Easter Egg Hunt for Toddlers and Preschoolers

April 21, 2019 in Family

Easter Egg Treasure Hunt For Preschoolers

Easter egg hunts are so much fun for kids. If the weather is good they can go searching for chocolate eggs around the garden, which is lovely among the spring flowers. In bad weather, they are just as fun indoors.

Depending on how many children are doing the Easter egg hunt, you need to remember where exactly you hid the eggs. Then if one child found more than the others, you may end up in arguments! Setting out the boundaries before you begin should help to minimise any squabbles.

A general rule should be that the eggs will be shared out when the Easter egg hunt is finished. Then it’s eggs (of the chocolate kind) for breakfast!

Age Appropriate Clues For The Easter Egg Hunt

You can turn your egg hunt into a treasure hunt to make the game more interesting. Rather than hiding eggs and remembering where they are, try creating clues in a treasure hunt style!

For older children, you can write out your clues for them. Number the cards and the clues will direct your child to the hidden egg.

Make it as cryptic as you like – but ensure it’s not too difficult for your child’s level of ability. Remember it’s a challenge, but also fun!

An example of written clues could be:

This kind of bed is full of colour (answer – flower bed)
You’ll find me where feathered friends get clean (answer – bird bath)

Look at where you could hide the eggs and create a clue around it. Then hide them well!

How to Make an Easter Egg Hunt for Preschoolers

Younger children who cannot read yet may find written clues frustrating. They would need to rely on an adult or older child to read each clue to them. It then takes away their independence to go ahead and do their treasure hunt.

For smaller children, you would also need to make the clues simple for them. If they are too simple, you’re just telling them where to look. Let them figure it out for themselves.

1. Make Picture Cards

This is where you’re giving the little ones freedom to do the Easter egg hunt. Rather than written clues on cards, draw simple pictures.

These will direct your children to the hidden eggs one by one. For example, if you hide an egg by the slide then draw a slide on the card. It’s simple, but it’s visual and easy for the children to guess by themselves.

Once they get to the area, they then need to figure out where it is!

2. Decide Where to Have the Egg Hunt

Keep it in one area, and make sure it’s safe for preschoolers to be in. If it’s an outdoors hunt, ensure the garden (or park/wood) is enclosed and you can keep an eye on them at all times.

Make sure there isn’t anything dangerous they can get access to, such as a pond or anything sharp.

3. Plan Ahead

There’s nothing worse than an impatient toddler! Then if they get impatient, they get grumpy then tired. If you make sure the Easter bunny has delivered the eggs first thing in the morning, and you’ve prepared your treasure hunt then there’s no wait.

Tantrums just take all the fun out of it.

4. Give Them a Basket for Their Treasure

Make sure there’s somewhere to keep the eggs once they are found. A little basket or bag for the chocolate eggs.

5. Make the Final Prize their Main Egg

Give the children something extra to aim for, rather than simply collecting mini eggs around the home or garden.

If they know the Easter Bunny has hidden their main egg last, it will bring the egg hunt to a nice end. Otherwise we might have those tantrums because we still want to carry on collecting!

Knowing there’s a bigger prize at the end will also give your child a sense of accomplishment. This is something they have done all by themselves and it is a well deserved prize at the end.