15 fun Easter egg hunt ideas that are anything but ordinary

Everybunny loves Easter's main event: the Easter egg hunt.

While you can always take a traditional approach and simply scatter plastic Easter eggs throughout your yard or house, there are so many other ways to to embrace the thrill of the hunt.

Take these creative Easter egg hunt ideas, for example. Maybe you map out the treats to create an Easter-ified treasure hunt for the kids and adults in your crew. Or if you want to make the fun last even longer, challenge tiny hunters to perform songs (perhaps, a festive one) when they discover eggs. The list goes on and on — and you'll find it below.

All of these ideas can be tailored to the size of your crowd. Just be sure to nail down the plan before Easter Sunday so you can be the one to teach everyone else the ropes on the day of.

When the moment comes, be sure to snap a few pictures of the little bunnies (er, kids) hopping around for eggs and post 'em on Instagram with a cute Easter caption. That way, you can share your Easter fun with loved ones celebrating from afar.

Easter egg hunt trophies

No matter how many eggs end up in their basket, everyone will feel like a winner if they walk away with a trophy. Come up with enough awards for your whole crew — most eggs, most determined egg hunter and so on.

Get the tutorial at Lovely Indeed.

Sugar-free Easter egg hunt

OK, we promise this is more fun than it sounds. Instead of stuffing plastic eggs with coins and candy, fill them with slips of paper that outline egg-citing rewards like jumping on the bed or breakfast for dinner.

Get the tutorial at Play Party Plan.

Easter egg treasure hunt

Not only does this get kids excited, but it helps them develop problem-solving skills as they navigate a map. Create a treasure map for the kids, and just like a “real” treasure map, include sections on the map where the treasures will be different. One section might be “eggcrator” where all of the special Easter eggs are hidden.  The next section of the map can be “collector village” that includes lots of favorite collectibles the kids have been begging for. And of course, include something devoted to candy because after all, it’s Easter. 

Egg hunt Olympics

Pair kids up into teams, and give them lists of sports and activities they need to complete. For example, they need to do five jumping jacks, followed by hopping on one foot, and followed by running around the yard twice. Kids learn to work together and when they complete each rotation, they get an Easter prize. You can either give them chocolate (always a win) or something non-edible, like a themed coloring book and markers. 

Easter egg hunt by flashlight

Try a novel twist on the traditional daylight search: Arm your kids with flashlights, and send them out at dusk to hunt for eggs. For even more fun, make it a glow-in-the-dark egg hunt: Just fill plastic eggs with lit glow sticks and candy, tape them shut and hide them.

'The Voice,' bunny edition

Three adults sit down, their backs to the kids. And the kids, in turn, perform an Easter-themed song of their choice. Might we suggest such gems as "The Bunny Hokey Pokey" or "Little Bunny Foo Foo." The adults have to identify which child is singing, and decide which child joins which musical team. Of course, there’s a sing-off at the end. 

Color-matching showdown

Perfect for kids who can’t yet read, but can recognize and name their colors, this one has you printing out swatches of vibrant shades. Yellow, orange, purple, blue, green, red, and the like. Each child gets a stack (ideally, because little hands are grubby, you’d laminate these) as well as a bag and kids have to find objects in the yard that match each color. And then, each swatch and matching item goes into the bag. Because kids this age are not great competitors, make sure there’s a prize for everyone. 

Assign egg colors

If you’re having a hunt for kids with different age groups or searching abilities, consider ways to ensure the bounty is well distributed. You can opt to assign each child a certain color to hunt for, or a list of different colors to find (i.e. two red, three blue and one green).

Easter egg countdown

Great for kids who can’t yet read, this one relies on matching and color cues. Hide eggs of various colors around the yard. And then tell kids what they need to find. First, three blue eggs. Followed by two green eggs. Followed by four red eggs. You get it. You can either dye the eggs yourself, or purchase plastic eggs and fill them with treats. Kids stay active and learn to take turns and follow directions. 

Easter egg scavenger hunt

You can cater this to either younger kids or older kids, making the challenges greater or more accessible depending on age group. Kids split up into groups, and each group gets an old-fashioned scroll map. On the map are clues: The ickiest book in your library; your favorite pair of shoes; mom’s favorite picture of you. When each team finds the correct clue, they pick up an egg. The team who finishes first with all the eggs wins a prize. 

Easter’s Got Talent

A great activity both for younger and older kids, this one unifies everyone because of its sheer silliness. An adult holds a stack of activity cards and asks kids to yodel, spin around on one leg, moo like a cow, quack like a duck, hop backwards, you get the drift. Not only is this a fun group activity, but everyone gets a prize for completing their challenge with panache, finesse and pure talent, of course. 

Easter egg relay

First, find the eggs the traditional way, but to win the highly coveted “Easter basket”, take the eggs, take a spoon, and get ready to run!!  Balance, physical activity, and lots of laughs make this a great way to keep the entire family engaged, as kids and parents race each other to the finish line without dropping the eggs. 

Egg crate competition

Save those egg crates. And when you have enough, bring them out at Easter. First, let kids decorate them with stickers, glitter, and markers. And then, have them line up at the starting line. The first child to fill the egg crate with eggs (either real or plastic or chocolate) wins … a later bedtime or a movie of their choice. 

The bunny hop

Instead of eggs, hide stuffed bunnies all over the yard. They come in a shocking variety of shapes, sizes and colors, so go nuts. And here’s the kicker: To find them, kids have to hop around like … bunnies. The kid who finds the most bunnies wins. It’s a fun twist on the original egg hunt, which merely has children rushing around. 

Adults-only Easter egg hunt

Turn the tables on your kids—let them each hide a few eggs for you and the other adults at your party to find. The child who stumps you the most (with the last egg found) gets a prize.