Non-Candy Easter Basket Ideas
Does your family do Easter baskets? We do — just for fun! And as you’ll see we love a practical Easter Basket… Like things we know we will use and most likely need anyway.
Here are some non-candy Easter basket ideas that will have our kids lighting up on Easter morning.
We love supporting small local shops, so we definitely encourage that! We’ve also linked everything for you here.
SPRING & SUMMER FUN
With warmer days ahead, it’s the perfect excuse to add some outdoor fun to your little one’s Easter basket!
SUNGLASSES
Have you seen anything cuter? We like to keep a few pairs in different spots so there’s always one handy for sunny adventures.
BUBBLES
These no-spill bubbles are a must have for toddlers and so easy to take on the go! The smaller size is perfect for tossing in the stroller or diaper bag.
CHALK ROLLERS
These roll-on chalks go on smooth like paint and come in the prettiest colors—a fun twist on classic sidewalk chalk!
GARDEN TOOLS
Nothing says spring like digging in the dirt! These kid-sized tools are perfect for little hands and make outdoor time extra fun.
SWIM SUIT
A bright, colorful swimsuit and they’ll be ready for all the splashing and sunshine ahead! We this brand — super high quality! And we just checked and they are on sale right now on the date we are publishing this.
BUCKETS
A good bucket is a toddler essential—especially with all the treasures they find (and insist on brining home #IYKYK). We love that these are collapsible for easy storage.
ARTS & CRAFTS SUPPLIES
Our kids go through materials quickly so this is always a great time to restock. A few things we love to have on hand:
KWIK STIX
Love encouraging creativity but not a fan of the mess? These fast-drying paint sticks are the perfect compromise! We love using them on cardboard boxes or rolling out a big sheet of paper for toddlers to go wild. They come in fun color packs, but we’re especially loving this pastel set.
STICKER WOW
A fun spin on stickers! This stamper loads up with sticker rolls, and the included activity book is full of pages to decorate and fill in.
CLICK MARKERS
No more lost marker caps leaving your markers to dry out!
STICKER COLLECTION BOOKS
Melissa & Doug never disappoints! These themed sticker books give toddlers plenty of ways to create and play.
BEAD KIT
Best for kids over 3, but access to making bracelets and necklaces has provided literal hours of entertainment. Not to mention how great it is for fine motor skills!
CLAY CHARACTERS KIT
Another favorite for the 3+ crowd! The kit includes character ideas to recreate but also plenty of materials for open-ended fun. Bonus: it’s surprisingly mess-free!
ADDING TO COLLECTIONS
Adding to a favorite collection is an easy way to keep things fun without bringing in a bunch of new stuff. A new story for their audio player, some extra magnetic tiles, or a few more Duplo bricks can make old/familiar toys feel exciting again!
MAGNETIC TILES
An instance where more truly is better. One of the toys with the most longevity too. Katie has had the same set of Magna-Tiles for 10 years and they’re stillllll going! And they grow with your child. When they’re 12 months, they can just explore how they stick together, and by 3 years old, they’re building magnificent creations!
WOODEN BLOCKS
A classic open-ended toy that can be used in so many ways—from simple stacking to building entire pretend worlds!
SARAH’S SILKS
These are simply magical ✨ We love a toy that supports imaginative play! Their big playsilks are also amazing for open ended play. Use the code WEETALKERS for a discount at checkout.
SMALL TOYS
Toy animals, little cars, or play figures make the best additions for pretend play, and building up a collection over time is so worth it.
DUPLO & LEGO
We love both the structured sets with directions and the free play sets—either way, they’re a great way to encourage creativity and problem-solving!
TONIES & YOTO CARDS
Screen-free audiobooks that encourage a love of books and reading! Tonie figures and Yoto cards are a great way to expand your collection without taking up much space. Considering an audio player but not sure which is best? Check out our breakdown: Yoto Players vs. tonie box: Which is Better for Toddlers and Preschoolers?
ESSENTIALS, BUT MAKE IT FUN
We love using Easter baskets as a chance to stock up on things we’d be purchasing anyway—just with a little extra fun added in!
PAJAMAS
These thick cotton pajamas come in the cutest colors and prints and are definitely hand me down quality. Cozy, cute, and built to last!
Tubby Todd
We have no shame and will absolutely put practical essential in our kids’ Easter Basket. We always love products from Tubby Todd. The All Over Ointment is great for little babies and toddlers. We also love to stock up on their great bundles! You’ll get a discount with our link.
YumBox Bento Box
A fun and practical addition to the Easter basket! These bento-style lunch containers are perfect for toddlers who love variety at mealtime. The 6-compartment tray makes packing lunch easy and exciting. Use code WEETALKERS for 10% off!
Electric Toothbrush
A toothbrush with a favorite character? Suddenly, brushing teeth is way more fun!
SUN HAT
We love this one because it works just as well for playtime as it does for water adventures—and it actually stays on their head! Bonus: a baby or toddler in a hat? Adorable 🥰
BATH TOYS
Glo Pals are a hit for bath time and water play, and they last forever! A fun little way to make everyday routines more exciting.
HOODED TOWEL
These animal hooded towels are as cute as they are soft, and they wash up beautifully!
Ideas with a focus on language development & play
Easter baskets are the perfect opportunity to add toys that encourage language growth through play! These fun picks help spark back-and-forth interaction, introduce new vocabulary, and build early literacy skills—all in a way that feels natural and engaging for toddlers.
wind-up toys
Wind-up toys are a fun way to encourage communication because kids need an adult’s help to make them go again!
PRO TIP: It’s easy to anticipate what our kids need, but waiting gives them a chance to practice communication skills. When the wind-up toy stops, pause and wait—see how your child signals for more! It might be a gesture, eye gaze, a sign like more, or even a full sentence.
finger puppets
Back-and-forth interactions between kids and caregivers help language grow, and finger puppets make this kind of playful exchange so much fun! They’re great for storytelling, pretend play, and engaging little ones of all ages.
musical egg shakers
A classic that never gets old! These little shakers are perfect for rhythm, movement, and early musical play—and they’ll get plenty of use over the years.
magnetic letters & numbers
These are great because they present a really beneficial opportunity to talk about letters and numbers! They feel fun and relaxed… more like a toy than anything else!
placemats with pictures
Great for chatting during mealtimes and also come in handy for doing art projects and playing with play-doh.
NOTES
Handwritten notes add a special touch to Easter morning—think clues for an egg hunt or a little note from the Easter Bunny! You can even add simple directions to help build early reading and language skills, making literacy feel fun and interactive.
seasonal books
We love adding seasonal books to our collection and here are a few that would be perfect for Spring and Easter. You can shop our picks here on Amazon or ShopMy!
Looking for more books? Grab a copy of our top picks for engaging toddler books!
Join us in songs + stories!
Always a great gift. If you haven’t heard, Songs+Stories is kind of like library story time, but taught by pediatric SLPs (us!). Just press play whenever is convenient for you. We have several spring themed storytime videos in the membership. Check it out.
