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JeepGirl6 08:25 AM 04-17-2011
Anyone doing an Easter Egg Hunt for the children? The ages of children I care for range from 11 months to 4 years old. How do you think the 1.5 year olds will do? Or should I just make it for the children over 2? I know some parents don't like thier children to eat a lot of candy...any other ideas for what to put in the easter eggs? Thanks
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cheerfuldom 08:28 AM 04-17-2011
I'm doing one and even the babies will get some, just for fun. I have some basic canvas totes that we are going to decorate and use instead of baskets (and then the kids can take home and reuse). The eggs will have some candy in them but also other small treats like toys for the older kids or snacks like small packages of teddy grahams and that sort of thing. Stickers or party favors are good options. Candy will be there but definitely at a minimum.
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PitterPatter 10:27 AM 04-17-2011
Originally Posted by cheerfuldom:
I'm doing one and even the babies will get some, just for fun. I have some basic canvas totes that we are going to decorate and use instead of baskets (and then the kids can take home and reuse). The eggs will have some candy in them but also other small treats like toys for the older kids or snacks like small packages of teddy grahams and that sort of thing. Stickers or party favors are good options. Candy will be there but definitely at a minimum.
Same here, stuffing the eggs with stickers, Mcdonalds freebie coupons (u get 10 free items for $1.50 that's awesome for every holiday), trinkets like rings, whistles, fruity packs, and quarters. Some candy of course. I also make a basket for each child with goodies like wind up hopping bunnies, bunny ears, mini boxes of raisins, box of animal crackers, mini juice boxes, suckers and of course some chocolate, topped off with a crochet bunny with a surprise inside. All of my dcks are 2 and up. If some of the children don't seem to be getting many eggs I help them pick up some. When I had under 2 in the past I would place a few eggs their bag befor we began since they can't move as fast as others. Carrot cake for snack after so they don't want to start eating the candy right away.
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SilverSabre25 10:39 AM 04-17-2011
Originally Posted by PitterPatter:
Same here, stuffing the eggs with stickers, Mcdonalds freebie coupons (u get 10 free items for $1.50 that's awesome for every holiday), trinkets like rings, whistles, fruity packs, and quarters. Some candy of course. I also make a basket for each child with goodies like wind up hopping bunnies, bunny ears, mini boxes of raisins, box of animal crackers, mini juice boxes, suckers and of course some chocolate, topped off with a crochet bunny with a surprise inside. All of my dcks are 2 and up. If some of the children don't seem to be getting many eggs I help them pick up some. When I had under 2 in the past I would place a few eggs their bag befor we began since they can't move as fast as others. Carrot cake for snack after so they don't want to start eating the candy right away.
One solution for the "some kids not getting many eggs" is to make an identical set of eggs for each child and each kid looks for their own set--like each kid has their own color of egg they're looking for, or everyone gets one of each color and size, or whatever works for you.

I'm going to have a hard enough time pulling together an egg hunt for my own child this year, there's no WAY I'm doing it for dcks...not this year. Maybe next year.
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PitterPatter 10:50 AM 04-17-2011
Originally Posted by SilverSabre25:
One solution for the "some kids not getting many eggs" is to make an identical set of eggs for each child and each kid looks for their own set--like each kid has their own color of egg they're looking for, or everyone gets one of each color and size, or whatever works for you.

I'm going to have a hard enough time pulling together an egg hunt for my own child this year, there's no WAY I'm doing it for dcks...not this year. Maybe next year.
That idea just might work well because here everything is color coded since the kids can't read names yet. DKG has a pink cup. a pink plate, a pink hook for her coat, a pink chair etc. DCB has all blue, another DKB has all green etc. So they could just get their "own" color eggs! lol cool TY!
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cheerfuldom 03:17 PM 04-17-2011
each of my kids has the same size bag that will probably fit a half dozen eggs (maybe 10 at the most). Once the bag is full, they are "out" of the hunt. This sort of keeps a cap on one kid getting a huge plastic sack full of eggs and another getting two. Plus I am going to send the oldest two to one area and all the youngers and babies (with parents) to the other side so everyone has a chance for eggs.
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cheerfuldom 03:17 PM 04-17-2011
you can also let the youngers go first and have like a 30 second head start and then send out the olders.
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PitterPatter 04:57 PM 04-17-2011
Originally Posted by cheerfuldom:
each of my kids has the same size bag that will probably fit a half dozen eggs (maybe 10 at the most). Once the bag is full, they are "out" of the hunt. This sort of keeps a cap on one kid getting a huge plastic sack full of eggs and another getting two. Plus I am going to send the oldest two to one area and all the youngers and babies (with parents) to the other side so everyone has a chance for eggs.
Oh u do your hunt with parents? I always do ours by myself, sometimes my Mother comes and helps depending on how many kids I have. I video it and take pics. I send the video to them and print out the pics and put them in a little foam frame the kids make earlier in the week. The parents all drop off and pick up at dif times or I would include them. I need to get smaller bags that would work well!! TY!
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Abigail 07:22 PM 04-17-2011
Has anyone ever just combined all the eggs once collected and shared? Easier said than done, lol.
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melskids 02:21 AM 04-18-2011
i seperate the ages in different areas of the yard, so the crazy SA dont trample the babies.

i know before hand how many eggs i have, so each child is allowed to find that amount. if not, i would have hoarders hogging them all but the color coding is a great idea!!!

i fill mine with candy and trinkets. i have a few gold eggs (enough for 1 for each kid) and put gold dollar coins in them.

for the really young ones, ive put gerber puffs or animal crackers in them.

i dress my hubby up as the bunny. i got a suit for $100 at walmart a few years back. he hands each child a goodie bag, and sits for pics.

last year, all my parents were invited ( i had a lot of PT families) and i served finger foods, snacks, & a fancy punch.

this year, i only have a few kids, and some are home/on vacation this week (its spring break here) so i'm doing a low key party with just the kiddos.
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heyhun77 03:43 AM 04-18-2011
I don't put anything in the eggs. The week leading up to Easter we have plastic eggs in our sensory table and the kids play egg hunt all week inside the house and then on our last day of the week (Thursday due to the Good Friday holiday) we have an outside egg hunt. At the end they each get a bag of stuff from me that usually has books, stuffed toys, a little bit of candy and maybe a few small items.

They LOVE having their own hunts and trying to trick their friends by hiding them in tough to find places. I figure they get enough candy from their families when visiting grandparents or getting boxes sent to them and they all have enough trinket items laying around that they already don't play with.
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BentleysBands 04:24 AM 04-18-2011
I also color code their eggs so each has the same amount. I fill with some candy and some empty. I give each child their own lil basket filled with $1 stuff. Hopefully the weather will be good on Friday. If not we will do in the house lol
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countrymom 05:03 AM 04-18-2011
I'm just making baskets for them, i have to plan 2 other egg hunts and that alone is going to kill me.
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MyAngels 05:56 AM 04-18-2011
I've never done an easter egg hunt, but I wonder if partnering up an older child with a younger child would work? They could either hunt together and split the eggs, or the older child could teach the younger one and help them find eggs, too.
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Blackcat31 06:05 AM 04-18-2011
We do an Easter Egg hunt every year. The kids each find x amount of eggs and when they reach their goal, they are out of the hunt just like musical chairs.... The plastic eggs here are filled with dried fruits like pineapples, yogurt covered raisins, apricots, banana chip etc. No candy here.

We also have spoon/egg races, pin the tail on Peter Rabbit, and other Easter games.

For lunch we do egg salad sandwiches for lunch and carrot sticks with yogurt dip.
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SilverSabre25 06:37 AM 04-18-2011
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
We do an Easter Egg hunt every year. The kids each find x amount of eggs and when they reach their goal, they are out of the hunt just like musical chairs.... The plastic eggs here are filled with dried fruits like pineapples, yogurt covered raisins, apricots, banana chip etc. No candy here.

We also have spoon/egg races, pin the tail on Peter Rabbit, and other Easter games.

For lunch we do egg salad sandwiches for lunch and carrot sticks with yogurt dip.
The dried fruit is a wonderful idea!! Well, for my own dd anyway...most of my dcks only touch raisins and look with disdain upon anything else nummy like dried cherries, apricots or pineapple. ::shakes head:: silly children...they don't know what they're missing!

have you thought about putting things like Annie's organic Bunny Grahams or Cheddar bunnies in the eggs, too?
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Blackcat31 06:42 AM 04-18-2011
Originally Posted by SilverSabre25:
The dried fruit is a wonderful idea!! Well, for my own dd anyway...most of my dcks only touch raisins and look with disdain upon anything else nummy like dried cherries, apricots or pineapple. ::shakes head:: silly children...they don't know what they're missing!

have you thought about putting things like Annie's organic Bunny Grahams or Cheddar bunnies in the eggs, too?
That is a good idea....I never thought about the Bunny Grahams, but it is a nice way to add a bit more that isn't candy. I am surprised that all my kiddos like dried fruits but I am gratful because I would rather have them eat that than so much chocolate and stuff. Some of my littler ones think the dried pineapple and appricots ARE candy....and who am I to correct them?!? LOL!!

We have a dehydrator and since we make all the dried fruits here, the kids are really into them. We make home made fruit roll ups and jerky too.
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Unregistered 09:24 AM 04-18-2011
Originally Posted by Abigail:
Has anyone ever just combined all the eggs once collected and shared? Easier said than done, lol.
This is what I do. I carry the basket and the kids all get to help find them. I put in Annies Bunnie crackers so that the kids aren't getting too much candy. I also put in those marshmallow bunnies just for fun. Sometimes I hide them 2x, since the kids are all sharing in the fun of finding and putting them in my basket they don't mind doing it two times. I have them go in my room and read a book or two while I hide them upstairs the second time. They love it.

I do split the eggs up after we find them all and let them eat some at daycare and take some home in an Easter bag.
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busymomof2 01:42 PM 04-18-2011
I am gonna do a scavenger hunt. I will give them a question that will led them to a location( half outside and the other half inside). For example "When I'm making lunch I need one of these to put your food on? Then when they go to the dc plates there will be exactly 4 eggs (enough for each child). This will make sure that each child gets the same number of eggs so I don't have to hear "she has more than me", or "I want one of those stickers too". I have alot of preschool whiners, LOL. The eggs will also be numbered 1-20 so it will be a counting exercise as well.

I bought baskets from the $1 store, put grass and a few items but it's mainly for the hunt. I stuffed my eggs with army men, some candy, plastic animals & rings. I am also gonna dye 8 eggs (2 for each) and have them put stickers on them. They will get to find them.

Crafts will include: a paper plate bunny, a chick bag, real meaning of Easter scene, and bunny basket.

I love the idea of having them do their own hunt with empty eggs and egg races. I just might have to steal that?
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grandmom 02:06 PM 04-18-2011
I added oyster crackers to the list you've all created.

I really like the idea of a scavenger hunt.
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