Easter egg hunts are the best part of Easter celebrations – just ask any kid or grownup!
There’s chocolate, outdoor activity, colourful eggs, light-hearted competition – and best of all prizes!
Versions of this Easter ritual have been around for centuries…according to one tradition, colourful egg dyeing is related to Mary Magdalene, the first person the see Jesus Christ after his resurrection.
While holding an egg, she proclaimed Jesus had risen from the dead. The Emperor replied that it was as likely as an egg turning red – according to the story, the egg she was holding, did just that!
Whether you are stepping into hosting an Easter egg hunt, or a seasoned veteran, here are six tips to have an egg-cellent Easter egg hunt:
Pick a great location:
Whether the hunt is taking place in your backyard, or the park down the road, make sure the location works for your group. Pick an area that is large enough for the egg-hunters, but not too large that it’s impossible to find the eggs.
If you are hosting the hunt indoors – you never know the weather at Easter – try to limit the action to one floor so there are no stairs in the mix.
Use holiday décor to enhance the hunt:
Look for Easter bunnies, oversized eggs or cute little chicks to set the scene for hunting action…some supermarkets have Easter egg hunt kits, with signs to stick in the garden or along the path, pointing the way or giving clues to where to look for your bounty.
Have Easter baskets and buckets at the ready:
You could hold a BYOB – Bring Your Own Basket – Easter egg hunt, but you need to play it safe and have some egg-collecting containers for all the hunters. Some cute ideas you can use apart from traditional cane baskets, are canvas totes, beach buckets or paper gift bags with handles.
Count the eggs before you hide them:
There is nothing worse than two weeks after Easter, finding a smashed chocolate egg in your letterbox, behind the pantry door or in the laundry basket. Make sure to count the eggs before you hide them, you can do a recount after the hunt and is finished and know if any area unaccounted for.
Hiding the eggs:
Choose hiding spots that make sense for the ages of the hunters – you’ll want some in more obvious locations for the little ones and others hidden in more challenging spots like a garden bed, hidden in the stump of a tree or under a pot plant, for older guests.
Ready, set, hunt:
If you’re hosting a hunt for all different age groups, think about letting the kids start in rounds by age group. The littlest hunters should have first dibs on the easiest eggs to find, then you can countdown a few minutes before giving the older hunters to go ahead to join the action.
