Easter has always been a favorite, most exciting time of year for me. The holiday itself is a time to reflect on the hope I have in Jesus Christ and the incredible sacrifice that took place on my behalf. And this celebration usually comes as the buds begin to blossom and a full spectrum of color starts to show itself outdoors. The spring air is life-giving and refreshing, and everyone is cleaning out, organizing, and dreaming of sunny days ahead. My birthday is in April so that’s another reason for celebrating. And now, I have three sweet ladies whom I share a birthday month with! SO fun.
With spring on my mind, I started thinking early about what what the Easter bunny will bring this year. Since my husband and I choose to put the emphasis on Christ’s resurrection and the hope we have through Jesus’ sacrifice, we don’t go overboard or over-the-top with filling our girls’ baskets, but we do like to be purposeful in what we choose and have a little fun with it!
Here are some items that may help you do that, too. From arts and crafts to music to water bottles, below you’ll find the practical and the pretty — both of which are, of course, required for a successful Easter Bunny visit.
1. ALEX Toys Little Hands Farm Finger Crayons
The colors, the farm animals, the packaging . . . these crayons are pretty adorable, and super fun for a beginner colorer. Personally, I think my girls would use these as palm-grip rather than finger crayons, but you have the option of both and so many fun bright colors. My girls still love to munch a crayon, so we need to be sure to supervise our littles as they color!
2. Read Aloud Bible Stories by Ella K. Lindvall
My parents read these to me when I was little and I’ve never forgotten them. They’re one of the first things I put on my registry wish list. The beautiful, full-page illustrations paired with age-appropriate and early-literacy-friendly language (think rhyming and repetition) make for an excellent way for your child to experience bible stories. These are my absolute favorite bible story books and they are sometimes hard to find, but they’re available on amazon right now so snatch them up! What a treasure that your child can pass on to their own one day.
3. Contigo Kid’s Water Bottles
Let me tell you, these water bottles WORK. They don’t leak and they don’t have a million parts to clean! The straw tethers to the lid and you pop it on the top rack of your dishwasher. My girls are obsessed with the little button to pop the spout open, and we love the “hook” type handle it has for their little hands to hold. Boy colors available too!
4. Manhattan Toy Company Stuffed Animals
I love that these are just as plush, soft, and cute as the famous JellyCat animals, and a little cheaper as well. Check out their site for plenty of options including bunnies, dinosaurs, and even a llama. Bonus: Target also carries them! Also, I’ve ordered from the actual MTC website before and it was simple and shipping, prompt.
5. Yoobi Sidewalk Paint
Any Target frequenter (all humans ever) recognizes this brand. I’d never even heard of “sidewalk paint” and these markers look like a fun outdoor activity for my girls. I don’t know about y’all, but messy is so much less stressy when we’re outside.
6. Craft Poms*/Sensory Activity Supplies
I recently discovered the BusyToddler blog. Y’all, I love this woman. This teacher-turned-stay-at-home-mom creates simple, cheap sensory activities for toddlers. One of my friends posted an Instastory of her little girl happily scooping craft poms with a spoon and I was like, “Genius! My girls would love this kind of thing!” And they do. So pick an activity from the site and put a supply kit in your little one’s basket. My girls are currently loving the straw-drop activity.
*Never leave a toddler alone with small objects as they could be a choking hazard.
7. Rain for Roots CD
If you want uplifting, fun, scripture-based music for your toddler that (wait for it . . .) YOU actually like listening to, this is a must-have for your child’s Easter basket. The songs are fun, clever, and enjoyable for even us moms. Some of the writers include Sandra McCracken and Ellie Holcomb.
8. Melissa and Doug My First Paint With Water Activity Book
Mess-free, stress-free. These are too cute and involve nothing more than good ole fashioned water, folks. When you don’t have the time (or patience) for painting or coloring, these are a good option. And here’s a hint for the frugal among us: these can be found at stores like T.J. Maxx and Marshall’s.
Hopefully this gives you some new inspiration for filling those baskets. What are some of your go-to items or favorite new products for Easter this year? Comment below and fill us in! Be sure to use our free printable as a shopping guide! And if you need to distract some little hands while you put baskets together, here’s a festive color-by-number just for you!
For more Easter fun, be sure to check out these local events!
Ultimate Guide to Easter Egg Hunts and Activities in Birmingham
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