10 Non-Candy Gifts for Your Easter Basket
Latest news is that the Easter Bunny is fighting through the snow with plans to arrive on time. If you haven’t started planning your baskets yet, don’t fret, there’s still a little bit of time and we’re here to give you some ideas on what you can ask your bunny to pack inside!
Between health concerns and allergies, I’ve noticed more people on Facebook looking for more non-candy alternatives for Easter baskets. Here are 10 ideas to help shift the focus from candy to fun! You pick and choose a few of these ideas to help dilute the candy load or create baskets around these themes. From small baskets to large ones, there are plenty of ideas that don’t involve sugar.
Games, Games and Games!
We regularly feature games of all shapes and sizes here. They are an awesome inclusion for an Easter basket because they provide hours of entertainment long after the Easter bunny has hopped away. There are card games, dice games and party games that come in portable packaging. There are plenty of ideas and you can read more about Bunny Bunny Moose Moose or find other bunny-themed games!
Blind Bags
There are a multitude of blind bags available in all kinds of different themes. Surprise your child with a blind bag relating to their favorite TV show or iconic character. You can get ones like Lego, Disney, Pixar, Marvel, My Little Pony, Paw Patrol, Slither.io, and more. There are even ones available for older kids! Hatchimals are great if you’re looking to stick with an egg theme in the basket!
Toy Cars
The Easter bunny has been delivering toy cars for years so why stop now? Boys and girls alike can play with these. We love this one with The Simpson’s family vehicle!
Squishies
Last July we shared what we felt would be holiday trends to watch. One of the categories happened to be squishable toys. Before the holidays hit, we did a TV segment on the local NBC affiliate and shared some of the hot holiday toys. Sure enough… squishable toys were among the list. Whether using them as stress relievers (they’ve pretty much pushed out fidget spinners) or as part of imaginary play, these are a modern day toy in Nerf-ish form. They are available from several companies in a variety of themes. We recommend the food ones since the goal is to replace candy in the basket!
Art Supplies
Coloring books, markers, crayons, colored pencils, glitter pens and more. There are SO MANY ideas that can add volume to an Easter basket while inspiring creativity beyond the basket! Art supplies are also an excellent boredom buster for rainy days, when school is out or when kids are home sick from school.
Outdoor Toys
Along with Easter we can look forward to warmer weather and getting the kids some fresh air. Pack a couple items in the Easter basket to get them excited about putting down the electronics and playing outside. From sidewalk chalk to a Frisbee, there are plenty of affordable outdoor toy options available.
Plush Toys
I have fond memories of the stuffed animals that I received when I was a kid. I am pretty sure somewhere around here I still have a bunny that was in one of my Easter baskets all those years ago. You can find all kinds of plush toys that fit whatever theme you are working on and who knows, your child may save it until they’re adults. I’m pretty sure my girls will hold on to at least one that we’ve given them, maybe even a FlipaZoo!
Jewelry
You don’t need to spend an arm and a leg, but if you’re looking for a different idea, consider a necklace or bracelet. Both boys and girls like them, simply find one that is a theme that interests them. Of course, it would make sense to celebrate the season with a cross necklace.
Gift Cards
Who knew that something as simple as a basic gift card could give such joy to a young child. Perhaps it’s the idea that they get to purchase something on their own, who knows. Don’t go overboard on this though. A $5 gift card for the donut shop or fast food chain will be enough to put a smile on their face.
Silly Putty
This last one is in a category of its own! Silly Putty is an absolute classic and surprisingly is still a hit after all these years! Remember flattening it out and peeling it off the comics page? Our daughter uses it as a stress reliever instead of slime. And it’s perfect for an Easter basket because it comes in it’s own themed package… an egg!
If you want to be creative with your non-candy Easter baskets, don’t wait until the last minute to put them together. You won’t have to worry about anything spoiling or melting so you can prepare it in advance and you’ll have plenty of time to focus on creating memories coloring Easter eggs or having a family game night. You can always add any last minute goodies the night before if you choose!
Excellent ideas! Trust me, the last thing my 19-month-old twins need is candy! HA!
These are great ideas! We used to love the silly putty and arts and crafts when we were kids. I got my kids a lot of outdoor toys too to encourage them to get outside more.
When I was a kid, in addition to Silly Putty, we used to receive these packs of goo in a tube and a straw. You would put a little goo on the straw then blow it into a bubble. But I don’t think they make that stuff any more. LOL
We got books, bubbles, and tons of outdoor toys! Love the non candy ideas!
Oooh. Bubbles. That’s a GREAT idea too. I didn’t even think of that one… and they’re so affordable as a bonus!
What great alternative easter ideas. J and I are so over the chocolate treats. Easter will be a whole lite quieter this year.
My son has been watching YouTube kids and was asking about a blind bag. Now I know what it is!
Our girls love opening different ones which I have to agree is fun. They even created their own YouTube channel. You can check out their page to see the different varieties available. https://www.youtube.com/blindbagbabble
I got the kids hatchimals this year! Was not sure what they were but looked appropriate enough 🙂
I think art supplies are just a great gift idea for any season! You can also never go wrong with gift cards.
Silly Scents would be fun t put in the baskets. I do a combo of both non and candy items for my kids. My grandbaby isn’t allowed to have candy though (she’s 4) so I love having all of these great ideas. It’s about time to get those baskets started!
I love these ideas for Easter baskets! Hatchimals are still #1 on my childrens lists!
Silly Putty is a classic!! And I used to love getting art supplies. Great ideas!
Art supplies go a long way toward inspiring youngsters…great Easter basket idea!
Art supplies is a great alternative since both my daughters love to draw!
Thanks for the great ideas, my granddaughter will really like a blind bag or tow or three, tons of options
Good ideas for non candy gifts. I always figure that my grandkids get enough candy and treats so look for alternative ideas.
I always do bubbles, sidewalk chalk, small puzzles.
These are all great idea. I tend to put things like the art supplies and books and cd’s for non candy items but now also add the blind bags because our kids really love them!
This is great! The kids get waaaaay too much candy for this holiday!
Also, board games don’t mess with your blood sugar if you’re diabetic. Just saying. 😉
Its all well and good cutting down on the candy for kids but for me I need my sugar! These are some great toys that will take their minds off of not getting anything sweet in their basket.
These gift ideas look very fun. Thanks for sharing!