Secret Message Easter Eggs
I absolutely love creating memories and starting traditions with my family. In previous years, Easter morning always meant I’d be up before the sun, quietly tiptoeing through our 1.25-acre backyard, hiding hundreds of Easter eggs and setting up the kids' baskets for them to discover when they woke up. It’s something they’ve always looked forward to, and honestly, so have I.
My daughter swears Easter is her favorite holiday, though, between us, I think any holiday that promises a new stuffed animal might earn that title.
This year, things will look a little different. We’ll be out of town for Easter, which means I won’t be able to set everything up quite like I usually do. But don’t worry, I’m still going all out. When we return, the magic will be waiting for them. The egg hunt will just be pushed back a day, and I’ve decided to make it even more special to make up for the change.
I’ll still be hiding our traditional almost 200 eggs, packed with candy and little party-favor-style toys. But I wanted to add an extra spark; something to really make it memorable.
So this year, I’m including secret prize coupons tucked inside a handful of the eggs.
These little messages are kind of like golden tickets. They come with special rewards that are regular favorites around our house; personalized, thoughtful, and exciting. Things like:
“Stay up 30 minutes past bedtime”
“You choose the movie for family night”
“Pick dessert this week”
And the big one... “One ticket to the Minecraft Movie!” (I will ensure that both of them get one of these… Since I will be taking both of them, and I don’t want anyone feeling left out)
But here’s the catch... When they crack open those special eggs, they won’t find a shiny prize or bold lettering. Nope! They’ll find what looks like a blank piece of paper, cut into a little egg shape.
The secret? It’s written in invisible ink (it’s not really invisible ink, but they don’t need to know that). To uncover the real reward, they’ll have to grab a marker and color over the paper to reveal the hidden message. I’m even thinking about adding a riddle that leads them to that clue, something like,
“Though you think this egg is bare, there's hidden magic waiting there. A little color, and you'll see, what surprise awaits from me.”
It adds that extra bit of excitement and mystery to the hunt, and I know they'll be all about it.
What you’ll need:
Mod Podge (or liquid glue)
Any paint brush
Scissors
3 Paper or cardstock to cut into the egg shape
Glitter (of your choice)
A white crayon
Markers (maybe use the kids’ favorite colors)
Not listed - Tape (because I forgot)
Step 1: Create Your Secret Messages
Grab your paper egg cutouts and a white crayon. This is where the magic begins. On each egg, write a secret message that only appears once it's revealed with a marker later on.
For example, I made one big, exciting message that says, “1 ticket to the Minecraft movie,” and about 17 smaller ones with fun little “coupons” like “Stay up 30 minutes past bedtime,” or “Movie night of your choice.”
Keep them personalized and fun. You know what your kiddos will light up for!
Step 2: Prep Your Glitter Eggs
Take the other two paper eggs for each message and coat one side of them with Mod Podge (or regular glue. Whatever you have on hand works). Use a brush or sponge to spread it out as evenly as possible. Be sure to cover the whole surface. Any bare spots might end up looking patchy once the glitter goes on, and we want maximum sparkle.
This layer will become the pretty outer shell that hides your secret message, so don’t be afraid to go bold with the glitter!
Step 3: Glitter Time!
Now for the fun (and chaotic) part; pour your favorite glitter (or let your kids pick theirs) over that bad boy while the glue is still wet.
Heads up: this part will get messy. Like, glitter-in-your-eyebrows messy. So, do yourself a favor and lay down some parchment paper, an old baking sheet, or even a paper grocery bag underneath to catch the excess. It’ll make cleanup way easier.
(Trust me... I skipped this step and ended up vacuuming glitter off everything. Still worth it, though.)
Tap off the extra glitter and let it dry for a bit before moving on to the next step!
Step 4: Cut Out the Sparkle
Once your glittered paper eggs are dry, go ahead and cut them out.
Fair warning: this part is almost as messy as adding the glitter in the first place, so don’t toss that parchment paper or whatever you used to catch the sparkles just yet. You’re probably going to need it again.
(Pro tip: If you're doing a bunch of these, maybe have a little trash bowl or bin nearby to dump the glitter scraps into as you go.)
Step 5: Hide the Secret Message
Now for the fun part! Turn your sparkly egg into a sneaky little surprise. Tape (or glue) your secret message egg to the inside of one of the glittered eggs. I just used tape because it was quick and easy, but you can totally glue it if that’s your thing. Double-sided tape works great too!
You’ve got creative freedom here, do whatever works best for you.
(And hey, if you have a cool method I didn’t think of, drop it in the comments below! I’d love to see how you made yours.)
Step 6: Seal the Secret
Once your hidden message is secured to the inside of one glittered egg, place the second glitter egg on top — right side up so that all that sparkle is front and center. Then, just tape the edges together.
(You can use glue, a stapler, washi tape, whatever you’ve got on hand. I’m not the boss of you. I’m just here to toss out fun ideas and glittery inspiration.)
Step 7: Hide the Treasure
Take your finished secret message egg and tuck it inside a plastic Easter egg that it fits in nicely. Boom! Hidden in plain sight. When the kids crack it open, they’ll just see a glittery egg… but little do they know, something magical is waiting inside.
Bonus: The Mini Prize Eggs
I didn’t stop at just the big ticket item… I also made a bunch of smaller secret message eggs. Each one had glitter on the back (which made things even messier, somehow), but they turned out so dang cute. I just folded each of these mini eggs in half and tucked them into smaller, non-assuming Easter eggs. Simple, sparkly, and sneaky.
And that’s it!
Your secret message eggs are finished and ready to go. Now when the kids find them, all you’ll need to do is hand them a marker and let the magic unfold. Watching the look on their faces as the hidden message is revealed? Totally worth the glitter explosion.
I think this will become one of my favorite little DIY traditions. Low cost, big fun, and all heart. If you try this out, let me know what kind of messages or rewards you tucked inside! I’d love to hear your ideas (or steal them for next year, haha).
Happy Easter and happy memory-making!
Secret Prize Coupon Ideas for Your Easter Eggs:
Stay up 30 minutes past bedtime
Stay up 1 hour past bedtime
Movie night of your choice
Pick a treat from the store
One extra dessert after dinner
1-on-1 date with Mom or Dad
Breakfast for dinner night
Pick what's for dinner
Choose the family board game for game night
Get out of one chore (your choice!)
30 minutes extra screen time
Build-a-Fort night
You pick the music for the car ride
Pajama day (even at school!)
A new book of your choice
Backyard campout night
Trip to the park or playground
Make your own pizza night
One toy under $10 from the store
You pick the craft or DIY activity
Ice cream night
Day to be the "boss" (within reason, of course)
I am so excited to try this one out, and I honestly think my kids are going to love it! Watching their faces light up as they reveal the secret messages will be priceless. If you decide to give this a go, let me know what coupons you wrote for your kids and how they reacted when they found out what they were! I can’t wait to hear all about your Easter egg hunts and the fun you have with your own family traditions!
