Planning an Easter egg hunt at home this year? Whether you’re hosting in your backyard, or moving indoors because of unpredictable weather, a little preparation goes a long way.
From hiding spots and safety tips to creative Easter egg hunt ideas for toddlers and older kids, here’s how to organise a fun, stress-free Easter egg hunt your family will love.
Get eggs
Buy lots of different size eggs either chocolate or plastic if you would prefer keeping the chocolate consumption to a minimum. Our favourite chocolates to hide are Kinder Surprise eggs, Cadbury Mini Eggs and Lindt chocolate Easter bunnies.
If you choose plastic eggs, fill them with stickers, Easter jokes, gold chocolate coins, small toys, stuffed animals or lollies.
You can even hide pieces of LEGO or jigsaw pieces from a small set in plastic eggs and get kids to build it once they’ve found all the pieces.
Check the weather forecast
Before setting up your outdoor Easter egg hunt, check the weather forecast. No one wants chocolate eggs melting in the sun or soaked in a rain shower.
Have a backup plan in case the weather turns. If rain is predicted, consider moving the hunt indoors. On very hot days, limit the number of chocolate eggs outside and choose shaded hiding spots.
Keep pets away from the Easter Egg Hunt
Keep you dog away from the garden where you’re hiding eggs. Chocolate can make dogs really sick so ensure they’re nowhere near the eggs. Make sure you let kids know that they can’t feed extra eggs to your dog as well.
Hide the eggs
This is the fun part for Easter Egg Hunt organisers. Suggested outdoor places include hiding eggs on branches, behind trees and flowerpots, in garden beds and in the mailbox. Inside, hide them under chairs, tables, toys or on bookshelves and toy boxes or behind stuffed animals.
Where you hide Easter eggs will depend on the age of the children. Make it easy for little ones by hiding them in open places while using your imagination to make it more challenging for older kids. Tip: count how many eggs you’ve hidden before the hunt to make sure you find them all!
Provide a basket or bag
Give kids a basket or a bag to collect their eggs so that they don’t drop them.
Start the Easter Egg Hunt
Blow a whistle and let kids start looking for Easter eggs. Provide hints if younger kids need help finding the eggs.
Creative Easter Egg Hunt Ideas
Want to mix it up this year? Try one of these Easter egg hunt ideas.
Colour-Coded Egg Hunt
Assign each child a colour so everyone collects the same number of eggs.
Clue-Based Scavenger Hunt
Leave simple clues leading to the next egg.
Glow-in-the-Dark Hunt
Perfect for older kids. Hide glow sticks with eggs at dusk.
Treasure Map Hunt
Draw a simple backyard map with marked hiding zones.
Non-Chocolate Hunt
Use:
- Stickers
- Small toys
- Puzzle pieces
- Coins
- Craft supplies
Ideal for allergy-friendly or sugar-free options.
Good to Know
Choose a location, hide age-appropriate eggs, count them beforehand, provide baskets and clearly signal when the hunt begins.
Children as young as toddlers can participate with visible hiding spots. Older children enjoy clue-based or more challenging hunts.
You can use plastic eggs filled with small toys, stickers, coins or craft items for a non-chocolate alternative.
A simple guide:
Toddlers: 5–10 eggs
Preschoolers: 10–15 eggs
Older kids: 15–20 eggs
Adjust depending on how many children are participating.
Keep the Easter fun going
Once the Easter Egg Hunt is over and the baskets are full, keep the celebrations going with a few more easy activities.
You could settle in for a cosy afternoon with an Easter movie for kids, perfect for winding down after all that excitement. If you’ve got little ones who still have energy to burn, try some hands-on Easter sensory play ideas to keep them happily engaged.
Feeling creative? Set up the table for some Easter craft. From simple bunny masks to egg decorating, there are plenty of easy ideas to suit every family. Whether you’re a craft diva or craft-challenged like myself, there’s something fun and achievable for everyone.
And if you’re looking to get out of the house, don’t forget to check our guide to Easter events in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Hunter for local egg hunts, markets and family-friendly activities happening across the region.