Believe it or not, Easter is almost upon us. One more week before we celebrate our risen Savior. But with that comes the age-old tradition of Easter baskets. I loved Easter baskets as a kid! We would leave carrots and water out the night before like leaving cookies for Santa and in the morning, the carrots were all gone or half chewed and the glass was empty. Then we had our Easter baskets to find! It was always a competition between my siblings and I as to who could find their basket first.
However, as an adult, I view the Easter baskets a little differently. I still love the tradition, but I’ve been racking my brain on what to put in my kids’ Easter baskets this year, because they’re both still young, but my oldest is definitely old enough to get excited about it. Thankfully, he isn’t much for candy. We don’t give him a lot of sweets, aside from an occasional bite of dessert and I’d like to keep it that way as long as possible.
So if not candy, what am I supposed to fill their baskets with?
First things first, consider their age. These ideas are primarily for toddlers through elementary school age children. Your preteen will not appreciate it as much as my almost two-year-old, so take that into consideration. That being said, hopefully this list will provide you with some ideas regardless of the age of your children, to fill their Easter baskets with more than just sugar.
1. Stickers!
My son is obsessed with stickers! Thankfully, he keeps them pretty much in his sticker books or on the carpet and they’re easy to remove, but he absolutely loves peeling and sticking them and could do it for hours. There are a lot of really cute Easter stickers out there too and they’re super cheap, so they’re both festive and practical.
2. Bubbles
Bubbles are another favorite of my almost two-year-old and they’re great for even younger kids. There’s something amazing and just mind-blowing about bubbles for kids. And once again, they’re super cheap and last forever!
3. Summer Stuff
Yes, summer is once again around the corner and it’s almost as bad as a new school year when it comes to the stuff your kid is inevitably going to need. From new swimming suits, to new clothes, new shoes, sunscreen, sunglasses, etc., they are all great for filling their Easter baskets. Have a summer vacation coming up? Use this as your opportunity to get them ready and get them excited about it. Going to the beach? Sand and water toys are great too!
4. Stuff They Need Anyway
This one kind of goes with the last one, but maybe your kid is just in need of some new pjs. Or undershirts, sweatshirts, socks, shoes, etc. Anything from soap to binkies, toothbrushes to cups, kids love anything they think is a gift. Use this opportunity to get them new things they’re excited about. It’s like two for the price of one! (HINT HINT: I use this trick for stocking stuffers at Christmas too!)
5. Non-Candy Snacks
Ok, so although I’m not a big fan of giving my kids a bunch of junk food, I am a total fan of getting them some treats they can enjoy and if they eat too many, it’s better than eating a whole basket of sugar.
Some of my favorite options are small crackers, real fruit gummies, and organic cookies. My son loves these little Sesame Street Cheese Crackers and banana cookies. I’m sure the Easter Bunny will remember that next week.
Also, I just happened to see that Walmart and Amazon carry Faith Cookies. They’re like animal crackers but they’re shaped like lambs and crosses and other Easter symbols. Sounds perfect for a toddler’s Easter basket if you ask me!
6. Puzzles and Games
Puzzles and games are perfect for kids of all ages. They are great activities that not only challenge your kids, but usually keep them quiet and entertained for a while. They come in all shapes and sizes so find some that your child would enjoy and use them to fill the bottom of the basket so that the rest of the basket looks more full. If you’re a parent, you know that the display is half the excitement.
Card games are a great option for older kids. Games like Uno and even just a few decks of regular playing cards fit great into baskets. And if you do have that summer road trip coming up, car games and activities are great basket fillers, too!
7. Favorite Toys
In case you haven’t been to a toy store or toy aisle lately, there are a ton of trending toys that are miniature and great for filling baskets. If your kids are a little older, they will love these little figurines, slinkies, yoyos or other handheld toys. Or, if they’re younger, bouncy balls, playdoh and blocks are perfect! The best part is, when it’s one of their favorite toys, you never can have too many.
8. Art Supplies
Does your child have enough toys? Why not think about art supplies instead. It’s another great way to keep kids busy while exploring their creativity. We got my son ColorWonder Markers for Christmas and they are an awesome activity for kids of all ages. Coloring books, paint sets, and crafting kits are awesome ideas for Easter baskets.
9. Movies
Movies are the best to entertain kids, especially in the car, and if this is your go-to entertainment, you never can have too many. TIP: pack a shoe-box sized tupperware container with DVDs for roadtrips in the car so that you never forget them at home. Once you build a healthy little collection, you can have stashes hidden everywhere.
10. Books
My son LOVES books. He went through a phase a few months ago when he would sit for hours and want you to read the same books over and over and over again. Now, we’re to the point where we mostly just open the books so he can point out the different animals and practice what words he does know. The best thing about books is that there are books about EVERYTHING and for any age group! You can easily find Easter books too that help your kids understand the real meaning behind the holiday.
So there you have it. I hope this list gives you some great ideas on how to fill your kids’ Easter baskets with things other than tons of candy. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t give your kids ANY candy for Easter, I just know that as a mom, I try to get them to eat healthier at every opportunity I get and I’d rather start traditions around the meaning of Easter, rather than just junk food.
Do you have any ideas of what you’re getting your kids for Easter? I’d love to hear it. Comment below!