We all know what why we celebrate Easter, right? For Jes…the Easter Bunny! Seriously, though, even if Jesus is your main focus for the holiday, your kid is probably still bound to get a little nod to the bunny when it comes to their Easter basket stuffers.
And most likely those stuffers will include enough candy to last your whole family tree until next Easter. Factor in the Easter egg hunt as well and it’s clear to see we don’t really need to throw more sweets into the bunny basket.
Easter Basket Stuffers Will Make Or Break Your Bunny Basket
If you’re like me, you get serious parent guilt when you deliver a ton of sugar to your kid every holiday. Heck, we’re still picking at the candy my kid got last Halloween. So more candy feels like the complete wrong choice for Easter basket stuffers. But it feels like a lose-lose situation even if you don’t give them candy. Because you know that’s what they really want. America is obsessed with Peeps, Cadbury Eggs and all those other Easter treats.
Chocolate bunnies, candy eggs and a variety of sweets. Though popular, these don’t make the best Easter basket stuffers if you’re trying to keep your kid healthy. Photo by jenifoto/Getty Images.
So every year we have to make the grueling choice all over again. Do we make our kiddos happy or do we encourage them to be healthy? But maybe we don’t have to pick a side. Maybe we mix it up this year and throw some non-candy fun in the mix while still giving them a little of what they want. Maybe we just start doing it in smaller quantities.
Personally, I want to do with Z’s basket what you have to do with your dog when you switch their food. I’ll gradually introduce a non-candy item or two every year until Z forgets she ever got candy on Easter. I know, fat chance, but a mom can dream. And while we’re on the subject of Easter candy, where the heck did that tradition come from, anyway?
According to some historians, we can thank the Germans for this one. Well, sort of.
The Evolution Of The Easter Bunny
According to history.com, the German immigrants were the ones who brought the first rendition of the Easter bunny to America in the 1700’s. But the bunny was much simpler then. The original creature, which the Germans called the “Osterhase” or “Oschter Haws” was just a regular old bunny. Except he laid colored eggs for the kiddos. But that was it.
A real, dyed egg was the whole prize. No Easter baskets and no candy-filled anything. Back then, children didn’t dye the eggs. But they did make nests for the bunny to lay his eggs in, and they used to leave out carrots in case he got hungry.
But these days, hardly any parent has time to facilitate that kind of craft project that’s required to get done before the egg-laying can happen. That takes a lot of forethought and planning. We just finished doing all that noise with Santa’s cookies and reindeer carrots. We need more than four months to have the energy to do all that again.
That might have flown back before we had two-income households. But today, most Easters involve a quick trip to the dollar store and a last-minute basket assembly after the kiddo has gone to bed. Easter used to be a simpler concept. Either it was about Jesus, or it was about a rabbit and some eggs.
Over the last 300 years, the American Easter Bunny has evolved, or devolved, according to your perspective. Now he has turned into a commercialized deliverer of plastic baskets filled with plastic eggs filled with enough sugar to kill a diabetic elephant.
So, if you want to try something different this year without totally disappointing your kids. It’s tricky, but doable. All you have to do to get a little healthier for the holiday is keep the excitement, but lose the sugar. Instead of candy this year, try throwing a few of these items into your loved ones’ Easter baskets.
Stuffed Bunny
Stuffed bunny holding an Easter egg. This little guy is ready for his new home in some lucky kid’s Easter Basket. Photo by Elena Kabenkina/Getty Images.
This is seriously one of the first things I pick up for my kiddo’s Easter basket. For a few reasons. First, what kid doesn’t love stuffed animals? And it doesn’t have to be a bunny. It can be a chick or whatever animal you can find to hold an Easter egg. Please do yourself a favor and get it at the dollar store. I got one this year for $3 and it’s quality you’d never guess came at a discount. And here’s a little secret: the bigger the stuffed animal, the less space you have for candy. Just make sure you have a place to store said stuffy in the kiddo’s room.
Easter Book
A little girl is reading a book to her stuffed bunny. She doesn’t even notice she’s missing candy from her Easter basket. Photo by Evgeniia Siiankovskaia/Getty Images.
I always make sure to put something educational in my daughter’s Easter basket. And it doesn’t even have to be about Easter. But if you do make it holiday-specific, you can choose an Easter bunny tale or something more religious. Whatever goes with your version of Easter. This year I opted for a journal for my little one. So it doesn’t even have to be a reading book. I just love the idea of putting something in there that encourages a little brain exercise.
Easter Stickers
A set of stickers shows spring-themed images. Stickers are a great stuffer for a kid’s Easter basket. Photo lattesmile via Getty Images.
If you have a little one still into stickers, this is a great basket stuffer. It’s also a life-saving egg stuffer! I put some in all of my daughter’s plastic eggs. If you have older kids, you can replace the stickers with temporary tattoos as well. Or even those little body jewels or nail stickers. The sky’s the limit. Don’t limit yourself to Easter on this one either. Spring-themed stickers go a longer way and can still be useful even after Easter ends.
Bubbles
A little boy in yellow overalls is playing in a field with bubbles. Bubbles are a great gift for any occasion for children. Photo by marigo20/Getty Images.
What kid doesn’t love bubbles? And you can find these anywhere. Even the grocery store has them. Get some in pastel colors and call it a day. And you can even check the holiday section to see if you can find an Easter-themed one. If you can’t find a Spring color, wrap what you can find in a Spring-colored bow. Voila!
Easter Craft
An Easter craft can be anything that keeps the child engaged. This Easter origami project is a wonderful gift for a child’s basket. Photo by Kristina Shlimovich/Getty Images.
This is, by far, my absolute favorite idea on this list. Because it’s a great basket stuffer. But also gives the kiddos something to do on Easter Sunday! Pick a larger craft if you have time to do it. And a bunch of smaller ones if you need something to fill those breaks between checking the ham in the oven. Either way, it’ll make Easter last even longer when the kiddos have an activity to do to celebrate the holiday.
Easter-Themed Socks
Socks are a great gift for any occasion, because it’s something everyone needs. For Easter, they are extra fun when they have bunnies on them. Photo by Sviatlana Barchan/Getty Images.
This one is a lot of fun for kids of all ages. And there are Easter-themed socks for all ages. If you have time, you can order them online. Or, if you’re looking for a last-minute addition to the basket, I’ve seen them at almost all dollar stores around Easter time as well.
Sidewalk Chalk
What kid doesn’t like sidewalk chalk? It’s always a welcome gift. And makes a great little Easter basket stuffer. Photo by romrodinka/Getty Images.
Another great stuffer that lasts all day. And even beyond, in the case of sidewalk chalk. These things will get played with as long as the kids have concrete to write on. I always include these in my Easter baskets and my daughter never gets bored with them.
Fidgets
What did the older generations ever do without fidget toys? Kids today love them. So they’re a must-have for Easter basket stuffing. Photo by drasa/Getty Images.
Let’s face it, kids need these little fidgets these days. My daughter collects them, so I always try to include them in her basket. This year I actually found a notebook that has these fidget poppers on the cover! It’s super cute in the basket and is something she’ll use for a while.
Wind-Up Toy
Wind-up toys have been popular with kids for years. And they’re still fun for the younger ones. And some are so small that they even fit inside an Easter egg. Photo by KotzurYangCreative/Getty Images.
This is a great basket stuffer especially for the younger kids. Older kids might get bored with it quickly, but literally ANY Easter-themed toy is better than a bunch of candy. And I’m going to refer back to the dollar store again on this one. I’ve seen some pretty cute little Easter toys that make great stuffers.
