From unique Easter basket gift ideas to fun Easter activities for toddlers we’ve got everything you need for the best springtime celebration yet!
The key to a successful Easter with toddlers is preparation, flexibility, and focusing on the joy of the moment. Whether it’s through crafting the perfect toddler-friendly Easter basket, engaging in fun activities, or simply enjoying the beauty of spring together, there are countless ways to make this Easter memorable. Let’s dive into how to create a magical Easter experience for your little ones.
The Guide to Easter with a Toddler
1. Crafting the Perfect Toddler Easter Basket
When it comes to Easter baskets, the goal is to delight your toddler while also keeping things practical and minimal on sugar (something I’ve learned is essential while raising 6 kiddos!). Here are 10 non-candy Easter basket gift ideas that are sure to be a hit:
10 Non-Candy Easter Basket Gift Ideas
- Art Supplies: Stock up on crayons, coloring books, and paint dotters.
- Pool Toys: Dive sticks, beach balls, and goggles will make a splash.
- Bubbles: Always a favorite for outdoor fun.
- Easter Books: A great way to wind down after a day of play.
- Sports Gear: Velcro catch games, water bottles, and cones for the little athlete.
- Bath Toys: Color-changing bathwater tablets and bubble baths make clean-up fun.
- Play-Doh: Include both the dough and accessories for creative play.
- Hair Accessories: For the little ones who love to dress up.
- Kites: Perfect for windy spring days.
- Lego Sets or Small Toy Figures: For imaginative play.
- Outside Play Toys: Think sidewalk chalk and yo-yos.
- Spring Clothing and Comfy PJs: Brands like MORI and Hanna Andersson offer adorable options.
What’s Going in My Toddler’s Easter Basket This Year:
The Big Toy Method
I love to do one “big” toy as the main thing in the Easter Basket, rather than filling it full of trinkets.
This simply means adding one “big” toy as the main item in the Easter basket. This approach reduces clutter and ensures the gift is meaningful. Fisher Price toys are a fantastic option, known for their durability and ability to engage and entertain toddlers.
This adorable tea set is a great example of what to would include as the “big gift”. Liv loves that it sparks her imagination. She has impromptu tea (and coffee) parties with us and her favorite stuffed animals as well.
2. Engaging Engaging Easter Activities for Your Toddler
Keep the celebration going with activities that are both fun and educational. From Cool Whip dyed eggs and Easter tower STEM challenges to sensory bins, and egg stamping with potatoes, there’s no shortage of ways to engage your toddler’s curiosity and creativity.
Cool Whip Dyed Eggs
Simply spread the cool whip (or shaving cream) onto a baking sheet, drop food coloring on top using different colors in different sections. Next, take a straw and mix to create a tie-dyed look.
Roll an egg into the cool whip on one side, then flip and complete on the other side. Let dry for 10-12 minutes and then rinse.
Easter Tower STEM Challenge
If you are looking for an educational but simple Easter activity, this idea is perfect! There is so much more you can do with plastic Easter eggs than fill them with candy for egg hunts. An excellent option is to separate the plastic egg tops from the bottoms. Then give them to your child and allow them to build towers with the egg pieces.
The kids will build several towers and soon realize that by stacking all of the tops or all of the bottoms they are able to create the best towers. It is a fun and educational Easter activity that toddlers will love.
Spring Garden Sensory Activity
Sensory bins have always been a favorite in our home. They offer opportunities for toddlers to explore touch, sight, sound, and smell. Plus, many kids love to get their hands in there and feel all the different textures, too.
For this activity, you will need a rubber bin or cardboard box to hold everything, brown rice to act as the compost/ soil (shredded brown paper or brown colored pasta would also work), some shovels, plastic gardening pots, real carrots etc… Your child will have a blast and you’ll get some time to relax. It’s a win/win!
Jelly Bean Experiment
I like to use up some of the candy in our house around Easter time in ways other than eating. That typically involves using candy pieces in our artwork but another fun idea is to use them for your own simple science experiments. For this experiment, you simply have your child divide the jelly beans by color.
Then you place 3 jelly beans of each color into a small bowl and fill with different liquids. We chose warm water, vinegar, club soda, and water with salt.
Allow the beans to sit for one full day and check on them periodically to see if there are any changes. The kids love to take guesses at which liquid will make the biggest impact.
Egg Stamping With Potatoes
This might be my all-time favorite Easter craft for toddlers. It is a simple craft and you probably already have everything you need at home to do it. Parents simply cut the bottom portion of a few potatoes off. Then slice ridges into the potato. Straight lines, squiggly lines use your imagination.
Once the potatoes are sliced simply place them on a covered table with some finger paint and allow your child to stamp away. They turn out pretty cute!
3. Healthy and Fun Easter Snacks
Easter treats don’t have to be all about sugar. Here are some healthy, fun options:
- Bunny Pancakes: Use a bunny-shaped mold or cookie cutter to make pancakes look like bunnies. Decorate with banana slices for ears and blueberries for eyes.
- Carrot Patch Hummus: Fill a small pot with hummus and place carrot sticks upright to resemble a carrot patch. Add bell pepper slices for extra color.
- Egg-Shaped Fruit Salad: Cut melon, pineapple, and other firm fruits into egg shapes with cookie cutters. Mix together for a festive fruit salad.
- Easter Bunny Sandwiches: Use a bunny-shaped cookie cutter to create fun sandwiches. Fill with your toddler’s favorite spreads or cold cuts.
- Vegetable Bunny Plate: Arrange sliced vegetables on a plate in the shape of a bunny. Use sliced cucumbers for the body, cherry tomatoes for the tail, and carrot sticks for the ears.
- Rabbit-Shaped Rice Balls: Mold cooked rice into small bunny shapes using plastic wrap or a mold. Add small bits of seaweed or olives for the eyes and nose.
- Sweet Potato Bunnies: Slice sweet potatoes into thin slices and use a bunny cookie cutter to shape them. Roast until crispy for a healthy snack.
- Cheese and Crackers Chicks: Use a chick-shaped cookie cutter to cut cheese slices. Serve with crackers and use pieces of olives for eyes.
- Mini Carrot Cakes: Bake mini carrot cakes or muffins and top with a small dollop of cream cheese frosting, decorated with a small piece of fresh carrot on top.
- Bunny Tail Trail Mix: Mix together popcorn, yogurt-covered raisins, mini marshmallows, and cereal for a sweet and salty snack mix.
- Cucumber and Cheese Flowers: Use flower-shaped cookie cutters to cut cucumber and cheese slices. Stack them and secure with a small piece of pretzel stick.
4. Planning Your Day
This is roughly the schedule we follow to keep the day balanced and enjoyable:
- Morning: Discover the Easter basket and enjoy a special bunny breakfast.
- Mid-Morning: Settle down with an Easter book.
- Lunch: Offer a nutritious meal with an Easter twist.
- Afternoon: Choose an outdoor activity and have an Easter Egg Hunt.
- Evening: Wind down with a bath using new toys, followed by a bedtime story.
Focus on the shared laughter, the inevitable messes, and the precious moments of connection. This guide is designed to help you navigate Easter with ease, ensuring a celebration that’s fun for your toddler and manageable for you. Here’s to an Easter filled with joy, wonder, and family time.
We want to know! What are your favorite Easter activities for toddlers?
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Amber is the CEO and mama in charge at Rookie Moms! She is raising six amazing humans and has been through a lot as a mom including high-risk pregnancy (preeclampsia, HELLP syndrome), adoption, navigating special needs, working from home, and more. Now she’s on a mission to pass along the knowledge she’s learned… from one mama to another!