Non-Candy Toddler Friendly Easter Basket Stuffers

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I truly can not believe it is already time to be thinking about Easter AGAIN! Don’t get me wrong, I am very ready for Spring to arrive. It has been a long Michigan winter and Eli and I are both ready to get outside and enjoy some fresh air and sunshine. I already know that April is going to be a very busy month for us, we are taking Eli on his first real vacation (plane ride and all) and I have a crazy busy month at work, so started shopping for E’s Easter basket early.

Eli was only 4 months old on his first Easter, so while I got plenty of adorable pictures of him in his “Sunday best” with bunny ears on, he had no interest in his Easter basket. Don’t get me wrong, I am not under the impression that he will be remembering his Easter basket this year, but I am confident after his birthday and Christmas that he understands the concept of “opening” things and will get more enjoyment out of his gifts this year.

Last year’s Sensory Friendly Easter Basket post was such a big hit I knew I wanted to share with you all again what we were planning for this year. While I was shopping I ran into the same problem that I ran into last year, for so many people Easter = chocolate bunnies and peeps. While I enjoy a Reese’s Egg (especially right out of the freezer) these are not things that we allow Eli to have. Not to mention that there are SO MANY better options out there! I prefer to fill E’s basket with non-candy items perfect for a toddler’s Easter basket. We want his Easter basket to be filled with items that will keep him entertained for more than a few minutes and stimulate his brain. I still went through my typical my checklist in my head: First things first - as any teething toddler parent knows…Is it safe to go in his mouth? Is this something that he will actually be able to use? How long will he be able to use it?

Read on to see what our top picks are this year for Toddler friendly Easter basket stuffers (that aren’t candy!)

Easter basket with yellow rain boots, poke a dot book, egg carton with matching puzzle and honeysticks nontoxic crayons

Matching Egg Shape Puzzle

Open hard plastic yellow egg carton with matching egg puzzle pieces inside

The first one is a no-brainer, we started our list off last year with an egg-shaped teether…this year it’s anegg-shaped puzzle ! Rayland already has this puzzle and I have had my eye on it for Eli for a few months. Easter was the perfect excuse to order it. E is obsessed with taking things apart and putting things back together right now, so I know that this matching puzzle will be a huge hit. This one will be a fun one to use as he learns to identify colors and shapes too!

Honeysticks Beeswax Crayons

Toddler in gray sweatshirt holds yellow crayon to white paper on easel

The boys are both at such a fun age right now! They have begun to actually participate in “arts and crafts” and have started to show an interest in coloring. When I was looking for craft supplies I wanted to make sure that whatever I bought was natural and non-toxic (have I mentioned my son puts everything in his mouth?!) When I found Honeysticks I fell in love. Not only are they non-toxic but they are sustainable and use recyclable packaging. The wonderful people at Honeysticks had our little ones in mind when designing these crayons, they are jumbo-sized so that they are easy to grip for littles who are new to holding writing utensils. These crayons are a no brainer to put into our toddler’s Easter baskets!

The Bubble Bestie

Gray plastic elephant with loop for a body and blue mesh nose piece a

Bubbles were one of my FAVORITE toys as a child! I remember growing up my mom would always include some form of bubbles in my Easter basket. Once I started working in the pediatric clinic bubbles became one of my favorite tools. There isn’t much you can’t convince a kiddo to do if bubbles are involved! I went on the hunt for “taste safe bubbles” for Eli and I discovered one of the cutest toys I had seen awhile. The bubble bestie is an adorable kiddo operated bubble machine. All you have to do is wet the fabric portion of the elephant’s trunk and add bubbles and let your little one blow. One of the coolest things about this toy is that the mouthpiece has a one-way valve so there will be no tears from bubbles accidently ending up in their mouths. While it’s marketed as a bath-time toy I think the bubble bestie will be perfect for bath-time or outside play. Oh yea, and did I mention it’s only $5, ya can’t beat that!

Rain Boots

April showers bring May flowers! What is a better sensory activity than getting outside and getting wet and muddy?! E has been exploring his independence more and more as his walking progresses and he now loves spending time going for short walks around our cul de sac. On the days when it’s warm enough to melt the snow Eli loves splashing in the puddles, so I knew I needed to invest in a pair of rain boots. Target is our go-to store for all of our “basics” and they had the most adorable pair of rain boots for E. They’re bright yellow and I absolutely love them! I cant wait to watch him splash around this spring.

Water Wow!

Coloring pad with parrot, dog and ducks with a green water pen in the middle

E and R are both very busy boys! While this is an incredibly fun age, it is also challenging. Keeping them entertained when we’re traveling or out to eat can be a difficult task, but these Melissa and Doug Water Wow! keep them busy! All you have to do is add water to the pen that’s included with the book and your little one can color to their hearts content. I have two favorite things about these books: 1. There is no mess involved! No paint or markers means your little one and the surrounding area stays clean while they color. 2. It’s reusable! Most coloring books once you’ve colored a page you’re finished, not with this book! Once the water dries on the page the color will fade and they can color it all over again.

Poke-a-Dot Book

Even when we’re on vacation my husband and I are very active, to a fault sometimes, and tend to spend the days of our camping trips out and about exploring the local hiking trails, breweries, and attractions. Eli absolutely loves being outside in the fresh air, but we knew we needed a few things to make his time outside as comfortable as possible during our son’s first camping trip.

If you checked out our previous post on Last Minute Sensory Friendly Stocking Stuffer Ideas you know that we love the Melissa & Doug Poke a Dot books. When I was looking for Easter ideas I found that they make a smaller, more travel-friendly version. With as much time as we spend in the car I knew I had to grab one! Each page has small plastic bubbles built into the page that you have to “pop” into place. E loves the sound and the feeling that the plastic makes as it pops, and I love that he is improving his fine motor skills by using one finger to manipulate each dot. One of these books was a great non-candy way to round out our toddler friendly Easter baskets!

Let us know in the comments below - What are some of your favorite Easter basket stuffers this year?