First, some simple ideas for any age. I have 3 children, and most plastic egg packages come with 6 different colors. To avoid the fight of "They got more eggs than me!!, " on Easter morning the Easter Bunny would leave 2 colors of eggs in each child's basket, along with the number of eggs they had to look for. This way everyone had specific colors that belonged to them, so no fighting over eggs. As kids get old enough to avoid the hurt feelings, add in a few special eggs, like glitter or multi-colored, on top of the regular ones that contain bonus prizes for a little extra excitement.
At my grandmother's, my cousin always put on a hunt for the kids, but instead of candy-filled eggs, she hid fun non-candy items. Okay, there was a little candy involved, but mostly little toys or books. She placed a colored dot sticker on each item, and just before the hunt, gave every kid a coordinating sticker on their hand. Everyone only got what was intended for them, and everyone got the same amount. Worked like a charm, and as the kids got older, so did their items. When my daughter went to college, her items included things like a travel laundry hamper and Ramen noodles!!
Adults sometimes need a little more motivation than purely candy. Money is always a big draw for the older crowd, including teenagers. The majority of the eggs can contain change, which can add up quickly if you're a good enough hunter, and put the big bills in just a few eggs. Throw in some candy here and there for a little variety.
Another idea is to have everyone bring a bag of candy and $5, pool the money, and put special "You win!!" notes in some of the eggs. The fewer winners, the bigger the pot. And to save yourself some work, make stuffing the eggs part of the festivities before the hunt!! You just need a couple of volunteers that don't want to hunt to hide the eggs for your group. Kids are great for this.
I would love to hear any of your ideas or traditions for Easter egg hunts. Comment here, or share them on my Facebook page. Happy hunting!!
