Easter Party- can you advise me how to pull this off!

[TandR]

As its so close to Easter we decided we would do an egg hunt for our daughters birthday party. But as the day draws nearer (this Sunday) I am feeling much less confident with the idea. Has anyone done an egg hunt before or got any advice as to how I would organise it?

I suppose I'm mostly worried that it'll all be over in a few minutes and then there won't be anything else to do for the rest of the party! Or that the older kids will get everything and the younger ones nothing (kids are aged between 2-4).

Also should I stick to just chocolate or should I get (make?) other things for the kids to hunt?

Any ideas gratefully received! I always seem to end up panicking as parties approach!!

There's lots of easter craft stuff around. You could do an egg+spoon race using mini eggs. If you send the little ones with a parent it should even out a bit. Maybe do some other farm games - what's the time mr wolf etc.

hope it goes well.

I did this for my boys birthdays (3 yrs apart, so I had the same concerns as you!). I used fake eggs in different colours (or you could do the same with lolly sticks etc) Each child had a different colour to find. The older ones were higher up/in a harder hiding place than the ones for the younger ones. They then exchanged the fake eggs for real ones.

Maybe you could do the Easter egg hunt in 2 parts: lots of little eggs to be found, finders keepers (bigger kids will find more, but can eat more chocolate) the other part - everyone has to bring back one real egg to exchange for eg a creme egg, strictly one each.

You could do face painting too. Or egg decorating. Or making Easter bonnets.

I had one when my DCs were about the same age. I got some paper sandwich bags with handles and Easter stickers (both Ebay) and got the children to decorate their own bags instead of having baskets. Filled some time and saved me money!

For children of that age I don't think you need to worry about there being nothing to do - the best parties are when they just play anyway. Get out the ride on toys, balls, large bricks etc and leave them to it. Bubbles and balloons will make it feel more like a party if you want.

We had a rule that once a DC had found X eggs they had to help the others find some.

Thank you folks for the good ideas and for bringing me back down to planet earth...you're right kids love to play and they are going to have fun whatever. Am going to buy some eggs and not fret too much if some kids get more than others, as long as I make sure no one goes away empty handed. :-)

And keeping my fingers crossed for nice day so they can run around, play with toys, sand pit etc. May even give egg and spoon race a go....think mini eggs are a genius idea for that.

Loving the bag decorating idea too, think I have some spare from eldest kids last party so just need new stickers :-)

If you have enough eggs you could get everyone to have a go at (then eat them)

I am also having an Easter party for 2-4s. How reassuring that I'm not the only one worrying about the 'big kids find all the eggs' problem!

I might try the 'make your own egg basket' that people suggests - lovely idea.

Any other Easter egg party hints gratefully received - I am keeping an eye on all the threads.