Why Set Up A Hunt?
Do you love traditions? They're what set apart your family from the others and provide memories that last a lifetime. My mother did a fantastic job of making every holiday so very special and one day I want my kids to look back and get a smile on their face as they remember our special days together. It makes children store memories of being together as a family unit. My youngest children are all in their late teens, but it's the 22 year old that keeps dropping hints to let me know that he's preparing for a hunt again this year. They claim they will never be too old for this tradition! The hunt has evolved over the years and I've learned a few things that I'd like to pass on to those with little ones who would like to start a tradition of their own.
Steps to Create the Perfect Easter Egg Hunt
1. Buy several packages of plastic colored Easter eggs (hopefully you already did this when they were on clearance last year). Figure about a dozen eggs per child, more or less depending on their age. I highly recommend the ones with a hinge that connects the top and bottom piece of the egg. They save hours both before and after the hunt - trying to find tops & bottoms that fit together before the hunt and collecting twice as many pieces from the yard as some children just can't wait to open the eggs inside at a designated spot.
2. Gather items that are of interest to your children and place them in the eggs. Finding tiny items becomes almost a treasure hunt of its own in the stores for the preparer. Of course some eggs must have candy (beware of chocolate in hot climates). I highly recommend only using wrapped candy (again, some children just can't wait and the candy ends up either left on the ground or eaten off the ground). Then the list goes on with stickers, tiny toys like tops, yo-yo's, jumping beans, jacks, pop-ups, polly-pockets, etc. Places like Target and Wal-Mart have good choices as is the online Oriental Trading Company if you're preparing a large scale hunt. For children getting a little older coins are a great find - put different amounts in different eggs and let them add up their winnings at the end.
3. Prepare at least one "golden egg". This is the largest size yellow egg filled with either a special toy for the young ones or some paper money for the older ones.
4. I recommend waking up early and hiding the eggs. We live in the country and one year I decided to get ahead of the game and hide them the night before - about half of the eggs were opened and candy disappeared by morning (hopefully no animals were too sick). If you have multiple ages of children be sure to leave some eggs right out on the grass, some under bushes and in pots, and some up in trees for the older ones. If you live in a an apartment, the hunt is just as much fun inside (with better hiding places).
5. Everyone grabs their basket, listens to the rules and takes off on the hunt. If there is large age disparity, let the little ones head out first and then wait till they put a few eggs in their baskets before sending the next group out. The older ones will like watching and their anticipation will build. The rules are: A. Older kids are not allowed to take any egg in plain sight. and B. Only one golden egg per person.
6. If you'd like to use some colored hard boiled eggs in your hunt, be sure to refrigerate them right after the hunt or turn them into deviled eggs.
7. Also, check out Eat By Date to find out how long chocolate lasts
Source :--http://www.articlesbase.com/holidays-articles/how-to-start-an-egg-hunt-tradition-5768245.html
Do you love traditions? They're what set apart your family from the others and provide memories that last a lifetime. My mother did a fantastic job of making every holiday so very special and one day I want my kids to look back and get a smile on their face as they remember our special days together. It makes children store memories of being together as a family unit. My youngest children are all in their late teens, but it's the 22 year old that keeps dropping hints to let me know that he's preparing for a hunt again this year. They claim they will never be too old for this tradition! The hunt has evolved over the years and I've learned a few things that I'd like to pass on to those with little ones who would like to start a tradition of their own.
Steps to Create the Perfect Easter Egg Hunt
1. Buy several packages of plastic colored Easter eggs (hopefully you already did this when they were on clearance last year). Figure about a dozen eggs per child, more or less depending on their age. I highly recommend the ones with a hinge that connects the top and bottom piece of the egg. They save hours both before and after the hunt - trying to find tops & bottoms that fit together before the hunt and collecting twice as many pieces from the yard as some children just can't wait to open the eggs inside at a designated spot.
2. Gather items that are of interest to your children and place them in the eggs. Finding tiny items becomes almost a treasure hunt of its own in the stores for the preparer. Of course some eggs must have candy (beware of chocolate in hot climates). I highly recommend only using wrapped candy (again, some children just can't wait and the candy ends up either left on the ground or eaten off the ground). Then the list goes on with stickers, tiny toys like tops, yo-yo's, jumping beans, jacks, pop-ups, polly-pockets, etc. Places like Target and Wal-Mart have good choices as is the online Oriental Trading Company if you're preparing a large scale hunt. For children getting a little older coins are a great find - put different amounts in different eggs and let them add up their winnings at the end.
3. Prepare at least one "golden egg". This is the largest size yellow egg filled with either a special toy for the young ones or some paper money for the older ones.
4. I recommend waking up early and hiding the eggs. We live in the country and one year I decided to get ahead of the game and hide them the night before - about half of the eggs were opened and candy disappeared by morning (hopefully no animals were too sick). If you have multiple ages of children be sure to leave some eggs right out on the grass, some under bushes and in pots, and some up in trees for the older ones. If you live in a an apartment, the hunt is just as much fun inside (with better hiding places).
5. Everyone grabs their basket, listens to the rules and takes off on the hunt. If there is large age disparity, let the little ones head out first and then wait till they put a few eggs in their baskets before sending the next group out. The older ones will like watching and their anticipation will build. The rules are: A. Older kids are not allowed to take any egg in plain sight. and B. Only one golden egg per person.
6. If you'd like to use some colored hard boiled eggs in your hunt, be sure to refrigerate them right after the hunt or turn them into deviled eggs.
7. Also, check out Eat By Date to find out how long chocolate lasts
Source :--http://www.articlesbase.com/holidays-articles/how-to-start-an-egg-hunt-tradition-5768245.html
