Our Easter Bunny is no fun. He doesn’t bring chocolate bunnies or any candy for that matter (maybe a couple of token jelly beans, just because I feel guilty of deprivation). But for the most part, my kid’s Easter baskets have always been filled with other goodies.
Easter egg hunts have been another story. Each year we have a collaborative egg hunt with our cousins so, feeling the need to conform, I fill my share of eggs with candy. But last year it killed me to throw away a ton of candy that my kids had lost interest in eating. I know my kids will eat their share of junk, but when I was throwing away candy that I just paid for a week earlier, I decided I need a better system.
I can’t be the only parent that feels this way so I’m sharing my candy-free egg filler alternatives for this year. Some of these are gender specific, so they will go in each kid’s Easter basket. I’m going to fill (at least most of) our egg hunt eggs with the unisex items this year and see how that goes over.
Here are some candy-free basket filler ideas too (I separated by “type” category rather than age, so keep your child’s age in mind for appropriateness). This doesn’t have to cost a lot (think dollar stores!) or take a lot of time. The fun they bring will last longer than a creamy filled egg or chocolate bunny.
Candy Free Easter Egg Fillers
- Coins
- Gum
- Pencil toppers
- Temporary tattoos
- Hair ties
- Stickers
- Erasers
- Annie’s Bunny Grahams
- Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies
- Nail polish
- Army guys
- Plastic bugs
- Jewelry
- Water balloons
- Legos (split a small set up between a few eggs)
- Hot Wheel car
Kid Basket Fillers
Outside Play
- Pool diving sticks
- Baseball
- Garden gloves
- Watering can
- Small gardening tools
- Bubbles
- Bug catching set
- Sunglasses
- Water balloon launcher
- Sidewalk chalk
Personal Care
- Lip balm
- Hand sanitizer
- Hair brush
- Headband
- Character band aids
- Nail Polish
Edibles
- Chocolate milk box
- 100% Juice Box
- Gum
- Fruit Leather
- Annie’s Bunny Snacks
- Character snack containers (filled)
- Go-Go Squeeze Applesauce
Technology
- Favorite cartoon or movie on Blu Ray or DVD
- Flashlight
- Nightlight
- Flash drive
- Video game or accessory
Creativity
- Art pens
- Crayons
- Coloring books
- Pencils/Pens
- Journal
- Scratch and Sniff stickers
Toys
- Glow in the dark bracelets
- Monster Truck
- Fake Mustaches
- Flash Cards
- Books
- Barbie or other doll clothes
Other
- Scarf
- Gift cards
- Cell phone case
- Water bottle
- Socks
- Hat
- Flip flops
If you have other ideas, comment below!
