KIDS ENJOY EASTER EGG HUNT AT CHILDREN'S WONDERLAND
Rain clears up in time for dozens of families to take part in holiday activities
One by one the kids lined up, baskets in hand, ready to get what was entitled to them.
The two-minute warning had been issued, and for the next few moments each kid wondered about their best strategies. It was like the epic scene in the film “Braveheart” only this group didn't care about a country of their own.
No, this group cared about something else — candy. Just. Get. Candy.
Children's Wonderland in Vallejo was full of dozens and dozens of kids and their families on Saturday morning as the Greater Vallejo Recreation District held the holiday event “Thumper's Eggs-Travaganza” at the historic venue on Glenn Street. Three different sessions were held for four different age groups to roam the playground and find hidden plastic Easter eggs filled with candy.
“I think the best part for me is watching all the kids as the 10-second countdown begins,” GVRD Recreation Coordinator Andrea Mendoza said, with a big laugh. “They all get ready and then go before the countdown ends and you say `go.' There is no way to stop them.”
Third-grader Sebastian Landin was at the event for the first time and enjoyed it while picking up 10 Easter eggs in the hunt that last about a minute.
“I just went all over the place,” Landin said. “I was looking everywhere for them. I got exactly how much I thought I would get.”
Another third-grader, Ivy Hoffman, picked up 16 eggs but admitted she wanted to get even more.
“I was looking at the grass at all the eggs I might be able to get before the countdown started,” Hoffman said. “My favorite ones I got were the ones that were tootsie rolls.”
After the Easter egg hunts, families got their picture taken with the Easter Bunny, Thumper.
Hoffman's mother, Jacqueline, said she found out about the event through her other family members.
“We like this one because it's very well organized and has a ton of other families like us looking for a safe environment,” Jacqueline Hoffman said. “I think everyone takes part in an Easter egg hunt at some point in their lives. I didn't tell them what to do before they went out there, they already had their own strategy made up.”
Sebastian Landin's mom, Yoana, said she enjoyed coming to Children's Wonderland for a while now.
“Greater Vallejo does a lot of cool stuff. We've done ballet, swimming and other
sports with them,” Yoana Landin said. “We've been coming to this park for a while too.”
Mendoza said she was worried that the weather might ruin the event, but things turned out to be OK.
“Maybe 15 minutes before the first session the sun came out and everyone took off their jackets and sweaters because it was so bright,” Mendoza said. “It was a sigh of relief and the best feeling because nobody like to sit out in the rain. It was the start of a good day.”
Mendoza said it was nice to see a live event again as well.
“We've missed this so much,” Mendoza said. “During the pandemic we had these events were we would see the smiles of the kids, but we couldn't see how dressed up they were. We couldn't see their outfits. We love packing the park again with this many people.”