I want to preface this post by saying PLEASE do not let this blog post make you feel like Easter needs to become some gigantic gift-fest for your kids. We typically limit our boys’ Easter baskets to a new toy, a book, something useful that they need or something educational and a couple of treats and they’re always thrilled!
That being said, I wanted this blog post to give you guys a myriad of ideas to choose from since all kids are different and love different things! All of the items I included in the roundup of Easter gift ideas below are things that have proved big-time hits with our boys over the years.
I hope you find something that jumps out at you for a little one in your life! Also, if you’d like to quickly find some of these ideas in one place in the coming days/week, you may always check out my Amazon Store. I try my best to keep it continually updated with our favorite things for easy reference.
Easter Gift Ideas for Kids
To Play
A handful of these ideas are admittedly much too big to fit into an Easter basket but with summer on the horizon and social distancing in place, I figured Easter might be a good time to look into some warm-weather play toys/activities and wanted to include them just in case they might be of interest.
- Plasma Car: Our boys use their Plasma Cars daily! Perfect for getting some energy out!
- Bounce House: The “big gift” for our kids for Christmas this year and a lifesaver for rainy days right now since it’s low enough to set up inside.
- Water Table: Endless hours of summer fun! We’ve had our Step2 table for years and it has held up well.
- Sprinkler Splash Pad: An inexpensive way to make your yard feel like a splash pad.
- Water Beads: Great for sensory play, color sorting, etc.
- Games: This 6 pack of kids’ card games has been a mega-hit with Chase / Candy Land / Hoot Owl Hoot
- Bubbles: I ordered these Fubbles for in Ryder’s Easter basket and love their no-spill design. A bubble machine is also always a hit!
- Bath Toys or Bath Bombs: This fishing set for the bath tub is a huge hit with our boys.
To Create and Build
- Kinetic Sand: It’s magic sand that is stretchy and almost moves and melts in your hand. Bonus: WAY less mess than real sand! The boys like hiding little toys in it to find, pressing shapes into it, etc.
- KwikStix: Quick-dry paint pens our boys love to use to “paint” (and also decorate boxes!)
- DIY Creation Station: White Butcher Paper, Markers (we love these Crayola Pip-Squeak Markers for small fingers), Stickers, etc.
- Easel: Great for drawing, painting, games with magnetic letters and more.
- Magformers / Magnatiles: Perfect for building and awesome for many ages.
- Arts and Crafts Library: A big box of supplies to help your kids create!
To Wear or Use
- Native Shoes: Our all-time favorite spring/summer shoes for the boys. Perfect for splash pads, trips to the pool and running around.
- Water Bottle: When it comes to limiting leaks, you can’t go wrong with this stainless steel Thermos bottle or this Yeti kids water bottle.
- Kid-Size Beach Towel
- Rain Boots: Great for springtime puddle splashing!
- Pajamas: We love these cloud jammies.
- Summer Hat: We LOVE Bitty Brah hats for the boys. I’m not positive it still works but this affiliate link + the code JULIE15 should give you 15% off!
To Learn
For Preschoolers:
- Sight Word Readers: This will be in Chase’s Easter basket this year after his teacher texted his preschool class and recommended it.
- Matching Letter Block Game: Love this for introducing words and connecting objects with their names.
- LCD Writing Tablet: Great for practicing letters, numbers and doodling as well as car entertainment.
- Puzzles: This wooden shapes puzzle is amazing! Chase loves it! / Floor Puzzles / Chase still enjoys his Melissa & Doug Wood Puzzle Box Sets but they were more challenging for him when he was 3 years old.
- Wipe Clean Activity Book
For Toddlers:
- ABC Flash Cards: Great for learning words and introducing letters at a young age.
- Puzzles: We love these wooden peg puzzles.
- Leap Frog Touch Lap Top: I swear this thing helped Chase learn his letters from an early age!
To Read
For Preschoolers:
- The Gruffalo (Our whole family loves this one!)
- Dragons Love Tacos
- They All Saw a Cat
- Learning Library Books (There’s No Place Like Space and On Beyond Bugs are two of our favorites)
- Magic Tree House Series
- Pete the Cat Books
- National Geographic Kids Magazine Subscription (Chase gets so excited for his magazine mail deliveries!)
- The Day the Crayons Quit
- The Pigeon Books (Chase thinks these are hilarious!)
- The Pout Pout Fish
- Ultimate Book of Vehicles from Around the World (an interactive book Chase will “read” on his own)
- The Bear Snores On
- Be Kind (great message but trends a little older)
- Little Kids First Big Book of Science (great for curious minds but we have to break this one up a bit because it’s quite long)
For Toddlers:
- Never Touch a Monster (Touch and Feel Book)
- Giraffe’s Can’t Dance
- Llama Llama’s Little Library
- I Love You Just Like This (a seriously adorable book and great for kids who love Elmo)
- Little Blue Truck + Little Blue Truck’s Springtime
- Look Look Baby: Point and Match
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After my 2 and 4 year watched the video of your boys jumping in their Little Tikes bounce house like 400 times, we caved and ordered one. Best. Purchase. Ever. They’ve jumped their little hearts out every night and pass out hard for bed. It’s been a life saver!
Isn’t it the BEST!!! It was Ryan’s idea over Christmas and has totally saved my sanity since we are home 24/7 right now.
This was SO helpful thank you! We are moving on April 8th (yes in the middle of this crazy environment), 85% of our house is currently packed including my 4 year olds’ Easter Basket and I unsuccessfully searched Amazon yesterday afternoon for ‘easter basket ideas’ because I am beyond brain fried working from home, juggling a toddler (don’t know how you do it with 2!), packing and all the stress that comes along with it. Just added 4 ideas to my Amazon cart – they will be here by Friday. Thankyouthankyouthankyou
I cannot imagine trying to move right now and my heart goes out to you trying to navigate a move in the middle of all of this — sending you love!! I hope your Easter is as relaxing as possible!!
Hi Julie, thanks for the post! I love your blog and I especially look forward to your gift guides. Since you mentioned crafts for little ones – I wanted to share my sister’s new Etsy store. It features beautiful collage kits for both kids and adults – could be fun for an Easter basket or a ‘thinking of you’ quarantine gift! Thanks again for sharing the above ideas with us!
https://www.etsy.com/shop/ArtKitStudio
Might be tough for anyone to do this right now 🙁 I think we’re going to just focus on gratitude, time together and hopefully a nice meal. We’ll probably try to donate food as well.
I get that these posts are popular and an income stream for you with the affiliate links, but this feels pretty tone deaf given the thousands of people losing their jobs, the Amazon/gig economy workers striking, and the millions being asked to only purchase essentials. Of course you get to post whatever you want on your own blog but maybe some ideas on free ways to celebrate Easter at home with the family would be helpful to more people?
I do think a ‘free ideas for a fun Easter at home’ is a great idea for a post! However, I don’t agree that this specific post is tone-deaf. Julie has done a great job at acknowledging the hardships of COVID-19 and has mentioned things that she’s doing to help (social distancing, buying groceries for vulnerable people, etc). I know many of us agree that ‘normal’ blog posts are a ray of light during this uncertain time and I really enjoyed this post – I plan on giving my daughter an Easter basket this year (like every other idea) and appreciated the ideas!
Anyway, just wanted to chime in because I know it’s a tough situation and it’s difficult to please everyone!
This blog is Julie’s job and she’s only trying to do what everyone else is…continue making money. I don’t fault her for that at all! This isn’t the time or place to be calling someone out or be negative.
Providing feedback is not negative, and if your argument is that this is Julie’s job, then feedback is to be expected.
Calling someone “tone deaf” (who clearly is not), is negative. Just saying there’s probably a kinder way to provide feedback.
The comment said the post felt tone deaf, that is a critique of the post not a personal attack. How would you express the sentiment? Would saying out of touch be better?
As for the buying of non-essential goods right now, if people stop shaping for anything but food, perscription drugs, and toilet paper the economy is going to to freeze up even more resulting in more layoffs. The whole point of the government stimulus its to try and keep from a deeper and longer lasting recession.
I totally agree. I wasn’t expecting Affiliate Link Tuesday in this current climate of loss, suffering, anxiety, and fear. Also agree with the comment above about focusing on gratitude with her kids in these tough times – not material things.
These are great ideas! Thank you!
love all your gift guides, Julie, and this one does not disappoint. I cannot wait to order lots of goodies for my almost 2 year old! Thanks for taking the time to put it together. Your blog is such a bright spot during the hard season we are facing.
Great ideas! Do you feel the KwikStix are washable? The product description on Amazon isn’t totally clear on this point.
Thank you for the post and so many great ideas Julie.
One thing my children loved when they were younger was an inflatable little tikes water slide for the summer. They used it for years then we passed it on to my cousins when we were done. My children also had a bounce house and just loved it!
If you are looking for a fun outdoor summer toy – I highly recommend you check out a water slide.
I just…feel uncomfortable reading this. Is this the time to encourage consumption?
Love these ideas! My niece and nephew are 4 & 2 and I think they’ll love these gifts for Easter & beyond to keep them entertained ! Where did the beach towel image come from? My niece is obsessed with rainbows and I’d love to get one for her!
Love your ideas for kids! My mom bought the LED pads you recommended for my son and they’ve been so fun. Thank you! Right now I need allll the ideas. ❤️ I know plenty of people who are in the same boat. We appreciate you, Julie!