about not wetting the floor too much.

One of the many activities that children love is playing with playdough. It’s the closest to baking / making bread, and there is just something about the squishiness and the ability to create various shapes (and eat it?) that appeals to kids. You can roll it, knead it, create shapes and or animals out of it. It’s so flexible (flexible, heh), versatile and fun! Our 2.5 and 4.5 yr olds are no exception and absolutely love playing with playdough, but we are very thankful that they don’t make attempts to eat them!

Our kids love to use the Shape, Model and Mold Play Set by Melissa & Doug to make little animals with the molding lids (rabbit, bear, frog, and rabbit), or knead with the various rolling pins, or cut it with the patterned wheel press. Or make patterns with the 5 various shape-makers. There The two can literally sit for an hour or more playing with playdough and this activity set.

Aside from the store-bought playdough that’s available at almost every store, there are various homemade recipes that one can use to make your own playdough at home. Some require actual boiling, while others just mix and knead.

We’ve tried several different homemade playdough recipes, and came upon this one (from our kids’ preschool bulletin board!) that works really well. It’s really easy to make and it lasts quite nicely too. The kids can be involved in making the playdough, which is half of the fun!

Homemade Play Dough Recipe – No Stirring or Boiling Required

Mix dry ingredients. Add oil to hot water and gradually pour into dry ingredients and stir until moistened. Begin kneading as soon as dough is cool enough. If too dry, add small amounts of hot water until desired consistency. If too sticky, add more flour.

Just like store-bought playdough, when not in use, the homemade playdough should be stored in zippered plastic bags such as Ziploc or Glad.