Easter is a much loved holiday full of family, fun, joy— and chocolate! But it can be difficult to think of budget friendly ways to celebrate. That’s why we’ve put together a list of cheap Easter ideas to help you celebrate this year. Whether you’re looking for hosting and basket ideas, decorations, or Easter activities, Swoosh has you covered! You won’t even need a secured loan with our tips.
Overview
- Host Easter on a budget
- Keeping it exciting with cheap Easter egg hunt ideas
- Get festive with budget friendly Easter decorations
- Celebrate with fun Easter activities in your city
- Cheap Easter ideas FAQs
Host Easter on a budget
Cheap Easter lunch ideas
Don’t feel pressure to fit into traditions and make a big roast meal! There are so many different foods that various cultures make to celebrate Easter, so why not start your own tradition? Who wants to be waiting in those long busy lines at the local fisheries the day before the public holidays anyway?
A good place to start is to think about what your family’s favourite food is. Sometimes the kids are just as happy (if not more) with a spaghetti bolognese or sandwiches as they are with a roast. Another fun idea is to make a simple Easter buffet at home with nachos, cheese, minced beef, salsa, guacamole and all your other favourite Mexican sides and toppings.
But cheap Easter lunch ideas are endless! Here are some more recommendations for what you can serve instead of ham at Easter:
- Creamy tuna pasta bake
- Garlic chuck steak bites and potatoes
- Baked honey-soy chicken wings
- One sheet-pan meals
- Sausage sizzle
- “Build your own pizza” with premade pizza bases
And if you still love tradition, potlucks are probably one of the most Australian things you can do! It takes the majority of the load off the host and everyone can work within their own budgets.
Easy Easter crafts to do with the kids
Easter is always a big and exciting celebration for the kids, but it’s the adults that have to find ways to keep them entertained all day!
Remember that you can keep things simple and don’t need to go all out. Paper crafts and colouring are always a safe bet because they are easy to store and you won’t feel guilty about waste if you have to throw them away. Here are some of the easiest Easter crafts to do:
- Egg carton chicks
- Origami basket
- Easter bunny plant pots
- Paper chain characters
- Painted pet/egg rocks
You can also turn decorating into a cheap Easter activity for the kids!
Keeping it exciting with cheap Easter egg hunt ideas
The annual Easter egg hunt… While it’s no Christmas, keeping it fun for the kids and on a budget can be stressful for parents. But here are some cheap Easter egg basket ideas to help you out.
Affordable Easter basket ideas
It’s pretty easy to find Easter baskets for cheap in places like Kmart, Big W and your local two dollar shop. Decorate it with some ribbons and pom poms in pastel colours and you’ve got yourself a pretty schmick basket!
But if you’re worried about buying things that won’t get used again, you don’t need an Easter basket at all! Here are some things that you can reuse or the kids will play with later:
- Sand play bucket
- Toy wagon
- Hat or helmet
- Mixing bowl
- Plant pot
- Picnic basket
- Decorative basket
- Tote bag
You can even turn it into a game and let the kids find something around the house to use for the Easter egg hunt.
How to fill Easter eggs on a budget
Every year, we see the prices of chocolate rise and it feels harder to give yourself a little sweet treat. A classic Cadbury milk chocolate bar costs $8! And when Easter rolls around, the prices for chocolate eggs and bunnies will make your eyes widen.
So, if you’re looking for ways to make the costs of the egg hunt easier, fill some cheap plastic eggs that you can reuse next year with goodies besides candy. There are tonnes of toy and non-toy Easter basket items you can get, here are some ideas:
- Stickers
- Temporary tattoos
- HotWheels cars
- Loose change
- Crystals
- Toy bracelets
- Themed bandaids
- Bouncy balls
- Fidget toys
- Hairties and clips
- Glow in the dark decals
Get festive with budget friendly Easter decorations
Hosting an Easter soiree this year and in need of some cheap Easter decorations ideas? These little gems are sure to get you in the Easter mood without getting you into debt. Get the kids to join in where you can since school holidays often coincide with Easter! You might be in need of free activities for kids during the school holidays to keep you busy on a budget.
Even if you don’t get specific Easter decorations, stick to pastel colours and you’ll find it naturally suits the holiday!
Mason jars of goodness
We’ve all got old mason jars kicking around the house that we don’t know what to do with. Fill them with some Easter treats and decorate them with ribbon. Then, place them on your table to create some colour and delight for your table setting. It’s inexpensive, easy, and versatile!
White flowers and food colouring
This unbelievably simple but stunning decoration idea will be your lifesaver this Easter! Cut some white flowers from your garden (or the garden of a willing donor), place them in a vase of water with food colouring, and wait for the magic! Within a few hours, the petals of your white flowers will absorb the food colouring and turn into beautiful masterpieces. Try a variety of colours to make your Easter party a colourful paradise.
Felt bunnies
Felt bunnies are a DIY classic. All you need to do is grab some cheap felt fabric from your local fabric supplier and cut out any bunny shape you like. You can stick them up around the room for some cute wall decorations or arrange them on the table. If you’re really in the mood to get creative, buy some cheap cotton balls and craft glue for cute fluffy tails.
Paper chains and paper garlands
Paper chains and paper garlands are an easy and cheap Easter decoration idea that really spruces up the space. They’re also a great task to give the kids to get them involved in the fun of decorating. Mix it up with egg shapes, bunny shapes, and Easter chicks before hanging them around the room to boost festivities.
Bunny footprints
Kids go wild for bunny footprints! If you don’t mind a little mess, then talcum powder (or even cooking flour) and bunny footprint stencils can be used to create “Easter bunny tracks”. Try doing it before the kids wake up to give them a little magic on Easter morning. If you’d prefer to avoid the mess, try using paper bunny footprints instead! A cheap but effective way to get into the spirit of Easter.
Celebrate with fun Easter activities in your city
Looking for some fun Easter activities in your city? We’ve scoped out the best events happening in your city this Easter.
Also, since school holidays often coincide with Easter, you might be in need of things to do to keep the days filled and the kids entertained. Aside from these local Easter events, there are lots of free activities for kids during the school holidays to keep you busy on a budget.
Brisbane – Bands in Parks: Easter Bunny Boogie
If you need a budget-friendly activity for the whole family this Easter, then Band in Parks: Easter Bunny Boogie is for you. This free event offers live music, food trucks, and an Easter Bunny visit that the kids will love!
And if you’re looking for places to go for your Easter long weekend beyond a single day out, Brisbane is perfectly positioned. With stunning beaches and scenic escapes just a short drive away, there are plenty of beautiful (and budget-friendly) spots to turn your Easter plans into a relaxing long weekend getaway.
Sydney – Sydney Family Show
Running from the 2nd to 19th of April, the Sydney Family Show is the place to be. There’ll be rides, petting zoos, games, entertainment shows, and food—all the ingredients for an epic family day out this Easter weekend. While tickets aren’t free, the best value is the family pass for $75. You can also upgrade your tickets with unlimited rides, games and rides discount coupons or an Easter egg hunt.
Melbourne – The Story of the Moving Image
A free exhibition perfect for the whole family, The Story of the Moving Image takes viewers back in time to discover the birth of moving pictures. You and your children will be delighted by shadow puppets, magic lanterns, iconic costumes and so much more. Best of all, it’s free!
Canberra – Easter Egg Grabs & Night Trains
From 5pm to 9pm on the 4th and 5th of April, the Canberra Miniature Railway will be holding their highly anticipated Easter egg hunt with night train rides. There is also a canteen and unlimited rides miniature train to ticket holders! Tickets are only $15 each and the venue is very disability-friendly.
Hobart – Royal Hobart Hospital Research Foundation Easter Egg Hunt 2026
In Kingston Park on the 3rd of April, the RHHl Research Foundation will be holding an Easter Egg Hunt! With a nature-based playground, live music, games, food trucks and so much more, this is a family fun day out that you don’t want to miss. Plus, all proceeds go to helping charity!
Perth – Swan Settler’s Market Annual Easter Egg Hunt
The local and beloved Sean Settler’s Market will be having their usual fun activities over the Easter weekend. There will be a face painting, food stalls, activities (for the kids and adults) and a free Easter egg hunt!
Darwin – Waterfront Recreation Lagoon
Easter in Darwin can be a hot one! So if you’re looking for a place to cool off, have fun, and rid the kids of their chocolate-induced sugar highs, then Darwin’s Waterfront Recreation Lagoon is the place to be. Your wallet will be safe with free entry and your kids will be kept safe with daily life guard patrols.
Need some extra cash to turn your Easter long weekend into a mini getaway?
Want to turn your Easter long weekend into a much-needed holiday but don’t have the funds? Swoosh has you covered. We offer secured loans up to $5000 with same day approval. Use our online application to apply for a loan in 5 minutes or less.
Cheap Easter Ideas FAQs
What is a traditional dish for Easter?
On Good Friday, traditional dishes are usually fish with hot cross buns for dessert. On Easter Sunday, the traditional dish tends to be roast lamb or glazed ham with roast veggies. Common desserts include carrot cake, Easter-themed baked treats and of course, chocolate.
What do most kids get for Easter?
Chocolate and lollies are what a lot of kids get for Easter. Unlike birthdays and Christmas, it’s not a particularly gift-heavy occasion, but parents might decide to do cheap Easter gifts like plush toys, books or themed pajamas.
