An Addition-al Egg Hunt

It is always a plus to add the Addition-al Egg Hunt. Expect a whole lot of fun and just a little bit of math.

Directions

Each egg hunter is allowed to find a predetermined number of eggs, each with a point value. Once all of the players have found their limit the point value of each egg is added up and the person with the highest point total is the winner. This game is a good option if you are looking for fairness since the winner is completely determined by luck.

The Setup: Since this game has an egg limit you are going to have to do some math yourself to determine how many eggs to use. You want to shoot for an egg limit of around eight eggs per player. That is enough to insure that one or two high point eggs does not guarantee a win and not so many that the hunt itself becomes a chore. So multiply the number of egg hunters by eight and prepare that many eggs for the game. If you cannot do eight eggs be sure that the total number of eggs is the exact number you need for each player to reach the limit. So if you have six players and your egg limit is seven you will need 42 eggs(6×7=42).

To prepare the eggs, give each egg a point value of 1-5. The method of assigning the value will change depending on what type of egg your are using. If you have real eggs or paper eggs write the number on the egg itself with a permanent marker, be sure to give ample time to dry. With plastic eggs, write the number on a slip of paper and put it inside the egg.

Sometimes it is a concern that some of the players might be tempted to not pick up an egg they find if they see that it has a low point value or even rehide the egg if they have picked it up. You can remove this temptation with a little duct tape.

Real Eggs: Put a piece of tape over the number once the marker has dried.
Paper Eggs: Write the number on one side of the egg and tape a second egg onto the first to cover the number. Make sure you do no tape the number itself since the tape could pull the number off when the eggs are separated.
Plastic Eggs: Put the slip of paper with the number inside the egg and tape the egg closed.

Explain to the players that they are to pick up every egg they find until they reach their limit and that no tape is to be removed.

The Rules: Each player hunts eggs until they have reached their egg limit. At that point encourage them to help the others find eggs until everyone has their limit. Once all players have their eggs, add up the points and the person with the highest point total wins.

As a Secondary Egg Hunt: This game works very well as a secondary egg hunt, meaning a hunt to be held after your main egg hunt. The kids should already have a nice amount of loot and winning the secondary hunt would just be a bonus.

With Teams: An alternate method is playing the game with teams where each player find their egg limit but it is the total points of the team that determines the winner.

Girls vs. Boys: If you are lucky enough to be able to have close to balanced teams of girls and boys this game is a natural fit. If the teams are not exactly even adjust the egg limit of individual players so that the total number of eggs for each team ends up even. Once everyone has collected their egg limit the gender with the highest point total wins.