21 inventive Easter egg hunt ideas

Get creative this spring with these unique Easter egg hunt ideas. With ideas for kids, teens and adults, there’s plenty of ways to get involved.

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Published: February 17, 2024 at 8:00 am

It’s not really Easter without an Easter egg hunt, is it? Taking part in this fun activity is a big part of the tradition for many families. 

Whether it’s your first time planning one or you're a seasoned pro, we have lots of Easter egg hunt ideas to add a twist to your day! 

If you’ve never done an Easter egg hunt, the very simple version is hiding chocolate eggs throughout the house or garden and letting the kids go off and find them. However, we think there’s a few small ways in which you make it all the more fun, and suitable for your child's age. 

We’ve got lots of ideas for you below, and you can jump to the section which suits your child's age range. We even have Easter egg hunt ideas for adults, if you’re a bit of a big kid! 

Jump to: 

21 imaginative Easter egg hunt ideas

Easter egg hunt ideas for kids 

When planning your Easter egg hunt, you’ll need to think about your child’s age and how tricky it might be for them to find the eggs. 

Making it easier can be more enjoyable for smaller children, while old kids and teens might like a good challenge (especially if there’s a big prize at stake).

It doesn't have to be chocolate eggs either. Try using plastic hollow eggs which can be filled with your own choice of treats or challenges.

Easter egg hunt ideas for toddlers (aged 1-3)

1. Balloon Easter egg hunt idea 

easter egg hunt ideas - toddlers balloons

For smaller children, it can be difficult to spot well-hidden or little Easter eggs. Happy Toddler Playtime has devised the genius idea of using balloons to hide the treats inside. 

Balloons are bigger and brighter than most eggs, so much easier to find for toddlers.

All you need to do is fill them with treats, blow them up and hide around the garden or house.

 2. Shaky eggs activity

easter egg ideas shaky

Shaky eggs by Prodigies can be played as a hunt or as an Easter activity. You’ll need plastic eggs that can be opened. Then fill them with a variety of materials, rice, beans, pom poms, etc. 

The kids can then guess what’s inside (is it something hard or soft?), or use them to make fun sounds. It’s a fun sensory activity for small children!

 3. Magnetic Easter egg sensory box

easter egg hunt ideas - toddlers magnets

If you want to keep the Easter egg hunt contained in one room then this sensory box idea from Happy Toddler Playtime is ideal. It’s also a great Easter egg hunt idea if it rains.

You’ll need plastic eggs, something magnetic to put inside them and magnetic wands for your kids to hunt the eggs.

 4. Bunny footprints Easter basket hunt 

easter egg hunt ideas - toddlers rabbit

This Easter egg hunt is easy to set up and a memorable surprise for your toddler to wake up to on Easter morning. It’s also excellent for toddlers not quite yet walking, so they can just scoot along the bunny footprints.

Mama Instincts has provided cute bunny feet templates, so you can make your own at home.

 5. Helium balloon Easter egg hunt

easter egg hunt ideas - toddlers balloons 2

If you’re worried about your toddler not finding the eggs you’ve hidden then attaching a helium balloon is a fabulous solution for this. Celebrations at Home shows us how!


Easter egg hunt ideas for kids (aged 4-5)

 6. Glow in the dark Easter egg hunt 

easter egg hunt ideas  for kids - kids glow

This Easter egg hunt idea by A Girl and a Glue Gun is good fun for kids of all ages (and maybe even adults too!). 

Placing an electric tealight candle inside a plastic egg gives them a warm glow. Scatter them around the garden, wait until dark, and let the hunt commence! 

Once you’re done, they also make a lovely table centrepiece for Sunday lunch.

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 7. Easter egg prizes

easter egg hunt ideas - kids prize

If your little ones have had one too many chocolate eggs this Easter, these prize eggs are perfect. 

You can write whatever you’d like the prizes to be on small slips of paper and hide them inside plastic eggs. How about ‘choose dessert’, ‘choose tonight's movie’ or ‘get a new book’?

For more fun suggestions head over to Play Party Plan.

 8. Easter egg map hunt

easter egg hunt ideas - map

If you want a twist on the usual Easter egg hunt, creating a map is a fun alternative for adventure-seeking kids. They’ll feel like pirates hunting lost treasure! 

Find out how to make the map with Keep Calm and Mommy on.

9. Numbered Easter egg hunt

easter egg hunt ideas - numbered eggs

If you are planning an Easter egg hunt for more than one child then numbering the eggs is a genius idea from The Frugal Girls

That way each child is assigned a number and must only pick up the eggs that match their number. It makes Easter egg hunts much fairer. 

10. Energy-burning Easter egg hunt

easter egg hunt ideas - energy

Are your kids full of beans? This activity-based Easter egg hunt will have them worn out in no time. You’ll need plastic eggs and slips of paper with challenges written on them to go inside.

Get free Easter printables from Eats Amazing.


Easter egg hunt ideas for kids (aged 6-8)

11. Easter egg printables

easter egg hunt ideas - kids printables

These cute Easter printables by Giggly are great for older children to read and follow the clues to find their hidden Easter eggs. 

12. Coded Easter egg hunt

easter egg hunt ideas for kids - codes

Get the kids to crack codes to discover their Easter eggs. This idea from Science Sparks is a fun way to add a puzzle-solving element to the hunt. 

13. Make ​​Cascarones (confetti eggs)

easter egg hunt ideas for kids - kids confetti

If you’ve never heard of ​​cascarones it’s a hollowed-out egg filled with confetti. In the Southwestern part of the United States, it’s an Easter tradition to crack cascarones on the heads of friends and family. 

Make confetti eggs with First Day of Home.

14. Halloween egg hunt idea

easter egg hunt ideas - halloween

Make Easter spooky with Simplistically Living’s Halloween Easter egg hunt. This is a great twist on the classic egg hunt. Will you fill the eggs with treats or tricks?

15. Easter egg pinata 

easter egg hunt ideas - pinata

An entertaining indoor Easter egg hunt idea from Mom. Though it’s less hunting and more hitting! Create an easter egg pinata and have your little ones try to break it open. Fill it with lots of yummy treats and prizes. 

Easter egg hunt ideas for teens and preteens

16. Texting Easter egg hunt idea

easter egg hunt ideas - text

We know teens are glued to their phones, so incorporate them into the egg hunt! They’ll use text clues, then they’ll have to figure out where the eggs are hidden. 

Find out how to play with Play Party Plan.

17. Letters Easter egg hunt 

easter egg hunt ideas - words

Decorate each easter egg with a letter, and then the teens have to find them and work out the anagram. This could be a fun message or maybe a clue to where a big prize is hidden. 

Find more inspiration like this from Martha Stewart.

18. Golden egg hunt 

easter egg hunt ideas - golden egg

This is your usual Easter egg hunt but you’ll include one well-hidden golden Easter egg. It might contain money, gift cards, jewellery or other big prizes. 

It’s a surefire way to get teens interested. Coton Colors shows us how it’s done.

Easter egg hunt ideas for adults 

Planning an adult easter egg hunt 

Easter egg hunts for adults are a bit different! We are grown-ups after all so we can put whatever we like inside our Easter eggs. These ideas are not suitable for those under 18 or 21 if you’re in the US.

19. Mini bottles Easter egg hunt

easter egg hunt ideas - bottles

Of course, you don’t have to use alcohol but if you do want to, mini spirits fit well inside plastic Easter eggs, then you can hide them around the house or garden and let your guests find them. 

Put them in quite obvious places, like inside the fridge, or next to the sink in the bathroom. Then as the evening goes the eggs will be gradually found, and delight your guests. 

Find out more from Mama Cheaps.

20. Lottery ticket Easter egg hunt 

easter egg hunt ideas - lottery

This one adds an extra touch of luck to your hunt! Put lottery tickets of varying value in certain Easter eggs and put them in the home or garden (set out a specific area you want guests to stay inside). Who will be the lucky winner? 

Get more ideas from Get Your Holiday On.

21. Easter egg hunt drinking game 

Try this idea from Bespoke Bride and fill some of your eggs with shots, some with clues to find them. Set your guests hunting, if they find a shot they have to do it! 

This one would work well with challenges, or truth or dares inside the eggs too.

Hop to it! It’s time for the Easter egg hunt! 

With our Easter egg hunt ideas for all ages, you’ll find the perfect Easter activity to keep everybody happy. 

Whether you’re putting on an Easter egg hunt for the kids during the daytime or putting on a boozy hunt for the grown-ups, there’s lots of fun to be had! 

Easter crafts for kids to enjoy 

If your little ones love everything Easter then these Easter crafts for kids will keep them entertained all spring long.

Easy Easter crafts for kids