5 Non-Traditional Easter Hunts for Families

Give families an opportunity to search for True Treasure with one of these unusual, easy-to-do-at-home Easter hunts. (Permission granted to share with families.)

5 Non-Traditional Easter Hunts for Children’s Ministry

1. Helping Hunt

Do a springtime food and supplies donation, culminating on Palm Sunday. Plan to contribute items such as boxed-dinner mixes, a canned vegetable, a canned fruit, tuna, crackers, mayonnaise, cookies, paper towels, toilet paper, and hygiene supplies.

Early Easter morning, hide all the items around your house. Have kids hunt for items and place them in grocery bags. Then work together to create a card with a time prayer to put in each bag. Double check the bags to ensure that the goods are evenly distributed. Kids can collect the bags for your church food pantry or a local shelter.

2. Easter Friendship Hunt

You’ll need pencils and paper strips.

Choose another family in your neighborhood to bless, and write the name of each family member on one paper strip. On the back of the strips, have everyone in your family write or draw something good about that person. (Allow a couple of minutes to write or draw, then trade strips.)

Place the strips inside a plastic egg. Then create a simple basket using a paper or foam bowl and shredded Easter paper. Add individually wrapped treats if desired. Then give the filled “Easter basket” to your neighbor.

3. Hunt for Easter Lunch

Pack simple lunches in paper bags. Hide the bags, then have children find them. After each child has found a lunch, provide drinks and enjoy a picnic lunch together.

4. New Life Hunt

Hunt outdoors for signs of spring. For example, kids might find new green grass, a robin’s eggshell, or a flower. To minimize environmental interference, have children shout “New Life!” when they find something, then have all kids run to the child to see what’s been found without removing or disturbing it. At the end of a specified time, gather children to discuss how each item is a sign of the new life we have in Jesus.

5. Bible Verse Hunt

Write parts of a Bible verse on squares of brightly colored paper or sticky notes. Hide the squares around your home or in an outdoor area. When all the squares are found, have the children put the verse together in correct order. After the verses have been assembled, talk together about what the verse tells us about God and what he’s done for us. Consider using any or all of these verses: Luke 24:6-7, John 3:16, John 11:25, and 1 Peter 1:3.

Mary Davis
Montrose, Iowa

Looking for even more great ideas for Easter? Check out Easter Extras: Ideas for Easter Week. You can also find all our Easter posts here.