Underwater Easter egg hunt at Edgar May

An excited mob of 2-, 3-, and 4-year-olds waited at the edge of the pool as Edgar May Health and Rec Center Director Christian Craig explained the rules of the Underwater Easter Egg hunt recently.

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Underwater Easter egg hunt at Edgar May BY KAREN ENGDAHL, The ShopperApril 6, 2017 Easter egg hunt The Easter Bunny greets egg hunters. Photo by Karen Engdahl. SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – An excited mob of 2-, 3-, and 4-year-olds waited at the edge of the pool as Edgar May Health and Rec Center Director Christian Craig explained the rules of the Underwater Easter Egg hunt recently. “There are lots of eggs in the pool,” he said. “Some are full of just air, some have pennies in them, and some have dollar coins. If you get one with a dollar coin, you get a special prize.” Easter egg hunt Egg hunters searching the pool. Photo by Karen Engdahl. While parents nodded appreciatively about the prizes, the kids seemed unimpressed. They just wanted to get in the water and start retrieving the colorful eggs. When the signal was finally given, they splashed, jumped, and ran to find the underwater treasures while the Easter Bunny patrolled the deck, nodding encouragement. The 2- to 4-year-olds comprised the first heat of the event, which was organized to offer egg hunting opportunities to swimmers in different age groups. More than 1,200 eggs were hidden in the pools, providing plenty of chances to splash and search for eggs. “This year we have more than 90 kids signed up for the event,” said Sarah Tilden, coordinator of youth and family programs for the Edgar May. “It’s a great chance for kids to have some fun in the pool and learn about other programs we offer.” Kids finding the eggs containing dollar coins exchanged them for prizes such as a birthday pool party package, swim lessons, and a youth membership at the facility. All kids received goodie bags full of fun prizes at the close of the event. Easter egg hunt Sarah Tilden, Youth and Family programs coordinator. Photo by Karen Engdahl. The Edgar May Health and Recreation Center provides small group swimming lessons that allow participants to build confidence and attain skills in a safe and fun environment. Children as young as 6 months can start learning water skills with parents in the Parent and Toddler Class; other classes for kids include Intro to Water Skills, Fundamental Aquatic Skills, and Stroke Development. By maintaining low instructor-to-student ratios, swimmers are able to receive more individualized instruction and support. All Edgar May instructors are American Red Cross WSI certified. More information about classes and programs at the Edgar May Center is available at its website, www.myreccenter.org.