Many parents are not comfortable with their children being exposed to too much candy and unhealthy treats but there are many healthy or non-food alternatives that you can turn to at Easter. Why not try some of our fun alternatives to candy for your egg hunt. Also perfect in classrooms where teachers are looking for a fun egg hunt without giving the children too many treats.
Play Dough is a favorite among all children. Try filling up your plastic eggs with play dough. You can purchase ones that are already filled but it would be a whole lot cheaper and a lot more fun to make your own play dough, in a variety of colours, to fill up your plastic eggs. Home made play dough is fun to make and is often more pliable and lasts a lot longer. You can also purchase some spring or Easter shaped cookie cutters to hide around the room so the children can use them to play with their play dough.
How about a puzzle hunt? Purchase a fun, large puzzle. You can often find Easter themed ones at your local dollar store. Open the puzzle and place the individual pieces inside of plastic eggs. After the children have found all of the pieces, the whole class or family can work together to make the puzzle!
Why not bring in a little nature into your egg hunt and hide some flower or vegetable seed packets in your eggs or around your house? Have some flower pots ready and, after the children find the seeds, everyone can work together to plant them and start a garden that can be moved outside when the weather warms up.
Older children love Lego! Purchase a small Lego set and place the individual pieces inside of plastic eggs. Once the pieces are found, everyone can work together to build the kit. This can work with any small toy or construction toy with lots of small pieces.
Eggs can also be filled with organic treats like fruit chews, packs of raisons, gold fish crackers, and any other small snack that your child views as a special treat.
For additional items to hide around the room, why not purchase items that you were already planning on purchasing for Spring? Children would love to find a shovel, pail, sand toys, skipping rope, frisbee, bubbles, sunglasses, new flip flops, a new bathing suit, ball, new floaties, float ring for the pool, beach ball, side walk chalk. All can be found at your local dollar store.
In addition to these ideas, here is a fabulous list of items that can be used as egg fillers!
- Stickers
- Tattoos
- Erasers
- Small Cars
- Hair Bows
- Hair Elastics
- Jelly Bracelets
- Elastics For Rainbow Loom
- Lip Gloss or Chap Stick
- Nail Polish
- Silly Putty
- Little Slinkies
- Super Balls
- Marbles
- Coins or Money
- Stamps
- Small Plastic Animals or Toys
- Beads and String To Make Bracelets
- Koosh Balls
- Alphabet Magnets
- Finger Puppets
Hoppy Easter Everyone!
