While he's not in the same iconic league as Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny is more than a figment of the imagination.

He's the guy with the big floppy ears who opens the door to spring and a wondrous time of rebirth.

The Easter Bunny reminds us that it's also time to have some fun, says Mary Muscari, associate professor in the Decker School of Nursing at Binghamton University and author of "Let Kids Be Kids: Rescuing Childhood."

Keep the Easter Bunny spirit alive and hopping in your home with these five fun activities for kids:

1. Have a reverse Easter egg hunt.
Let the kids hide the eggs and have Mom and Dad find them. The losing parent cooks Easter breakfast or picks up the tab at a local restaurant.

2. Color eggs.
Make it a family tradition to talk about how eggs symbolize rebirth. It's a great way to get everyone together and foster creativity. If you don't like eating them plain or in sandwiches, look up tasty recipes using hardboiled eggs. Or better yet, paint plastic eggs and keep them year after year, hanging them on an Easter tree. If you don't have an Easter tree, make one with twigs and branches.

3. Make a list of all the baby animals you'll soon see in your neighborhood.
Do a Web search with your children to learn more about the animals in your area and find out how you can make the environment around your home friendlier for them.

4. Make mini Easter baskets.
Use colorful construction paper to make miniature Easter baskets. Fill them with tiny treats and go with your children to deliver them to the residents of a local nursing home.

5. Dress up.
You don't need to buy new clothes. Dig through your closets and refresh some old outfits or head to the nearest consignment shop and buy some gently used finery.

--From the Editors at Netscape