Create pure magic and enjoy the wonder of your child’s imagination as they watch these Magic Jelly Beans grow into their own special Lollipop Garden.
(Read here how to use this as a character building activity with “Joy Filled Jelly Beans.)
These colorful jelly beans are meant to be planted by children who love surprises. The beauty of this tradition is that any space will do, whether it’s a corner in the garden, a small flower pot or even your grass.
Have fun as you carefully dig little holes and “plant” a jelly bean in each hole. Let them rest overnight (i.e. once they are asleep, carefully place a lollipop where each bean had been planted) and in the morning, your children will have an amazing surprise.
Yes, your children will delight when they see what grew overnight – a Lollipop Garden. This makes a fun twist on the traditional Egg Hunt as well.
(If you have an incredibly perceptive child, make sure you replace the same color sucker with the same color jelly bean that your child planted. Ask me how I know. Yes, a decade has gone by and it still haunts me – That smart little guy. ;))
Use this same tradition idea for an extra special twist to any children’s party. Swap out the magic jelly beans for magic “seeds” and let the kids sprinkle away at the beginning of the party. Watch what grows by the end of their celebration – their very own Lollipop Garden.
Have your children plant the Magic Jelly Beans throughout the yard for a truly magnificent effect on Easter.
If you plan on hosting an Easter Egg-stravaganza, this makes a delightful party favor gift. For years, I shared this idea with others. I made two small gift bags. One bag held the Magic Jelly Bean tradition idea (with jelly beans) and the second bag held the The Lollipop Garden card with Lollipops. I think tied them into one cellophane bag to give the parents as they left.
I just loved that I could assist in helping other families begin a new tradition idea that would last for years to come.
Feel free to try my twist to this fun tradition idea and use your Magic Jelly Beans to create your own Lollipop Garden Cake. It’s a perfect way to encourage your children in acts of service, generosity and all those wonderful character qualities we hope to instill.
For this tradition, we plant “Joy Filled” jelly beans and watch what planting “seeds” of joy and kindness everywhere can do for our “Garden.”
For many more Easter Tradition ideas, check out my Traditions and Celebrations category.
Plant Magic Jelly Beans the night before. Watch the kids amazement as they see what grew over night. Neat tradition can be tied in..
Jen- This is SUCH a cute idea! I love it and have never seen it before! Think I’ll try this one with my crew this year! Thanks-
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So cute! Can’t wait to do this with our kiddos 🙂
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Such a cute idea, we may have to start this with my son this year!
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I turned your amazing idea into an edible craft treat. Thank you so much for the inspiration. I credited your idea in my post and wanted you to know. Doing this w/ my daughter was amazing. She was so surprised and loved it so much. We need a little magic in our life these days and this was perfect.
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Jen Reply:
March 29th, 2012 at 10:16 am
OH MY WORD, Trisha – those are ADORABLE!!!!!! Isn’t it fun what a little inspiration will do to get our creative juices flowing. SO FUN!!!
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Oh, this is adorable!
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Kelsey Reply:
April 18th, 2017 at 5:10 pm
i did the trick with the jelly beans and it grew charm blow pops suckers on Easter it works
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Jen Reply:
April 18th, 2017 at 5:50 pm
HA!!! Love that!! Woo hoo for those amazing jelly beans. 🙂
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Thanks for sharing. What a sweet idea! I just had to pin it. 🙂
http://pinterest.com/pin/259590365991536826/
Hope you have a wonderful Easter.
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We have been doing this tradition of planting jelly beans for years now (our hairdresser told us about it). We also do our traditional egg drop contest – using recycled materials who can make the best “nest” for a real egg so that it does not break when you drop it from varying heights. Lots of fun. You can read more about it here on my blog – http://www.growingplay.blogspot.com/2012/04/this-has-been-tradition-for-last.html
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Jen Reply:
April 4th, 2012 at 12:41 pm
It’s so funny because we do the egg drop competition as a group science competition. Never thought to do it at Easter, but that would be fun. 🙂
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Do the sell a bunny on the shelf like they do elf on the shelf?
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Why oh why didn’t I learn about this 40 years ago. Fabulous!
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such a fun idea!!!
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Fun Idea! Pinning it to our group pin board – thanks for sharing this at It’s a Spring Thing Linky Party!
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I thought this was so cute and I am always looking for traditions with the kids …….so I decided to do this…..The kids loved the idea of burrying the lollipops but the next morning was really hard planting those lollipops, like 50 of them…..did I forget to mention I am in Canada and the snow was really hard 🙁 but it worked out beautifully, the kids were very excited, plus I hung eggs on the bare branches of our sycamore tree :))) what a sight for the kids and our neighbors.
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Jen Reply:
March 30th, 2013 at 10:51 am
Oh my Canada? You are one great mom to plant them in that freezing cold ground. Did you get a picture? I’d LOVE to see it and add it to this post?
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Hi I saw your magic jelly bean tradtion and I think this is so cute and i would like to start it with my grandson, but I was wondering if you offer a copy of the jelly bean bag that I could print out. this is just the cutiest idea and thank you for sharing,
Thank You,
Deanna
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What a magical idea for the little ones!!
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What a fun idea, pinning!
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I’m on it. Thanks, Jen!
xoxo
Cindy
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Did this this year for Easter – my 4-year old grandson’s eyes and expressions while telling everyone was priceless! I was able to find the special Easter Dum-Dum brand suckers that had jelly bean centers!
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Where can I purchase these Jelly beans
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I tried the magic jelly bean suckers tradition and I love it I’m going to do it ever year now because I have fun with it and it’s fun to get candy on Easter each year so I love that tradition because it’s fun to get a lot of candy and I love to get candy and if you try to tell your classmates that you grew the suckers from the jelly beans they won’t believe you because they don’t even try it on Easter so everyone get your kiddos to do it and tell your classmates that you did grow them like invite them to your house and have them watch you do the tradition so they can believe you because I told my college classmates that me and my family grew them from jelly beans and they didn’t believe me so get them to believe you please try it everyone that loves the tradition like I do so I have fun this year on Easter Sunday ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? PS the Easter tradition of magic jelly beans will grow suckers and the trick on works on the day before Easter and on Easter have fun with it and get everyone to do it again
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Jen Reply:
April 20th, 2017 at 11:07 am
SOOOOO FUN!!!! Love that you had a blast with this and will make it a new tradition. 🙂
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Trust me If you plant the right jelly beans you will get suckers
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