Have yourself an Allergy Free Easter Egg Hunt!!

Once a week, 'Baby' and I go to a toddler group, at which I volunteer. There are definite benefits to being a volunteer at your child's toddler group - you get to have input on important things like celebrations, food... and chocolate!

So the other week, with Easter approaching, when we made Easter nests, we made them dairy free (see here, in case you missed the recipe)

Today we're having an Easter egg hunt, and it's going to be 'Baby' proofed - that goes without saying!

So how do we 'Baby' proof it?

Last year 'Baby' was invited to her first Easter egg hunt. In anticipation of such a happening, I purchased some small chocolate eggs online in advance. I also bought some plastic Easter egg hunt eggs. We practiced hiding them around the house for her to find, so she'd know what to do. She loved it! Even with nothing inside the eggs, she thought it was a great game!

Well, this year, not wanting her to come into contact with chocolate made with dairy, or to feel different by having to search for eggs that weren't noticeably different from everyone else's, I decided to reuse the plastic eggs (pictured above) and add a few more. You can buy them from quite a few shops at the moment. Poundland have packs for (funnily enough) £1. These ones are from Poundland. Waitrose packs cost £1.50. I've found lots of other Easter egg hunt resources for sale online, via Party Delights.

Instead of filling them, we're going to let the children collect the empty eggs and swap them at the end for Easter treats. Of course you don't need to make these Easter treats food - it could be some toys like chicks etc.

Of course you can't have an Easter egg hunt without a basket in which to collect the eggs, so I decided the children could also have fun doing some craft - something quick and easy, 'cos some little ones have almost no attention span!!

You can, of course, skip making the baskets and buy your own, either plastic, or in packs at Poundland or Tesco, for just £1, but I think children get more fun out of making their own!!

I searched online for ideas and thought these were fab:

Allergy Adventures

Carrot Pockets

Recycled plastic bottles

However, they weren't big enough for what I wanted to do (although they would be great for holding smaller prizes, such as Haribo).

Then I found these, by 'Jellyfish'. They are the perfect size for holding a couple of plastic eggs.

Here's 'Baby's' prototype: 

'Baby's' basket

I used a gold-coloured paper plate, left over from our angel craft we did at Christmas. The gold inside reflects the colour of the shredded paper beautifully. Also because they are metallic, they are a little bit stronger, so able to hold more.

I pre-cut the paper plate and stapled it, before giving 'Baby' the chance to decorate it with a few stickers and some ribbon.

The shredded paper and decorative stickers can be bought from places like The Works, Poundland and Hobbycraft. Along with the ribbon around the side (covers the staples).

'scuse the fake grass!

SO 'Baby' is now all ready to go!

And her reward? Well the others will get a small choclate egg, but of course 'Baby' can't have those. I did buy some chocolate half eggs from Plamil. I was going to put two halves together, to make one whole egg and wrap them together in some foil, but 'Baby' being 'Baby', she requested some pink wrapped eggs! I've no idea where to get pink foil squares, do you? 


Update: 

I've found some smaller fillable plastic eggs at Poundland this year, in packs of 18. Two Plamil Easter egg halves (see here) which you can buy from Holland and Barrett or online from Plamil, fit these perfectly!! Happy days!!

BUT, these these dairy, gluten, soya, egg and nut free chocolate mini eggs (bought from D and D Chocolates), would also do the job nicely!! 

Allergy free Easter eggs

Now if you're planning an Easter egg hunt, you might not have time to send off for these, but you could fill the plastic eggs with a small packet of dairy free buttons, which you can buy from Sainsbury's Free From section, or maybe some small packets of Haribo sweets - theyve made some which have been designed especially for Easter egg hunts.

Alternatively, you could swap the plastic eggs for other Easter treats, such as the Celtic Choices bunny (Sainsbury's, Tesco or Asda). For more information, about these and other dairy free Easter treats, see our Great Big Dairy Free Easter Egg Hunt (2017) post for further details, or Dairy Free Easter Treats. 

Either way, hope you and your little ones have a cracking dairy free Easter :)


Related posts: 

Baking with 'Baby' - Dairy Free, Gluten Free Easter Nests