Easter Basket Ideas for Toddlers

Easter Basket Ideas for Toddlers and Preschoolers

Easter is around the corner and I am always looking for the best items for a toddler’s Easter basket. To help make things easier for you, I’ve put together a list of our favorite items and must-haves that I plan on adding this year as well as favorites that I have added in years past.

We are an outdoors family and love to be outside in the spring and summer so our baskets typically include a lot of outdoor items as well as a variety of items that can also be played with indoors, eaten, and/or worn. These are all items that will or have gotten a lot of use in our house and are tried and true toddler favorites.

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1. Rainboots and/or Watershoes

Easter is the official start of spring in our book and summer is close behind. Every spring I go to pull out the old rainboots and water shoes and find they no longer fit. The Easter basket is the perfect chance to gift a new pair of either or (or both!). You can usually find some great deals on these in the spring as well. Check out some of our favorites below.

2. New Swimming Suit

Similar to the water shoes and rain boots I always find my little ones outgrowing their swimsuits after putting them away the previous summer. I love to gift a new swimsuit in their Easter basket every year to get ready for the upcoming spring and summer. It is also a perfect time if your spring break just so happens to fall after Easter and you are needing to take a new suit on vacation. Rashguard suits are our favorites as they help give our little one’s skin an extra layer of protection against the sun.

3. Sunglasses

Keeping on track with the outdoor theme I always like to throw in a new pair of sunglasses. Sunglasses break or get lost super easy with little ones so I love to purchase new ones each year. A simple two-pack works great as you can throw in both pairs or split a pack between sibling Easter baskets.

4. Bubble Machine

A bubble machine and/or bubble refill is a favorite to add to an Easter basket as it provides endless entertainment for toddlers. They can chase the bubbles, have a bubble dance party, and more. We typically buy cheaper ones as we accidentally leave them outside and they get rained on or they get knocked over and broken but they are well loved while they last!

 5. Sidewalk Chalk

Sidewalk chalk is a must-have for little ones who like to color. This is one that gets used up over the course of the year and needs to be refilled in our home. Easter baskets make for the perfect time to stock up on sidewalk chalk as it can be pulled back out and used in the nice spring weather.

6. Color Wonder Coloring Supplies

I absolutely love all of the color wonder kits. They are mess-free and perfect for a toddler or preschooler who sometimes misses the paper or accidentally colors where they shouldn’t. They are the perfect addition to any summer road trip, any time you need a little quiet time, or anywhere you need a mess-free activity. 

7. Spring/Summer Pajamas

I love to throw a pack of lightweight spring and summer pajamas in the baskets every year. Right around Easter is the time when we start transitioning to spring and summer clothing and pajamas and out of the warm fleece footie pajamas. We love the Simple Joy packs from Carters because you can mix and match tops and bottoms and have a few choices when picking out new ones.

8. Easter Themed Books

The early childhood educator in me loves to gift books for every holiday and they are the perfect size for a toddler’s Easter basket. I have a few favorites that I’ve included over the years and I also always try to pick one that goes along with my children’s interests as well.

9. Water Bottles

We are always having a hard time finding the straws and covers to match our sippy cups and water bottles. Every year we love to gift a new water bottle in the Easter basket to help us with this. We love these Contigo ones as we find they don’t leak (which work perfectly for packing for daycare, diaper bags, or school) and have the cutest designs that the little ones love!

10. Sand and/or Water Table Toys

A new kit of sand and water table toys works perfectly for a bigger Easter basket. The sandbox comes out right around Easter and we always find we can use new toys to add to both the sandbox or water table for the spring and summer. I love this kit of sand toys as there is a variety of smaller and bigger ones, different shapes, and comes in a mesh bag you can just shake out when done playing.

While these are some of our favorite Easter basket fillers for toddlers, there are lots of other great ideas you can add too. Check out the list below for some additional ideas.

*A lot of people we know also gift cute Easter dresses or outfits in baskets but we usually like to gift these ahead of time so we can get multiple uses out of them each year. 

            Play doh                       Chocolate/Candy                  Sandals

           Crayons/Markers      Non candy snacks                 Stuffed Animals     

                   Coloring Books            Raincoat                                Slippers

                   Hair accessories/Bows        Clothing/Outfits        Movies     

If you’re looking for a fun Easter craft to do with your kids before Easter be sure to also check out this Easter Egg Craft. It makes the perfect Easter decoration and helps get the house ready for Easter!