8 Easter Activities Great for Ages 9 to 99

Try a paper egg hunt

Darcy Miller, Celebration Expert and founder of darcymillerdesigns.com, who operates a celebration consulting business in New York, says people looking for an “out-of-the-box” take on a classic Easter activity should consider a paper egg hunt.

She has her own downloadable eggs that you can print out and hide around the house; they come in a colored-in version, a black-and-white patterned version for you or the children in your life to color in, and a blank version for full creative freedom. If the kids at the party are having fun getting crafty, says Miller, you can even “create a gallery wall showing all the eggs and baskets made by the little artists.”

Another beautiful thing about the paper egg hunt is that it can be a way for grandparents to connect with their grandchildren, even if they live far away.

“Just download, print, cut out the eggs and baskets, and mail them to the little ones with instructions for their parents to hide. Then they can hunt away and display their prizes to you over Zoom later,” Miller says. “Or ‘hide’ the eggs around your house by placing them on the table or taping them on walls. Then video-call the kids and walk around while they point out where the eggs are. When they spot one, place it ‘in’ the paper basket assigned to that child, and you can see which basket has the most in the end.”

You can also use the paper eggs as place cards at the table, string them together as a garland, tape them to Easter baskets as name tags, attach them to a cake stand for a festive centerpiece, and hang them with ribbons from tree branches, chandeliers or doorways. Really, the possibilities are endless.

Make Easter egg goodie bags

Roby recommends helping the kids (and the kids at heart) at your party turn their Easter egg goodie bags into bunny-themed creations.

“They can be burlap or any lightweight bag that you can apply things like bunny ears to,” he says. “This would be a great time for adults to help kids cut out bunny ears using different colored craft paper. Once you have cut out bunny ears, use glue to attach the ears to the bag of your choice.”

But don’t forget about the bunny’s nose — cotton balls should suffice — and whiskers!

“Wired yarn of different colors can be used to make bunny whiskers,” Roby says. “Simply cut the wired yarn in the same length and use glue to connect the yarn on the bag next to the bunny nose.” Then turn the bunny bag makers loose, he says, to go find Easter eggs, chocolates and other hidden treasures around the yard.

Bring out the bunny cookie cutter

Bunny-shaped cookie cutters are nothing new. But Miller wants to remind people that these cute kitchen tools don’t have to be reserved solely for cookies. They can also be used for crafting other Easter-themed foods or making fun decor for the event.

“Use it to cut out tea sandwiches for lunch or pancake bunnies for breakfast,” she says. “You can also use it as a stencil to trace around, then cut out paper bunnies to use as decor — or write names on the paper bunnies and use them as place cards. Just make sure to wash the cookie cutters before using them on food again.”

If you do make bunny cookies, feel free to use the tasty sweets as table decor or toppers for cakes and cupcakes.

Craft an Easter wreath

“A great activity that will be seen before anyone knocks on the door is an Easter wreath,” Roby says.

To create one, he recommends a trip to your local craft store for a wreath and some festive decorations — “think of bunnies, carrots, plastic eggs, spring flowers and beautiful ribbons.”

“Grab some superglue, colorful wire or yarn, and scissors, and you are ready to help the little ones create a beautiful wreath,” he says. “I recommend teams of two or three to create a wreath for each household. Want to make it competitive? Give the best-looking wreath a large, chocolate-covered bunny.”

Create a blessing basket

Whether you celebrate Easter strictly as a religious holiday or simply a fun way to kick-start springtime, it’s nice to use the occasion as an opportunity for reflection.

“Have each person write a blessing they’re grateful for this Easter on a card or paper egg and drop it in an Easter basket in the middle of the table,” Miller says. “After dinner, you can take turns pulling them randomly, reading them out loud, and guessing who wrote which blessing. Alternatively, each person can share their own, or the host can keep them as a sweet souvenir of Easter.”

You might even want to collect the blessings in a scrapbook, Miller says, as a new tradition to continue for years to come.

Give back to others

Easter, like any holiday, can be a tough time for some. So why not spread some Easter cheer by sending cards or care packages, Miller says.

“Get together with family and friends to make cards or baskets to mail or hand-deliver to anyone who needs their day brightened,” she suggests. “You can make the day of people you know or go through an organization that enables you to send cards to children in the hospital (the Scarlett Fund will give you names of children), elderly people in senior homes (Bring Smiles to Seniors can help facilitate) or military personnel overseas (go to Hugs for Our Soldiers).”

Make memory boxes (a shadow box just for the occasion)

Last but not least, you can make something special to commemorate the day — the perfect way to let the fun-filled moments of your Easter live on forever.

On the day of the gathering, encourage family and friends to take photos and keep a few items that signify the holiday — ribbons or grass from the Easter baskets, for example, says Miller.

After the festivities, you (or use it as a fun excuse to get some people back together) can use the photos and keepsakes to create shadow boxes — framed, glass-fronted display cases (like picture frames but with depth) that can be used to show off pictures and small 3D treasures. You can purchase ready-to-personalize shadow boxes at most major arts and crafts stores.