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The candy-coated, calorie-packed Easter baskets have to go!
Yes, when I was a kid I loved all the chocolate that came along with Easter, but as a parent I am fed up with the endless seasons of sugar. Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter… and connecting them all together are countless birthday celebrations. It just goes on and on!
And even if I personally try to not add too many treats to our celebrations, there still seems to be tons of sugar finding its way into my children’s mouths. (And not to mention, it is darn tempting for me too!)
I was chatting on Twitter about it this week, and it reminded me of these Easter gift ideas that Hasbro sent me about a month ago.
So if you are on a last minute mission to prepare for your annual role as the Easter bunny, perhaps these toys will give you a few ideas of what to grab that will make your kids so excited they will forget all about the candy.
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The Mr. Potato Head Bunny retails for only $4.99. That is less expensive than some chocolate bunnies – but the play time goes on and on!
Both my kids love the Playskool Kota & Pals Hatchlings Pterodactyl that chirps and “eats.” It retails for $18.99.
These Easter Chicks filled with Play Doh are oh-so-sweet. But I think they must be sold out on Hasbro.com because I can’t find them on their site. I did find them on Ebay though. And local stores may have some still in stock. (Otherwise, keep your eye out for such cute spring offerings from Play Doh next year!)
Hope these ideas helped you to fill up those baskets with some fun, non-sugary, Easter options.
But tell us, what ideas do YOU have for kids’ Easter baskets?
Deb - Mom of 3 Girls says
When I was a kid, our Easter baskets were filled entirely with candy – and ONE small present. Which probably contributed at least somewhat to my sweet tooth… 😉
I do the opposite with my kids. Theirs are filled with small (in size) presents – usually useful things like sidewalk chalk, jump ropes and bubbles that they can play with outside, and only a tiny bit of candy – a few jelly beans and a couple of tiny chocolate bunnies. This year I included a chocolate-covered marshmallow bunny for each girl, because Hannah was really hoping to get one – not one of the girls liked them. So we’ll skip those next year. 🙂
willowsprite says
We’ve never done Easter baskets. I wasn’t raised with them either. No one I know does them either. Is it more of a US thing?
We celebrate by having a Good Friday church service as well as our regular Sunday ones. Easter isn’t about chocolate bunnies, it’s about Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. I think giving presents is a little strange…
Robyn says
I always get them a Veggie Tales video and this year they will get books. I do put a smattering of jelly beans and chocolate in, but not too much. Some years I have put in sidewalk chalk and bubbles.
joell aaenson says
in my sons he has marshmallows Easter ones, sponge bob candy, peeps, 4 shirts, matchbox cars, stuffed Easter bunny, chocolate bunny, then we got plastic eggs filled with fruit funs to hunt for. He will be doing it by himself since he has the flue and we will not be going anywhere this year
2Forgetful says
I love non-candy gifts and at age 3, my girls don’t need it.
Tiffany says
Man if only that Easter bunny would lose that damn candy. We give toys, stickers, a choc bunny and some jelly beans in our baskets and thats it. I refuse to let my kids eat junk like I did growing up, know I need it all the time and the habit is about impossible to kick.
Heather says
I just posted about the sugar overload yesterday. My goodness! My child doesn’t need the sugar and neither do I. Her Easter basket will be a new sand bucket (we live at the beach) and some bubbles. I love the Mr. Potato Head – too cute!
Meg says
We have successfully avoiding the chocolate frenzy by including organic fruit leathers (which my kids only get at Easter so it remains a high novelty item), and a mixture of nuts and raisins hidden inside these cute little translucent plastic carrots I found (an alternative to the plastic egg). This year I will include a package of flower bulbs, a small trowel and kid-sized garden gloves so they can help me plant flowers in the afternoon.
Amy says
We don’t get to do Easter with my stepdaughter this year ’cause she’s with her mom, but if she were to be here for it I’d want to run out and grab one of those Potato Heads! I love how they come out with new stuff for every holiday. Though sometimes I wish I could just get the add-ons, so we don’t have so many plastic potatoes…haha.
Kristin says
I always try to get some non-candy things into the baskets. They went today to a town hunt & you would not beleive the candy they got!!
This year, CVS had some American Girl books about feelings and friends. I thought it would go along with the fishfull thinging we have been trying to talk about. Has anyone read these books though? I have not had a chance to look thru them & hoping they are good.
Hillary says
Usually, I do just a little bit of candy. The rest of the baskets are “filled” with crafts, clothes, bubbles, movies, or anything else that be used. I also rarely fill the baskets very full. My kids are still young and don’t really need much to entertain them. The basket alone would probably be enough for them.
Blessed says
a little bit of candy – a few books, some bubbles, hair bows, a stuffed animal and a see-n-say for my 19 month old!
The candy is bad… because I want to eat it too!
Kayla says
Okay, I’m 19 and I absolutly ADORE play-do. I totally agree though, as much as a chocoholic I am, I can’t afford the sugar anymore. I just get to darn sick and it’s not worth it anymore.
Love and Energies.
Kayla
Krystal says
I put a movie, those play-doh chicks, some hot wheels and a M&M egg in both my boys baskets. I feel the same what you do about all the candy. My boys will be so happy over the hot wheels that they’ll forget about the M&M egg anyways!
MIchelle says
I’m afraid McKenna has some chocolate in her basket .But We DH and I happily eat it too.(I’m ashamed I’ve/We’ve spoilt her) She also has the playdough chick and bunny,two Beatrix Potter Books,A stuffed bunny and also a puzzle.I also think I’ll freeze some chocolate for Mummy & Daddy!!!
I found the chick and bunny at Shopper’s Drug Mart .Gotta love the optimum points!
Heather says
My kids get mostly non-candy gifts from the Easter bunny too. We go through candy so slowly around here I think we still have some from Halloween.