Toys and other treats can make your spring egg hunt even more fun.
Published: April 8, 2021
By: Jennifer Jhon
Hunting for eggs — and the candy inside them — is usually a favorite among kids in the spring, But if you’re looking to minimize the candy and avoid a sugar-fueled meltdown, try these other ways to celebrate the spring season:
Let’s go on an egg hunt. Like the Bear Hunt teddy-bear-in-the-window game that we played in our neighborhoods in 2020, you can color egg printables and display them in windows and on mailboxes to entertain the kids walking and biking in your neighborhood. Get coloring sheets at http://www.firstpalette.com/printable/easter-eggs.html.
Water balloon eggs. Save the egg hunt for after noon, talk the kids into their bathing suits, and set them loose on a yard filled with water balloons instead of eggs. They can have fun hunting, get some energy out and keep cool all in one activity — no candy involved.
Confetti eggs. I’ve seen several online tutorials for making confetti eggs. If you have kids who don’t enjoy water balloons but do enjoy throwing things at their siblings (or just making a mess in general), this is a good alternative.
LEGO-filled eggs. Make old toys new again with an egg hunt to find LEGO-filled plastic eggs. They’ve forgotten about those Ninjago mini-figures and cool plastic shields. Tuck them inside eggs to get kids excited about their toys again. This works with mini dinosaurs, bead necklaces, and everything else relegated to the bottom of the toy box.
Egg-cellent Excuse eggs. Sometimes the day feels like one big negotiation: extra video game time after laundry or homework is done, a cookie reward for eating all your vegetables, and so on. This year, lay out a hunt with eggs filled with free passes: 15 minutes of game time, skip one chore today, get an extra cookie at snack time, etc. The passes will give your kids some measure of control over their schedules, and the treat might provide the pick-me-up they need to keep their day on track.
Puzzle or alphabet eggs. Maximize the fun of an egg hunt and minimize the candy by hiding clues inside each egg to direct your little one to a single treasure instead of stuffing each egg with sugar. Use puzzle pieces or foam alphabet letters to spell out the secret location, then reward your hunters with a toy or their favorite candy (such as a tray of Peeps or a bag of Twizzlers).
Looking for more spring fun? Get some craft ideas here.
