How to Organise An Easter Egg Hunt In The UK!
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Are you interested in organising an Easter Egg Hunt or Easter Egg Trail for your school, church, or other group in the United Kingdom?
Organising An Easter Egg Hunt In The UK - Things To Consider
The burgeoning springtime has been marked since time immemorial with a variety of festivals and celebrations based around the natural world. In the West, we now use the Christian festival of Easter as an outlet for this outpouring of springtime joy. Though ostensibly a resurrection festival based around the passion of Christ, traditions like the giving of eggs and the popular, rejuvinative figure of the Easter Bunny arguably have much older roots. Our modern Easter Egg hunts are based upon far more ancient springtime traditions. However, there are modern considerations to take into account when you're organising an Easter Egg hunt. Here are some things to think about if you're planning on holding an Easter Egg hunt this coming Easter.
Legalities And Safety
The legalities of your event will of course vary widely depending on the scope, purpose, and location of the hunt. If you're just having a small family hunt in your back garden then there's probably very little (if anything) to think about as regards legalities.
However, you will want to make sure that your hunt location is safe for young children to go poking around in. Take care to clearly mark out steep steps, and to cover any water which could be dangerous if fallen into. If you're planning to have an Easter Egg hunt in a more public place, then you will need to look into local bylaws. If you hide eggs in a local park, for example, chances are that dogs being walked will sniff them out and eat them (which can be very bad indeed for the dogs, as chocolate is poisonous to canines). Make sure that people are aware that you are having your hunt, therefore, and that it's safe for you to proceed. Different councils will have different views on such events, and the process of hiring or getting permission to use places like parks varies reasonably widely across the country. However, it's generally recommended that you have insurance in place in case of accidents, and - as children will be involved - that all volunteers are DBS checked. Your local authority will be able to tell you more about their own particular requirements.
The Weather
The British weather is notoriously changeable, and it's arguably at its most fickle and unpredictable around Easter time. Freezing rainstorms can change into blazing, balmy sunshine and back again within the space of a single half hour, with little to no warning. It's therefore advisable to be prepared for all contingencies. Have an indoor back-up plan in the case of persistent rain. This may be nothing more than a quiz which the children can do inside with chocolate rewards, but it will ensure that they day is not a complete washout. On the other side of the coin, chocolate eggs will quickly melt in hot weather, so try to hide your eggs in shady spots! Keeping an eye on the weather forecast in Britain is always something of an exercise in blind faith, as our hurtling weather patterns are so vastly changeable that even the MET Office has trouble keeping up - but follow their predictions anyway, just in case!
Hiding Locations
It's a good idea to make a note of where all the eggs are hidden, particularly if you're doing your hunt in a relatively public spot. As mentioned earlier, chocolate contains theobromine, which can be fatal to dogs in large enough doses. Small dogs can be killed by eating Easter eggs, so be sure to go around when the children have finished hunting and pick up any eggs which have been left behind, particularly if dogs frequent the area. For the safety and clarity of the children engaged on the hunt, it's also recommended that the hunting area has clearly explained boundaries, to prevent them from straying too far in search of chocolate treats.
Management
How you conduct and manage your Easter Egg Hunt is entirely up to you, but some people find it helpful to set certain rules. One popular idea is to 'pool' all of the eggs found and dole them out evenly at the end - which prevents competition getting ugly during the hunt itself. Any child who is disgruntled with this state of affairs can be mollified with the reminder that they've done a wonderful thing for their friends by finding all those eggs. Other adults, fearing the combination of hyperactive children and lots of chocolate, set a limit on how many eggs can be eaten at the event, and how many must be taken home. There are plenty of ways of making sure that your hunt goes smoothly and enjoyably - precisely how you work this out depends a lot on your dynamic and demographic. Most importantly, though, enjoy it! If you're having fun, it's likely that the kids will follow your lead.
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This article was written for Easter Egg Hunter by Anne Carver, who is just starting out as a writer and blogger after many years spent working in the city. When she became a full time mom, her outlook on life changed - and she decided to stay at home to look after her two daughters and write. She pens articles on all sorts of topics
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