Easter egg hunts and Easter baskets are two traditions that have stuck with me…
…stuck with me through my own childhood and are now something my own children look forward to for Easter! And, like so many holidays, it seems to rain candy EVERYWHERE over the course of this holiday celebration. Let’s face it, there’s only so many Peeps and Cadbury eggs you can stomach or handle staring you in the face every time you open your corner kitchen cabinet. Why not swap out some of the sugar for some non-traditional & non-sugary Easter treats! I’ve rounded up some of my favorite fun, easy, inexpensive ideas below to fill both your Easter eggs and baskets!
Healthy Candy Swaps for Easter
When it comes to candy fillers for baskets and eggs, I stick to a handful of brands that I know eliminate certain harmful ingredients like dyes, high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavorings, etc., and have friendlier more natural ingredients. If you want to check out a list of clean ingredients candy brands I trust and use, head over to this post! At the end of the day, sugar is sugar and candy in any form isn’t what I would label “healthy”, but there’s definitely healthier swaps available!
46 Best Non-Candy Egg Fillers
Looking for some fun, outside-of-the-candy-box ideas to fill your Easter Eggs? Look no further. I’ve created a list of over 40 egg fillers that kids will love and won’t have them missing candy for a second! There is a wide range of fun toys, accessories, trinkets and activities for kids of all ages, and I’ve included links for each item to make things even easier. Also, #momhack – go in with 1 or 2 other moms for some of the bulk items below to save some $$!
- Stickers
- Bubbles
- Playdoh
- Temporary tattoos
- Sticker earrings
- Real earrings (for pierced ears)
- Slap bracelets
- Puzzles– pieces disassembled
- Charms
- Hair ties
- Hair scrunchies
- Lego figures
- Keychains
- Mini nail polish– this is a non-toxic brand
- Nail art stickers
- Rings
- Bracelets
- Money
- Fun socks
- Mini pets/stuffed animals
- Soft headbands
- Coupons for a mommy/daddy and me date
- Hair clips
- Beads for jewelry making
- String for jewelry making
- Change purse
- Lego dot refills
- Silly bands
- Popper keychain
- Popper bracelet
- Army men
- Mini action figures
- Coupon for a movie night
- Fun band-aids
- Chaptsick
- Lipgloss
- Yo-yo
- Fun Erasers
- Barbie doll accessories
- Fun shoelaces
- Flower seeds
- Shoe charms for Crocs
- Play jewelry
- Necklaces
- Finger puppets
- Matchbox cars
I’m sure you noticed that some of these items are larger than others and some may not fit in a standard size plastic Easter egg. But, did you know that plastic eggs come in a variety of sizes?
For the bigger items that won’t scrunch down as easily, you can get eggs that are 3 inches, 3.5 inches and even 6 inches & 7 inches long! Eggs that are 2.5 inches are about standard size. Bigger eggs can also be used for easier visibility for toddlers and smaller eggs can be hidden in more difficult nooks/crannies to make things more challenging for older kids.
54 Best Non-Candy Easter Basket Fillers
Another fun Easter tradition is Easter baskets. If you feel like ditching or limiting the candy, I’ve created a list of over 50 fun items to use as Easter basket stuffers! Some are just for fun, some are more practical and some are activities to keep them busy. This can be a fun way to surprise your kiddos with larger (but not necessarily expensive) items! All items below are under $20.
Also! To add even more fun and excitement to your Easter basket tradition, check out my Easter Scavenger hunt FREEBIE over in this post. Have your kiddies go on a hunt for their baskets using Easter themed clues!
- Coupons for a visit to a favorite fun place (trampoline park, pottery painting, batting cage, nail salon, etc.)
- Wallet
- Swimming goggles
- Pool/beach towel
- Flip flops
- Bookmark light
- Kids Watch
- Glitter chalk
- Large bubble wands
- Lego dot sets
- Mini lego sets
- Money
- Bookmarks
- Kinetic sand
- Kinetic sand accesories
- Playdoh
- Playdoh tools
- Personalized name stickers
- Water bottle
- Scratch art notebooks
- Water paint book
- Water paintbrush book
- Sketch book
- Doodle markers
- Doodle pens
- Board books
- Paintbrush set
- Paint your own flower pot kit (to go with the seeds from Easter egg fillers above)
- Card holder for little hands
- Kids card games (this one is a favorite in our house that everyone can play)
- Book of mazes
- Younger kids coloring books
- Older kids coloring books
- Puzzles
- Make your own puzzle
- Reusable sticker books
- Big Reusable sticker books
- Jewelry kit
- Nail polish set
- Manicure set
- Crayons
- Markers
- Watercolor palette
- Crayola mess free coloring kit
- Crayola mess free stamp kit
- Finger paint (if you dare)
- Art smock for toddlers
- Art apron for older kids
- Butterfly net
- Insect cage
- Kids magnifying glass
- Insect classifying book
- Magnetic doll set
- Paint by sticker books
30 Best Easter Basket Fillers for Adults
What exactly is the appropriate age cut-off for Easter baskets? Who says this tradition has to die with age? My mother-in-law introduced me to the adult Easter basket and I have to say…I wasn’t hatin’ it! She even stuffs Easter eggs with cold hard cash and sends us on our merry way for a grown-up egg hunt. So as to not let the ugly side of my competitive nature out on display, I will keep reminding myself that this day is about our Savior’s resurrection and not stiff arming my sister-in-law for that paper filled golden egg.
Below are some of the fun items I have been given in my grown up Easter basket in the past, as well as some additional ideas for adult basket stuffers.
- Starbucks/Dunkin Donuts/Target gifts cards
- Nail Polish
- Nail file
- Lip gloss
- Lip Balm
- Lipstick
- Hand lotion
- Hand sanitizer
- Can/bottle cooler sleeve (coozies)
- Mini wine bottles
- Wine glass charms
- Candles
- Essential oils (DoTerra, Plant Therapy and Eden’s Garden are my faves)
- Socks
- Bath bombs
- Razers
- Cold hard cash
- Pocket devotional
- Pocket notebook and Pens
- Pretty stationary
- Purse umbrella
- Tea (one of my favorite brands for tea bags)
- Coffee
- Tea/Coffee mug
- Mini jars of honey
- Hair ties
- Costume jewelry
- Old Navy flip flops (iykyk)
- potpourri sachet
- And of course….chocolate
Easter Egg and Basket Fillers Wrap-Up
There’s been a whole lot of talk about kids in this post, but let’s be honest. Easter can be just as much fun for adults as it is for kids! Finding the best hiding spots for eggs and scavenger hunt clues, watching with anticipation as little ones go hunting, walking side by side with my littlest as we search for eggs together…it’s fun for everyone.
Also, if you haven’t heard, adult Easter egg hunts are totally normal and acceptable. My mother-in-law has put together hunts for all the adult “kids” and takes our Easter celebration to a whole new level! She likes to fill them with candy, pocket change and paper bills…oh yeah!
I hope this post serves you well and gives you some non-candy inspiration to add into your Easter fun! Happy Hunting and Happy Easter!
Leave a Reply