Spring has arrived and Easter morning is just around the corner. This means families nationwide will be in their yards and seeking perfect Easter photo opportunity.

Get your lawn in shape with these tips from the TurfMutt Foundation:

Tidy the yard. Remove leaves, branches and sticks. Make sure pathways are clear and ready for foot traffic and mowing. Clean up playsets and other items that spent the winter outside.

Assess the lawn’s condition. Look for dog poop, holes in the ground, pests, or other hazards—and remove or repair them. Spring is the time to fix bare patches in the lawn by re-seeding or re-sodding. Remove thatch (decaying items like leaves, grassroots and stem accumulation) so nutrients and water can reach grass roots, and disease and pests are discouraged from nesting.

Plan where the Easter egg hunt will be. Use rope, tape or ribbon to mark boundaries so children know where they can go. You’ll want to avoid having excited little feet trample any bare lawn patches you are re-seeding or repairing, so avoid these areas if you can. Most grass varieties are hardy and can withstand foot traffic, but keep more delicate plants, such as flower beds, from eager hands and feet.

Cut your grass a few days in advance. Your lawn will benefit from the clippings being left behind on the grass, so it’s better to cut a couple of days before the egg hunt so clippings dry and don’t stick to the eggs. Use a freshly sharpened mower blade, for a clean cut, and always mow to the recommended height for the grass variety you have, the season and the growing conditions. Proper mowing, including choosing the correct height of grass, creates a low-maintenance, more drought-tolerant lawn.

Hide with safety in mind. Consider your child’s age when selecting hiding locations for the eggs. Young children will run around the lawn and find eggs. Older children might need more complexity such as hiding eggs in shrubbery.

To learn more about the benefits of the family yard and backyarding this spring, go to TurfMutt.com.