Easter is coming, which means so is Springtime — yay! Although as a parent with young kids, I always have that internal struggle of also wanting to give the kids a great Easter celebration without going overboard.
And by overboard, I really just mean too much candy.
Am I the only mom who doesn’t want Easter baskets to equal a sh*t ton of candy? I can’t be.
Over the years, I’ve noticed a trend when parents post photos of their kids’ Easter baskets. Yes, there is some candy, but it’s more toys, crafts, and getting ready for summer stuff.
I’m here for it!
I’ve been looking up past Easter baskets for my kids and browsing Amazon, grocery store Easter aisles, etc. to put together this year’s baskets. Below is a quick list of what I’ve thought of so far.
I figured other parents might find it helpful if you want non-candy ideas for your kids’ baskets too. Plus, sticking with smaller items that can fit in the basket always helps.
Plus, the kids know our Easter bunny doesn’t bring larger items like a basketball or electronics… because he’s old school like Santa.
Summer Items
As kids grow and seasons change, an easy go-to is something they can wear or actually use in the spring and summer. Plus, pool toys get nasty or flip flops get worn down, so I find it reasonable to buy more of these items.
- Flip Flops
- Goggles
- Pool dive toys
- Beach towels
- Hats
- Clothes (T-shirts, sun dresses, bathing suits, socks)
- Water guns
- Water bottles that don’t leak
- Sunglasses
For Little Ones
My kids have so many toys that I try to get creative for the little ones. I love Easter basket fillers that capture their attention if only for a few hours (sticker books, chalk, bubble wands) or that I can use to spend more time with them (craft kits, bath toys).
- Pirates Booty
- Puffs
- Water Wow! books
- Board books or Step into Reading books
- Craft kits
- Coloring books
- Gummies / fruit snacks
- Color Wonder markers & books
- Duplos
- Toothbrush
- Bubble wand
- Finger puppets
- Stickers or sticker books
- Reusable sticker pad
- Wooden puzzles
- Bath toys
- Sidewalk chalk
- Garden / Flower toy sets
Sidenote: The quiet items you can bring with you in your bag for Easter church service are AWESOME. Hence the Water Wow! books, coloring books or finger puppets. Those stay in my go-to bag all year!
For Young Kids
Similar to the toddler stage, I really don’t want to add to the STUFF in my house so probably over think what goes into their Easter baskets, but my kids go through crafts, books and legos like crazy.
- Washi tape
- Sudoku or puzzle books
- Reading books
- Diamond Painting Kits
- Dolls or stuffed animals
- Craft kits
- Glow sticks or toys
- Joke books
- Scented pencils or markers
- Lip balm
- Dinosaur fossil eggs
- Hair clips or headbands
- Nerf guns or bullets
- Legos
- Bath Bombs
- Gift cards
- Kids No-Sew or Basic Sew Kits
- Nerf balls
I don’t have tweens or teens yet so no advice there.
As far back as I can remember, I got a $20 bill in my Easter basket, so you could try that. Unless, does your Easter Bunny give electronics? Ours doesn’t. Or, is there an age where you no longer need to do baskets, similar to Santa?
Hopefully you’ve found some of these ideas helpful. Of course, these lists are all subjective, but this list is meant to be helpful if you’re trying to think outside of the candy aisle.
Do you have any other non-candy items you recommend for Easter baskets? Comment below, I’m sure there are so many more I haven’t thought of yet! Thanks for reading.
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