Budget Friendly Easter Egg Hunts

We use affiliate links on our website, this means if you click a link and make a purchase, we’ll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting our website.

Two children sitting on a bench with Easter baskets, sorting eggs after a hunt. A bunny sign reading "Egg Hunt!" stands beside them.

Easter egg hunts are a highlight of the season, but let’s be honest, some of them are starting to look more like an episode of The World’s Most Expensive Chocolate rather than a simple springtime tradition. Fancy golden eggs, designer chocolates, and event tickets that cost more than your weekly food shop? Erm…maybe when that lottery win comes in.

Luckily, you don’t need a second mortgage to give your kids (or yourself, we don’t judge) a cracking good time. Here’s how to plan a brilliant Easter egg hunt without blowing your budget.

1. Set a Budget and Stick to It

Sounds obvious, right? But it’s all too easy to get carried away when faced with aisle upon aisle of Easter goodies. Before you know it, you’ve spent £50 on themed napkins and edible glitter. Set a limit, write a list, and remind yourself that no one needs a 1kg chocolate bunny.

Top Tip:

Check discount stores like B&M, Poundland, and Home Bargains for cheap yet cheerful egg hunt supplies. Supermarkets often reduce their Easter stock the closer it gets to the big day, so keep an eye out for bargains.

2. DIY Your Easter Eggs

Who says you need to buy dozens of overpriced chocolate eggs? Get crafty and make your own! Buy a big bar of cheap chocolate, melt it down, and pour it into silicone moulds. You can even add Rice Krispies for extra crunch, because let’s be real, textured chocolate just feels fancier.

Not into DIY?

Ditch the chocolate altogether and go for reusable plastic eggs. Fill them with stickers, small toys, or IOUs for treats like “Extra 30 minutes of screen time” (guaranteed to make kids happier than chocolate anyway)

Child on an Easter egg hunt, wearing bunny ears and collecting colourful eggs in a blue bucket.

3. Get Creative with Hiding Spots

Let’s be honest, most kids are more observant than Sherlock Holmes when it comes to spotting chocolate. Instead of just scattering eggs in the garden like an amateur, make them work for their prizes.

Budget-Friendly Ideas:

Riddle Hunt: Write simple clues that lead to the next egg, plus it keeps them entertained for longer, win win.
Colour-Coded Hunt: Assign each child a colour to find, perfect if you’re hosting multiple kids and don’t want one speed-demon scooping up all the loot.
Puzzle Hunt: Hide puzzle pieces in eggs, and they have to find them all before getting their prize.

If the British weather decides to do its usual trick and rain (which, let’s be honest, it probably will), move the hunt indoors. Bookshelves, kitchen drawers, and even the washing machine (just not mid-cycle) make for excellent hiding spots.

Two children indoors, surrounded by Easter eggs, one wearing bunny ears, while sorting their collection in a wicker basket.

4. Think Beyond Chocolate

We all love a bit of chocolate, but by the 10th mini egg, even the most sugar-hungry child starts to feel a bit sick. Break up the hunt with some non-edible treasures.

Cheap & Cheerful Prizes:

Mini bubble wands (Pack of 48 for £7.99 – they'll last for ages!)
Temporary tattoos (24 sheets for £1.99)
Glow sticks for a night-time egg hunt (15 piece set for £3.75)
Homemade coupons for a fun activity (“Trip to the park” or “Breakfast for dinner”)

A young girl in a beige coat searching for hidden Easter eggs in a garden, holding a canvas basket with a pink bunny print.

No we are not suggesting you freeze a chick, we just thought it was cute okay?

5. Rope in the Neighbours

If you live in a friendly neighbourhood, why not make it a group effort? Everyone can contribute a small bag of eggs, and suddenly you have a full-scale Easter egg extravaganza without one person footing the entire bill.

Bonus Perk:

It’s also a great excuse to sneak a cup of tea (or something stronger) with the other parents while the kids burn off energy running around.

Skip the Store-Bought Baskets

Those pastel-coloured, overpriced Easter baskets? Yeah, you don’t need them. Instead, get the kids to decorate paper bags, old shoe boxes, or even last year’s Halloween bucket, because nothing says “festive” like a glow-in-the-dark pumpkin filled with chocolate eggs.

A woven basket filled with colourful Easter eggs, resting on hay in a grassy outdoor setting.

Plan Some Free Easter Fun

Once the egg hunt is over and the sugar rush kicks in, you’ll need some extra activities to keep everyone entertained (without resorting to CBeebies as a babysitter).

Zero-Cost Easter Activities:

Egg and Spoon Race – Classic, chaotic, and likely to end in tears.
Bunny Hop Contest – Who can hop the longest without falling over?
Easter Storytime – Read a cute Easter book (We’re Going on an Egg Hunt is a winner).
DIY Easter Bonnet Parade – Craft supplies + an old hat = fashion masterpiece (or total disaster, but that’s part of the fun).

A great Easter egg hunt doesn’t have to cost the same as a family holiday. With a bit of creativity, a touch of DIY, and maybe some well-timed discount shopping, you can give your kids (and yourself) a fun-filled Easter without worrying about your bank balance.

Now, go forth and hunt some eggs! And if all else fails? Hide one last really good chocolate egg for yourself. You deserve it.