Easter egg hunts are a classic, but these eight alternative Easter games take the holiday up a notch.
1
Golden Egg “Hot Potato”
Put an Easter twist on a play-anywhere favorite, suggests Joy Cho, founder of Oh Joy!, by passing around a golden egg. The person who starts chooses a song to sing while the egg is being passed around. Once the song is over, the person holding the golden egg has to do a silly dance. “That way, no one is ‘out’ and everyone gets to laugh and play through the entire game,” says Cho.
2
Easter Egg Toss
Perfect for the energetic bunch, this game gets everyone moving. Divide into pairs and stand an equal distance apart. Each pair receives a raw egg, which is then tossed from one player to the next. Each time the egg is successfully caught, both players take a step backwards. “If the egg is dropped but not broken, consider yourself lucky,” says Michelle Bachman, co-owner of Little Miss Party Planner. If the pair breaks the egg, they are out of the game. The last pair standing is the winner!
3
Bunny Hop
Have the kids decorate plain white pillowcases with their favorite Easter décor. Once finished, line them up with their feet in the cases for a hopping race to the finish line.
4
Guess the Candy Eggs
Similar to the guessing game with jellybeans, fill a large glass container with candy eggs and have guest estimate how many are inside. The closest number (without going over) wins a prize!
5
Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt
Instead of hunting in the yard for the plastic eggs, set up clues that encourage kids to find the eggs in a specific order. Each time an egg is uncovered, a message inside will lead to the next one. Make the final "egg" a prize like a small toy or candy.
6
Pin the Bunny Tail
Make this Easter spin on a birthday party classic customizable by enlarging a photo of your child or another family member, suggests Jacqueline Kazas, co-owner of Beijos Events. Then have guests take a shot at pinning the tail (you can use cotton balls or make your own print outs) on the right spot.
7
Chocolate Bunny Bowling
Make your own pins out of store-bought chocolate bunnies, suggest Len Saunders, exercise physiologist and author of the new book Buddy and Bea. Line them up and roll a tennis ball to see who can knock down the most. At the end, each child can take home a chocolate bunny as his or her prize.
