Host A Hoppin' Easter Egg Hunt

Last Updated October 22, 2025

Hop to it — Easter fun is just around the corner! 🐰 Whether you're planning your very first egg hunt or you’ve been hiding eggs like a pro for years, this Easter Egg Hunt Planning Checklist is your go-to guide for a truly egg-ceptional celebration. From creative egg-hiding ideas and bunny-approved decorations to easy treats and fun prizes, we’ve rounded up everything you need to organize a stress-free, joy-filled Easter event that every-bunny will love! 🌸🥚

Use Free Online SignUps to Enlist Help

No matter what your church or group needs help with at your hunt, SignUp makes it easy to enlist helpers for:

• Filling eggs
• Hiding eggs
• Dyeing eggs with the kids
• Bringing food for a luncheon
• Setting and cleaning up
• Taking pictures
• You name it

Easter Egg Hunt Checklist

Determine how many hunters you will have. This is important to make sure you have enough eggs, as well as enough space, for the hunt. Use SignUp to get a headcount for your event!

Fill up the eggs. The fillers for plastic eggs could be candy, temporary tattoos, stickers, coins, or erasers. For the tiniest hunters, think goldfish crackers and Cheerios. Provide about 8-12 eggs for each child, although some will retrieve more. Better to err on the side of more rather than less.

Other elements you can add to your egg hunt are:

• Egg-citing Surprises: Place clues inside select eggs to add an element of mystery and excitement, such as notes leading to hidden treasures.
• Undercover Eggs: For older age groups, camouflage eggs by matching them to their surroundings. Paint them to blend in with grass, leaves, or rocks for an extra challenge.

Make sure your location suits all-aged hunters. While children from toddlers to teenagers can participate in egg hunts, knowing who will be participating in yours will help make decisions like where to have the hunt easier. 

• If your hunt is only for young children, you’ll need a flat plot of land on which to hide the eggs. You can literally set the eggs directly on the grass and allow the kids to "harvest" them. 
• For older kids, you'll need a location with a little more variety. Hide eggs in trees, in bushes, in planter boxes, and in mailboxes. 
• A local park is usually a good spot if you have a wide variety of ages participating. In this scenario, you can assign different colors of eggs to specific age groups or create completely separate hunting areas. Either way ensures that the younger kids do not get run over by the older ones, and everyone gets a fair share of the eggs.

Make a list of all the hiding places. If you are having a large egg hunt, you probably won't be able to get a final tally of the number of eggs found, so you won’t know if they've all been found. One solution is to make a list of all of the hiding places. You can either make the list as you hide the eggs, or make the list in advance and then follow it when hiding the eggs. (Also, don't forget that this is not the Olympics – you can use your list to give kids who are struggling a little help finding eggs.)

Keep safety in mind! 

• Hide eggs at or below the eye level of the children.
• Avoid hiding eggs near electrical outlets or plugs.
• Do not hide eggs in holes in tree trunks or the ground (critter warning)
• Keep eggs out of thorny plants and other foliage that may be poisonous.
• Do not hide eggs around fragile, glass or breakable items.
• Do not hide eggs in any animals' homes or food bowls.

Have something for the adults! Here’s where you can really set your event apart from the usual Easter Egg Hunt. This year, have a special table for the adults. Consider serving mimosas and/or coffee, or a light brunch buffet. You can also include a way for the adults to feel good about the chocolate they are eating by hosting a fundraiser using See’s Candies. Most adults love good chocolate and love a good cause even more. If you truly want to take the adults' table to new heights, preassemble gorgeous Easter Baskets with See’s Candies and hold a silent auction with the proceeds going to the charity or group of your choice.

🐣 Easter Egg Hunt FAQs

How do I plan an Easter egg hunt?
Start by choosing a date, location, and age-appropriate number of eggs. Then, use our Easter Egg Hunt Planning Checklist to organize supplies, prizes, etc. — and don’t forget to recruit volunteers to help with setup and cleanup!

How many eggs should I hide per child?
A good rule of thumb is 10–15 eggs per participant. You can adjust based on age or space — younger kids enjoy an easy find, while older ones love a challenge!

What can I put inside Easter eggs besides candy?
Try small toys, stickers, coins, mini erasers, or allergy-friendly snacks. For older kids, mix in fun coupons or clues that lead to larger prizes.

How can I make the egg hunt fair for all ages?
Create separate hunting zones by age group, color-code eggs, or stagger start times so little ones have just as much fun as the big kids.

What are some fun Easter egg hunt themes?
Go beyond traditional pastels! Try a nighttime glow-in-the-dark hunt, golden egg treasure hunt, spring garden party, or even a “bunny trail” scavenger adventure.

How do I keep guests engaged after the hunt?
Plan simple Easter games, craft stations, or a photo booth with bunny ears and spring props. Wrap things up with festive snacks and thank-you prizes for all your happy hunters! 🐰🌷

About the Author

   

Tara McAdams

Digital Marketing Manager, Content Strategist & Creator

Tara leads content strategy at SignUp and creates a variety of resources on a wide range of topics – including lifestyle trends, parent tips, prep for holidays, volunteer management, and event planning. More about Tara →