How to plan an amazing Easter egg hunt

An illustration of a big bunny and a little bunny in overalls, holding hands and walking happily.

Let’s face it, your kids are mostly in it for the chocolate. But as a parent you think about bigger things at Easter time, like the meaning of the holiday, celebrating spring, building a community and, of course, getting good pictures—plus chocolate bunnies, baskets of treats, kids in adorable outfits and all those other Easter essentials.

If you’re up for doing just a pinch of planning, a group Easter egg hunt with your child’s friends, church mates or neighbors can deliver all those things and more. Don’t worry, we’ve made it easy on you. Read on for a basketful of tips that will get those little bunnies hopping!

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Name the time and place  

Pick a date around Easter—the nearest weekend, maybe—and consider scheduling your hunt so it won’t conflict with Sunday morning services. Since spring weather is unpredictable, designate a rain date or have an indoor backup plan.

Depending on the number of people you’re inviting, the backyard can be a perfect location for your Easter egg hunt. You might also consider reserving a picnic shelter at a local park.

In your invitation, be sure to let the other parents know:

  • The time of the hunt and any specific activities, like age-specific hunts, games or snacks
  • Whether guests should bring their own baskets, eggs and/or treats
  • Your needs for volunteers to help wrangle kids, read stories, hide eggs, etc.
  • The dress code—Easter finest, casual and comfortable, toddler bunny chic or something else?
An illustration of Easter eggs featuring multicolored spring designs like flowers, plaid, stripes and polka dots.

Gather your supplies  

It’s easy to go down a deep Pinterest rabbit hole as you plan your day. But there’s no shame in keeping things simple and classic.

Eggs
Real eggs are great for small hunts. That said, the risk of one going unclaimed and stinking up a corner of the patio is high. But if you love getting your dip-dye on and can’t resist using real eggs, just be sure to do a count right before hiding and after the hunt to make sure all have been found. This will help you avoid a smelly situation down the road.

Plastic eggs, on the other hand, are inexpensive and just made for larger Easter egg hunts. There’s no messy markers or dyes, and the bright colors stand out in just about any environment. Plus, you can save and reuse them year after year if you want to.

When you’re figuring out numbers, start with a dozen per kid and go up or down. The tiniest hunters may be perfectly well-occupied playing with a single empty egg all morning. Older kids may be more quantity driven, but you can solve all sorts of problems by setting limits on how many eggs each hunter can find.

A line drawing of an Easter Basket with eggs and a carrot in it, on a teal colored background dotted with little white flowers.

Treats

You can fill plastic eggs with just about any small treat. To keep the goodies from spilling out, seal the eggs with a tiny bit of clear tape.

  • Candy! From classic jelly beans and chocolate eggs to malt balls and gummies.No need to fill eggs to capacity—a few pieces in each egg is plenty.
  • Tiny toys and trinkets. Consider hiding little stuffed animals, stickers, jewelry, school or craft items.
  • Messages.Write or print jokes and riddles, drawings, Bible verses or cartoons on little slips of paper.
  • Money. Make the eggs jingle with a few coins—or raise the stakes with higher value eggs for older kids.
  • Special prizes. Make a special prize egg—maybe it’s gold or bigger than the rest—with more valuable treasure or a voucher to exchange for a bigger prize, like an Easter storybook, stuffed animal or a cute set of bunny ears.

 

Baskets
Even if you’ve specified BYOBasket, it’s a good idea to keep a few extra baskets, bags or buckets on hand for those who forget or for last-minute guests.

Decorations
Set the scene with a fun banner and some simple Easter table-scapes…some Easter grass, a few fuzzy chicks. Maybe even some Easter Better Togethers!

Plan the menu  

Since the Easter egg hunt will yield plenty of sugary treats, fruit and veggie trays with dips may be a welcome sight. But we’re not going to tell you not to make these adorable Hallmark Easter snacks.

And don’t forget the adults: Who doesn’t love a good deviled egg? Try one of these tasty variations on deviled eggs.

 

An illustration of three baby chicks on a multicolored flower background.

Prepare the Easter egg hunt  

A lesson we’ve learned from experience: If the kids are released into the field before the hunt begins, they will start searching early. So unless you have a separate holding area, consider waiting to hide the eggs until after they’ve arrived.

Waiting for go time
If guests are bringing their own eggs or if you’re waiting ’til after they arrive to hide everything, keep the kids busy while a few volunteer bunnies do their work. Potential diversions:

  • Read an Easter story.
  • Sing “Peter Cotton Tail,” “Little Bunny Foo Foo” and other interactive songs.
  • Try an Easter craft, like decorating cupcakes or coloring (download some free coloring pages here).

Hiding the eggs
While kids are pleasantly distracted inside, send a few adults outside to hide the eggs. Obviously, different kids have different searching skills. Some tips on placement:

  • Babies and toddlers: Make it super-obvious—put the eggs on top of the grass or nestle them up against a tree root, but keep them in plain sight.
  • Little kids (3–5 years): Once they hit three, they get good at hunting. Challenge them with eggs hidden just under bushes, under swing sets and in other fun-but-kinda-obvious spots.
  • Elementary school age: This is not their first rodeo. Get creative. Make them work for it.
An illustration of a big bunny and a little bunny in overalls, holding hands and walking happily.

Release the hunting party  

Gather everyone for the main event, and let the kids and parents know how things are going to go down. If a free-for-all seems like a recipe for meltdowns, here are some ideas for keeping everyone happy.

Age groups
Young children tend to hunt slowly and the bigger kids eagerly snatch up everything they see. To avoid tears, you can divide them into groups and send the hunters out in waves. To speed things up or keep bigger kids entertained, you might ask the older hunters to “help” younger ones.

To make extra sure the tiniest participants don’t leave empty-handed, keep a stash of eggs for parents to drop in front of their little ones to boost their confidence.

Egg limits
If fairness is your goal, set a limit on the number of eggs each hunter can find before they have to stop. After they’ve hit it, they can always use their expertise to help the amateurs. 

After-party  

Parents and more grown-up attendees won’t have the spoils of their hunt to feast on. They’ll appreciate their own snacks and candy or a well-earned mimosa. And because we appreciate nothing more than a good photo op, we recommend making it easy for the revelers to commemorate their day. Set up a photo booth with gift wrap or a pastel sheet as a backdrop—and maybe add some bunny-ear headbands.

No matter the number of eggs found or the amount of chocolate consumed, an Easter egg hunt is a wonderful way to spend time with your favorite people—with the added benefit of creating lifelong memories.