10 tips for hosting an awesome Easter Egg Hunt (without blowing the budget)

How to host an Easter Egg Hunt on a budget

Have you thought about hosting your own neighborhood Easter egg hunt?

Our annual neighborhood Easter egg hunts are one of our favorite ways to celebrate one of our favorite holidays. We generally host ours on the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter. Kids running and giggling, parents lounging and chatting, everyone happy and having fun… It’s one of the highlights of our year. I hope these simple tips will help you organize your own little hunt!

Here’s how we pull it off on a small budget:

1. Send the parents instructions for the older kids ahead of time.

Ask them to prep the the big kids so that they won’t burst from their cars to scoop up all the obvious eggs (set out for the littles) before they’re supposed to.

2. Ask the kids (parents) to bring their own Easter baskets.

You might want to have a couple of spares on hand just in case anyone forgets.

3. Get your group photo of all the children together before the hunt begins.

This way the older ones won’t be too hyped up on sugar to sit still and the younger ones won’t be melting into nap-time. (I learned this one the hard way.)

4. Go over the instructions again with the kids once you’re ready to start.

Keep it short and simple and encourage the big kids to help the littles.

5. Release the kids in “heats” according to age.

Let the littlest kids go first to find all the obvious eggs and then release the bigger kids 10 minutes later to storm the yard and collect their bounty. Alternately, if your property is big enough, send the big kids to the front yard and the little ones to the back yard.

6. In addition to a few “real” eggs, use plastic eggs with candy and prizes inside of them.

When the hunt is over, the kids can open their eggs, keep all their treasures (chocolates, raisins, teddy grams, nickels, stickers, pretzels, blueberries, jelly beans, etc.) and then return the plastic eggs for next year’s hunt. (Give them the heads-up during instruction time so they won’t be too disappointed when they’re asked to hand back the shells.)

7. Have a potluck-style spread of yummy treats for morning tea.

Ask each family to bring a little something for morning tea to share. Add coffee, teas, and juices and then watch as your table is filled with muffins, scones, cheese and cracker platters, veggies, fruit, and more. YUM.

8. Set out an Easter basket with candy for the parents.

Load up a “parents only” basket on the morning tea table just in case the kids don’t want to share their bounty.

9. Make sure to get lots of photos.

Designate someone to take photos (if you’re able) so you can be free to host. Some fun shots to think about capturing are: egg hunting shots, kids showing off their haul, details of the morning tea and decorations, chocolate-smeared faces, parents chatting over coffee, etc.

10. Remember the reasons why you celebrate in the first place.

Every family is different, but for ours, we celebrate because of our faith. We love the party, we love the chocolate, we love the bunnies, we love the tasty treats… but more importantly, we love what God has done for us and who he is. Jesus is our reason for celebrating all of it. You may or may not share our faith, but no doubt you celebrate because holidays are a wonderful reason to gather the family together, have some fun, and build special memories. Whatever your reasons are, ENJOY.

Happy Easter friends!

About Author

Adriel Booker is an author, speaker, and advocate based in Sydney, Australia who believes storytelling, beauty, and the grace of God will change the world. Adriel has become a trusted voice in areas of motherhood and parenting, Christian spirituality, and global women's issues. She's also known for her work with the Love A Mama Collective—serving under-resourced women in developing nations through safe birth initiatives—as well as her years spent as a Bible teacher and leadership coach. Her latest book is Grace Like Scarlett: Grieving with Hope after Miscarriage and Loss and she's made the companion grief journal available for free. Find Adriel across all social media platforms at @adrielbooker or sign up for LoveNotes, Adriel's 'secret posts' that aren't published anywhere else online. ✌️

16 Comments

  • Casey Martinez
    22 April 2011 at 11:28 am

    This was such a FUN post and I am with you 100%…I LOVE LOVE celebrating holidays and having people over to celebrate with us. I wasn't thinking that Daisy was old enough to do an egg hunt but, seeing Levi in the first picture or so putting eggs in a basket…I think we'll do a little something with Daisy now;0. SOOO sweet to host an egg hunt. I think I'll try this next year!

    Reply
  • Cari
    22 April 2011 at 4:50 pm

    Adriel, great ideas! I Loved the morning tea idea. Then you don't cut into afternoon nap time either.

    Happy Easter to you and your family!

    Reply
  • Melissa (Confessions of a Dr. Mom)
    22 April 2011 at 10:45 pm

    I love the idea of a morning style tea. LOVE it! Everyone looks like they had a great time. Thanks for the wonderful ideas 🙂

    Have a most wonderful Easter. XO

    Reply
  • Kerry McCullough
    23 April 2011 at 1:11 am

    That sounds like such a fun idea– I love daytime parties. So much less hassle, and usually more fun 🙂 We will be away on vacation, but I think I'm definitely going to be hosting a morning tea/ easter egg hunt next year!

    Reply
  • Yolanda @ Blaggie Plaggie:Babblings of a Mommy Doctor
    23 April 2011 at 2:54 pm

    Adriel, what a lovely day! I've been thinking a lot about traditions (and my family's lack of). Neither my husband and I grew up with many traditions, so it's been a little challenging taking more initiative with our own. I love Easter too, and I really resonate with your last tip on remembering why we celebrate in the first place! Have a great rest of the Easter weekend celebrating new life! =)

    Reply
  • Jennie
    23 April 2011 at 8:12 pm

    This looks like so much fun! Something to think about for next year…

    Reply
  • Amy
    23 April 2011 at 11:07 pm

    Looks like a blast! Great idea to take the pic BEFORE the hunt. My family blew that one. I like the morning tea thing. Well done. Good ideas!

    Reply
  • Becca
    24 April 2011 at 3:06 am

    Great list. I can't wait to have an egg hunt with our little bun next year and for years to come.

    Reply
  • JDaniel4's Mom
    28 March 2012 at 11:13 pm

    This is an awesome tip list! I just tweeted it.
    JDaniel4’s Mom recently posted..Seven Things We Do To Ease JDaniel’s Allergy SufferingMy Profile

    Reply
  • […] a Christian Passover and we’re gearing up for a fun family weekend, including hosting our annual Easter egg hunt and morning tea for friends on Saturday and church and Easter lunch on […]

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  • […] These tips are adapted from a post that originally appeared on my personal blog. If you’d like to read more, click here. […]

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  • Laura Margulies
    31 March 2015 at 11:15 am

    When planning your Easter Egg adventure, you will need a fresh Evite for the Easter Egg Hunt. Look no further! LeiMation.com has the most fun, Kid-Friendly, animated by hand Evite for Easter.

    Reply
  • Anita Ojeda
    11 April 2017 at 10:49 am

    What great tips! I love the idea of building community :).
    Anita Ojeda recently posted..The Simple Antidote to Not Enough: PraiseMy Profile

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    • Adriel Booker
      11 April 2017 at 11:39 am

      It’s such a fun way to interact with neighbors that we don’t always have regular interaction with. And a great way to loop in new neighbors!!

      Reply
  • Angela
    11 April 2017 at 11:32 am

    My parents host a hunt for their 8 grandchildren, and while this idea wouldn’t work for too much bigger of a group, this is how they manage the age differences. (We range from 17-5 this year.) Every child has his own color of egg. That way we know if we are hiding the yellow eggs, they are for a teenager and we can be tricky. But the green eggs are for the 5 year old and should be a bit more obvious. When they find their 12 they are done and can cheer on the others. Grandma gives each child a baggie to transfer their loot to, and then we give the eggs back for the next year. She reuses the baskets from year to year also.

    Reply
    • Adriel Booker
      11 April 2017 at 11:39 am

      Wow, your mom is incredibly organized! This sounds amazing. Thank you for sharing these great tips!!!

      Reply

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