From unique Easter gift basket ideas to fun Easter activities for toddlers, we’ve got what you need for the best spring celebration yet!
The key to a successful Easter with toddlers is preparation, flexibility and focusing on the joy of the moment. Whether you’re making the perfect toddler-friendly Easter basket, participating 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. Making the perfect toddler Easter basket
When it comes to Easter baskets, the goal is to please your toddler while keeping things practical and low on sugar (something I’ve learned is essential when raising 6 kids!). Here are 10 candy-free Easter gift basket ideas that are sure to be a hit:
10 Candy Free Easter Basket Gift Ideas
- Art supplies: Get crayons, coloring books and coloring dots.
- Pool games: Diving sticks, beach balls and goggles will make a splash.
- Bubbles: Always a favorite for outdoor entertaining.
- Easter books: A great way to relax after a day of gaming.
- sport equipment: Velcro toys, water bottles and cones for the little athlete.
- Bath toys: Color-changing bath water tablets and bubble baths make cleaning fun.
- Plasticine: Include dough and accessories for creative play.
- hair accessories: For little ones who love to dress up.
- Kites: Perfect for windy spring days.
- Lego sets or Small toy figures: For imaginative play.
- Except Play Toys: Think sidewalk chalk and yo-yos.
- Spring Clothes and Comfy PJs: Brands like MORI and Hanna Andersson offer adorable options.
What’s in My Little One’s Easter Basket This Year:
The Big Game Method
I like to make a “big” toy the main thing in the Easter Basket, rather than filling it with trinkets.
This simply means adding a “big” game as the main item in the Easter basket. This approach cuts down on clutter and ensures that the gift is meaningful. Fisher Price toys are a fantastic choice, known for their durability and ability to engage and entertain toddlers.
This adorable tea set is a great example of what a ‘great gift’ should include. Liv loves letting her imagination run wild. She has impromptu tea (and coffee) parties with us and her favorite stuffed animals.
2. Commitment Activities for Easter for your toddler
Continue the celebration with activities that are fun and educational. From Cool Whip dyed eggs and Easter STEM tower challenges to sensory bins and potato egg stamping, there’s no shortage of ways to engage your little one’s curiosity and creativity.
Cool Dyed Egg Beaters
Just spread the cool whipping cream (or shaving cream) on a baking sheet, pour food coloring on top using different colors in different sections. Then take a straw and blend to create a painted look.
Roll an egg in the cool batter on one side, then flip and finish on the other side. Leave to dry for 10-12 minutes and then rinse.
Easter Tower STEM Challenge
If you’re looking for an educational yet simple Easter activity, this idea is perfect! There’s a lot more you can do with plastic Easter eggs than just fill them with candy for an egg hunt. A great option is to separate the plastic tops of the eggs from the bottom. Then give them to your child and let them build towers with the egg pieces.
Children will build several towers and soon realize that by stacking all the tops or all the bottoms they are able to create the best towers. It’s a fun and educational Easter activity that toddlers will love.
Spring Sensory Garden Activity
Sensory bins have always been a favorite in our house. They offer opportunities for toddlers to explore touch, sight, sound and smell. Plus, many kids love getting their hands in there and feeling all the different textures.
For this activity, you will need a rubber bin or cardboard box to hold everything, brown rice to act as compost/soil (shredded brown paper or brown pasta would also work), some shovels, plastic gardening pots, real carrots etc. Your child will be excited and you will have some time to relax. It’s a win/win!
Jelly Bean Experiment
I like to use up some of the candy in our house this Easter season in ways other than food. This usually involves using candy pieces in our artwork, but another fun idea is to use them for your own simple science experiments. For this experiment, simply have your child sort the jelly beans by color.
Then you place 3 jellies of each color in a small bowl and fill with different liquids. We chose hot water, vinegar, club soda, and salt water.
Let the beans sit for a full day and check the journals to see if there are any changes. Kids love guessing which liquid will have the biggest effect.
Stamping eggs with potatoes
This might be my favorite Easter craft for toddlers. It’s a simple craft and you probably already have everything you need at home to make it. Parents simply cut off the bottom of some potatoes. Then cut the ribs into the potato. Straight lines, curved lines use your imagination.
Once the potatoes are cut, simply place them on a covered table with some finger paint and let your child cut them. They are getting pretty cute!
3. Healthy and fun Easter snacks
Easter treats don’t have to be about sugar. Here are some healthy, fun options:
- Bunny Pancakes: Use a bunny mold or cookie cutter to make the pancakes look like bunnies. Decorate with banana slices for the ears and blackberries for the eyes.
- Carrot Patch Hummus: Fill a small pot with hummus and place carrot sticks upright to resemble a carrot patch. Add pepper slices for extra color.
- Fruit salad in the shape of an egg: Cut melon, pineapple and other firm fruit into egg shapes with cookie cutters. Mix together for a festive fruit salad.
- Easter sandwiches with a bunny: Use a bunny cutter to create fun sandwiches. Fill with your little one’s favorite spreads or cold cuts.
- Bunny vegetable plate: Place sliced ​​vegetables in a rabbit shape on a plate. Use sliced ​​cucumbers for the body, cherry tomatoes for the tail and carrot sticks for the ears.
- Rice balls in the shape of a rabbit: Shape the cooked rice into small rabbit shapes using plastic wrap or a mold. Add small pieces of seaweed or olives for the eyes and nose.
- Sweet potato bunnies: Thinly slice the sweet potatoes and use a bunny cutter to shape them. Bake until crispy for a healthy snack.
- Cheese and Cracker Chicks: Use a chick-shaped cutter to cut slices of cheese. Serve with crackers and use olive pieces for the eyes.
- Mini carrot cake: Bake mini carrot cakes or muffins and top with a small dollop of cream cheese frosting, garnished with a small piece of fresh carrot on top.
- Bunny trail mix: Mix together popcorn, yogurt covered raisins, mini marshmallows and cereal for a sweet and savory snack mix.
- Cucumber and cheese flowers: Use flower-shaped cookie cutters to cut cucumber and cheese slices. Place them in place 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 breakfast bunny.
- Noon: Settle in with an Easter book.
- Lunch: Offer a nutritious meal with an Easter twist.
- Afternoon: Choose an outdoor activity and do an Easter Egg Hunt.
- Afternoon: Relax 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 holiday that’s fun for your toddler and manageable for you. Here’s to an Easter full of 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 mom in charge at Rookie Moms! She’s raising six amazing people and has been through a lot as a mom, including a high-risk pregnancy (pre-eclampsia, HELLP syndrome), adoption, navigating special needs, working from home, and more. Now she’s on a mission to pass on the knowledge she’s learned… from one mom to another!
