Easter Games for Kids That Go Beyond the Same Old Egg Hunt

Easter's just around the corner, and you know what that means: Some kids near you are about to be hopped up on some serious sugar. Hey, it's not their fault the small but mighty jelly bean is so darn good. Much like a tortilla chip, you can never just have one, right? But I digress...

The point is, not even the most interactive Easter egg hunts are going to be enough to quell the inevitable jelly bean-fueled jitters. You'll need to keep kids busy if you want there to be any chance of them falling asleep at a reasonable hour. Thankfully, there are plenty of eggcellent ways to occupy every bunny (yes, even the adults) at your Easter soiree, from crafty contests to some good, old-fashioned running around.

More: Easter Egg Hunt Ideas You Haven't Tried Before

1. Bunny bowling

What better way to knock out some energy than by knocking out some pins? For this game, you'll need to get your paws on six to 10 wooden pins. If you can't find them at your local craft store, don't worry; soda bottles can work just as well as long as you fill them with sand or dirt to weigh them down a bit. Then, follow Handmade Charlotte's lead by painting on whiskers and gluing on some ears.

Once you have everything set up, have the kids (or adults, no judgment) take a ball — a baseball or softball should do — and get to rollin'. Smiles guaranteed; scoring optional.

2. Egg roll

Next up: the classic egg roll. This game, beloved by generations, is a favorite at the annual White House Easter celebration. First, you'll need to set the playing field. Gather some brightly colored string, ribbon or twine and create lanes and a finish line on the grass. To ensure that the lines stay put, stake the ends into the ground with sticks or skewers (Really, you can use a variety of items to mark the finish line. Even a flattened scarf will do.) 

To play, each participant will need a large wooden or plastic spoon and one hard-boiled or plastic egg. Then, when the start time is called, the players will have to use their spoons to roll their eggs down the playing field. The first one to cross the finish line wins.

More: 25 Easter Basket Ideas for Kids of All Ages

Next: Hat decorating contest

3. Easter bonnet decorating contest

Is there anything cuter than these Whoville-inspired hats? Actually, yes. Your kid wearing one.

First, you'll need to ensure everyone has a hat. These can be of the inexpensive baseball, sun or bucket variety. Or if you'd like to go a different route, you can take a paper grocery bag, remove the handles and roll the top until it can fit snugly on your little one's head.

Then set out all your decorative items. These can be plastic eggs, flowers, stickers, glitter glue, ribbon and/or pipe cleaners. The possibilities are endless! To apply heavier items, make sure parents are on hand to operate a glue gun.

Once the kids have finished, you can hand out awards for categories like most creative, silliest and best Dowager Countess impression.

4. Basket(case) race

Another fun, simple game is the basket race. If you played egg roll, you can reuse the same lanes and finish line. If not, you can simply have participants line up and race to the nearest tree.

The game itself is pretty straightforward. The contestants will each place a basket on their heads and try to keep it balanced as they walk toward the finish line. Should a basket fall, that player will have to return to the starting point and begin all over again.

More: 22 Unique Easter Basket Gifts for Kids That Won't Break the Bank

Next: Easter egg charades

5. Easter egg charades

Let's get some mileage out of those plastic eggs, shall we? This version puts a festive spin on the classic game charades. Fill each egg with a movie title, person or animal, and break into teams. Then one person from each group will take turns drawing an egg and pantomiming to her teammates. The first team to score 15 points (or any number you choose, really) wins.

6. Decorate a giant egg

You can play this game one of two ways.

For the first, you'll need a massive Easter egg. You can make this out of paper mache, foam or even draw it on butcher paper. Then, give each kid some paint or markers and have them go to town. If you want to make this competitive, you can award kids similarly to the decorative hat game.

For the second option, you'll need a few more items, including garbage bags, Easter grass, streamers and markers. First, you'll break players into teams of two or more and have each group designate one child to be its "egg." Then that person will step into a white trash bag that's been cut to have armholes and leg holes. The bag's opening should be toward the child's chest.

From there, each team will have a set period of time to stuff their egg with Easter grass and decorate the exterior using the streamers and markers. The most creative — and convincing — giant Easter egg wins.

More: 20 Printable Easter-Themed Coloring Pages for Kids

7. Bonus: Play with confetti eggs

Everyone will have a blast playing with these confetti-filled eggs. The eggs, or cascarones, were popularized in Spanish culture and are a fun way to spread a little cheer — and to make sure none of your breakfast shells go to waste.