It all started with a rogue jellybean. One minute it was nestled safely in my daughter's Easter basket, the next it was MIA, leaving behind a sticky trail that led all the way to the living room curtains. As I chased the runaway candy, a familiar feeling washed over me – the joyful chaos that is Easter with young children.
Yes, another Easter is upon us, and this year it feels like the Easter Bunny hopped in a bit early. But amidst the dye-stained fingers and the sugar-fueled excitement, there's a magic to this holiday season. It's a time for family traditions, new and old, and creating memories that will last a lifetime.
As we wrote in last year’s Easter blog, Forbes wrote that 84% of people in the U.S were taking part in some kind of festivities, with 73% giving some kind of gift.
Sweets account for 75% of gifts. But increasingly, parents and family members are looking for other options, especially creative ones.
Since so many of us like to include little gifts in their kids’ baskets. This year we’re sharing gift ideas that work for the whole family, especially if you have boys or girls under 7 years old.
Each share themes we value in our home: Eco-friendly and sustainably made. As many parents are increasingly making this a priority in their toy purchases, it seems especially appropriate at Easter as it’s also a celebration of our planet’s return to Spring.
9 Great Easter Basket Gifts for Kids for under $25
- Playper Story Starters
- Playper Curious Kingdom: Dragon Trainer Playset
- Playper Curious Kingdom: Gnome Catapult Playset
- Earth Hero Wooden Easter Eggs Craft Kit
- Earth Hero Baby Beeswax Crayons
- Earth Hero Eco-Bricks Natural Wood Blocks
- PlanToys Moving Mouse
- PlanToys Balancing Boat
- PlanToys Helicopter
Story Starters is so much fun I’m finding older kids like playing it too! Perfect for multi-generational Easter gatherings. It’s a creative card set that encourages storytelling and pretend play. Choose one character card (person), one location card (place), then one object card (thing). Then put them together to create a story. If you come up with an especially great story, put on a show with that “script.”
Curious Kingdom: Dragon Trainer Playset is a dragon-based adventure featuring one of my all-time favorite Curious Kingdom characters, Binky the baby dragon! Connie the dragon-trainer is trying to teach him to fly and Mateo, the knight-in-training, is trying to help. The playset boasts tons of accessories, including a reversible dragon grooming and feeding station, a swappable trophy, dragon food, hurdles, a target for fire-breathing practice, and more.
Curious Kingdom: Gnome Catapult Playset is really cool because it features a working catapult kids build themselves. Four more characters come with this, including Cornelius the grumpy unicorn who helps the gnomes Fish Stick and Snack Cake with their target practice... and then there is the Knight of Always, who just can't seem to say no to anything. We really make a game of this one seeing who can hit a target (the catapult shoots surprisingly far).
The Wooden Easter Eggs Craft Kit is especially appropriate to celebrate Easter and spring with. This creative set includes six FSC-certified wooden eggs and six colorful non-toxic powder paints for the budding artist in your house. They are a stellar eco-alternative to traditional plastic Easter eggs or chemical-laden egg dye kits.
Baby Beeswax Crayons makes bath time so much more fun. These are handmade from responsibly sourced beeswax and soy wax, and they use food-grade pigments. They come in a reusable metal tin that features drainage holes for post-bath drying and are larger than traditional crayons, making them especially great for the smaller hands. They are 100% plastic-free and easy to clean up.
Eco-Bricks Natural Wood Blocks are also made from FSC Certified Wood. They are customizable with colored pencils, and we find them much better than typical plastic building blocks. Each set comes with a variety of different style blocks, allowing for countless configurations and creations.
The PlanToys Moving Mouse is PERFECT for Easter! Fits in any Easter basket. Propelled by a gearbox mechanism, this cute little critter can move forward when pulled backward and released comes in several colors including Easter-approved pink and yellow.
The PlanToys Balancing Boat is a wooden boat that can be used as a game for multiple children or to keep that single child amused. The 15 Piece set consists of a boat, pincers, dice, and animals. This wiggly wobbly boat toy helps children develop fine motor skills and learn the concept of balance.
The PlanToys Helicopter encourages open-ended pretend play. Functional rubber helicopter blades spin and it just supplies endless pretend travel fun. What is really great is they fit with many other toys – including Curious Castle ones!
So yes, Easter Baskets are becoming the “Christmas Stockings” of Spring and with the right toys, it’s really a good thing.
A couple of other ideas to think about involving those eggs that big bunny leaves behind ….
- We like to dye the eggs early, not only so they have plenty of time to dry, but so we can enjoy them more! Also I like to have the kids make extras to give to grandparents and other family members.
- Stickers for the eggs are a good idea, especially for those really young kids.
- You’ve got to have an Easter Egg hunt! … but once a few years ago we forgot where we hid one and boy did that come back to haunt us. So now we use (and reuse!) plastic eggs. We put in small candies (like chocolate kisses, unless it’s a hot day!) and also make it a bit more interesting by putting some coins in them, too! To really make it interesting, put a $5 bill in one of them and watch the kids get really excited about that.
- Try to make something from your heritage - I like my Italian Easter bread, a whimsical way to use eggs and it looks gorgeous on a brunch table!
I like to get up early on Easter – just to give myself as much time as possible so there’s no stress-related rushing. Getting our four kids all dressed up and ready for church (which we have to leave a little earlier than usual for as it’s especially crowded) always takes more time than I think.
Oh, and for the record, mark me down decidedly in the solid-chocolate Easter bunny category.
From the frenzy of the Easter egg hunt to the sweet satisfaction of unwrapping a chocolate bunny, Easter is a time for creating lasting memories with young children. While the traditions may vary – from eco-conscious basket fillers to cherished family recipes – the core of Easter remains the same: celebrating spring, joy, and togetherness.
Whether you're planning an elaborate egg hunt extravaganza or a cozy brunch gathering, Easter offers a wonderful opportunity to connect with your children and embrace the magic of the season.
So, what traditions will you create with your little ones this Easter? From our family to yours, we wish you a happy Easter!
