The chocolate part of the day has its own challenges.  Like figuring out new places to hide the eggs.  After four years they know enough to go straight to the little lip at the top of the wooden water wheel or they develop clever chocolate-maximizing strategies like shaking every tree until the leaves fall off.  But we’ve got a few tricks up our sleeves this year, like the half tennis ball that will be sitting innocently out on the lawn.  You have to get up pretty early… well, 10am, to fool this bunny.

Now the chocolate madness doesn’t end at our driveway.  After loading up here, we’re off to one of our favourite public easter egg hunts, down at Seaview School in Lantzville.  That’s where the Lantzville Rotary Club puts on its annual hunt on Sunday, complete with prizes, best Easter hat contest, and non-candy food to eat.  Things get underway at 1pm. [my apologies, we got this wrong in the newspaper and it said 11am]

Up in Errington every day of the long weekend from 10am – 4pm, Tiger Lily Farm has a “Candy in the Hay” game along with easter egg and basket decorating, and of course visits by the Easter Bunny (second only to Santa Claus in being in several places at once).

On Saturday, Sunday and Monday, enjoy the annual Milner Gardens Children’s Easter Bunny Hunt from 10am – 4:30pm. Armed with clues, the kids have to find the bunnies hidden around the grounds and then trade in the bunnies for treats.  Adults are $7.50 and kids under 12, accompanied by an adult, are free.

Down in Cedar on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, Yawning Acres is holding their 2nd Annual Easter Egg Hunt and Hayride.  After a mile and a half ride in the covered hay wagons, you’ll stop by the banks of the Nanaimo River, where adults can settle around the campfire with a hot chocolate, while the kids search through the forest for easter eggs.  Runs from 10am to 4pm each day – $10 for adults and $5 for kids.

View the entire schedule and get up to date scores here at the official website.

Then of course there’s the food… including a great little cheese shop, a bakery, and capping it off with home-made ice cream. All the amazing seafood was lost on our eldest, while the rest of us wished we hadn’t eaten a large lunch before finding Cowichan Bay! There’s a floating motel that the kids were anxious to try and they looked longingly as a group of whale watchers returned to shore – we have to come back when we have more time and bigger appetites!

Parking is tight in this small village – it was a cloudy day and the entire street was still packed with vehicles. If you keep driving north past the shops, you’ll come to a large parking lot – and it’s just a short, pleasant stroll back in to the shops. We saw a poster talking about a proposed walkway along the waterfront, which would be a fabulous addition to the village atmosphere.

Students over 8 actually live on campus and come from around the world. Our favourite part was seeing kids practicing tap, or bassoon, or their lines, while having lunch or hanging out between classes – the kids really take their arts seriously, while having a lot of fun. The message is “be creative” and our daughter got it loud and clear – she’s booked for next year – but there’s still time to sign up for programs this August.

Our daughter’s 5 – 8 group, called the Leaping Leonardo’s, put on a complete play at the end of their week, in addition to the pottery, paintings, etc. that they created in that time. As well, they did a field trip and went swimming at the Lake.

Now here’s a plan for those of you who aren’t within easy driving distance of Shawnigan lake and you want your youngster in the day camp: get a camping spot or a B&B or a hotel for a week, then the kids have their Arts Academy and you have your days to lounge, take in all the local artisans, or our favourite, head to Merridale Cider and their excellent restaurant.