What to Do for Easter? Please Help!

We did our Easter eggs filled with gold fish, pretzel fish, cheerios, life cereal, teddy grahams and other small crackers. We also had stickers and temporary tattoos. the kids loved it. and the eggs seal up so good, the snacks stayed fresh....

I don't fill their baskets with candy, but, with things I know they will use. Also, for my girls, each year I have gotten a "pretty basket" that they can reuse. Like, for storage for their hair bows, a place to hold pens or pencils, or, whatever else they need to stash while looking pretty on their shelf or dresser! This year though, I just got the cute Easter buckets, because we are working on a garden & I figured they could reuse it that way. They can store their gloves, shovels, etc. in them.

In their Easter buckets this year, my girls got a sticker book, kite, bubbles, spinny bunny toy, and, those things that you put in the water & they grow into an animal. They also got a small chocolate bunny. I also get them a small stuffed animal each year. I do this for Valentine's & for Easter. They keep these on their beds with them.

For my new baby, he also got a bucket (I can reuse for his toys). I put a stuffed animal and a kite (Daddy can fly his when the girls fly theirs).

Our tradition is to dye the easter eggs together as a family at the table. My girls like to hunt for the real eggs as much as the candy eggs! Since yours does not eat candy yet (My girls are only allowed one piece a day, if they ask, otherwise I NEVER offer, so, a holiday is always difficult!) I would put the fruit snacks or small cracker type snacks in the toddler section. There are also 100% fruit juice jelly beans, but, he might could choke on those.

We got our ideas from a friend. When our kids were that age, we got the bigger eggs (easier to spot, too) and filled them with things like Goldfish crackers, Cheerios, and Gerber Graduate fruit snacks. (We used snack baggies inside the eggs to help prevent mess.)

Wow, there are some good ideas out there!

When it comes to egg hunts I'm no help. My kid gets chocolate and candy because I believe its the parents' right to raid holiday goodies when their child isn't looking!

But as for traditions, we try to go to a sunrise service when we can, and then make reservations for a nice Easter dinner. Artesian Lakes near Cleveland is the best, and San Luis Hotel in Galveston is always nice.

I myself am tired of all the candy... So this year I am doing a chalk and wonder color basket. The eggs we are hiding out back will be filled with stickers and some other things from Oriental Trading company (can probably get these at the dollar store). So far as Easter is concerned the only tradition we have is that they color - not dye their eggs. The other is the Golden Egg tradition. One specially marked egg has a big gift fit for the age group. (For older kids or adults this is usually money) For my little one (who is a little over a year) I also get him a smaller basket. Just as a rule of thumb I get one edible for each of them (like a small chocolate or marshmallow bunny or 4 minis) and a small toy or activity. I like to stay under $5-10 per child because when I bought a $20 basket it was disheartening to watch it all go in the trash later. Just remember they prob wont remember the basket or goodies. The time you spend with them to make a basket or other crafts will last a lot longer. Hope this helps.

I've put three or four Goldfish, a few Graduates snacks (the puffs and cookies) and other things such as that that my son likes to eat and nibble on. As far as adding things to the basket, you can get some of the little bathtub toys, rubber ducks or boats or balls. I wouldn't spend a lot at all. They don't know what things cost, just how much fun they have with them. However, I've banned my mother from putting the grass in them. It just gets everywhere and doesn't interest them at all.

If you can find an age-appropriate cross, I'd certainly add that. If not, at least one for his wall. Happy Easter!

Stuffing eggs is a relatively new concept. We always boiled and dyed eggs for easter. The kids would decorate, then the bunny would hide the ones we had already done. They are pretty and exciting enough without plastic ones stuffed with something. A cute DVD or stuffed animal or book with (sorry)candy went in baskets. This is after all a religious holiday and doesn't need to involve lots of gifts. Egg hunt and new clothes were all we had as kids, and we thought it was wonderful.

The regular size plastic eggs will hold a few goldfish crackers, raisins, marshmallows, fun cereal, etc.

My "babies" are all grown up, but everyone knows that anyone who comes home will have an Easter basket! Fun for mom!

My son is 14 months. I found a little larger eggs at Walgreens. I plan on putting gold fish and other baby cookies in them.(after washing the plastic eggs) There is six to a package. I think that is enough for his age. I dont think I am going to get him a "basket of gifts" till he is a bit older. (3-4) I know lots of people that give Easter gifts like its Christmas. My son dosent really need any toys and has plenty. I am just letting this little hunt be enough. Once he is older I cant imagine us spending more than 20 on his basket. I am looking forward to dyeing eggs, watching the Easter Chrlie brown movie, going to church and spening time with family. Its up to you to teach your kid what you want to be important at the holidays. Good luck and Happy Easter.

What I did when my son was little was buy the over-sized eggs and put either trains or cars in them. He was very into Thomas the Tank and Little People, so I looked around and found trains or cars that would fit into those bigger eggs. I remember finding packs of 3 or 2. I also used the small packs of animal crackers, goldfish, raisins in eggs too. As for the basket, we typically got him a small stuffed animal--like the size of a Ty Beanie Baby, since it was easiest for him to transport--something like a frog or bunny--I tried to look for ones that looked like they were more for boys. Coloring books, colors, chalk, bubbles, kites, jelly beans were also other basket stuffers!

Good luck!
D.
http://www.4myhappyhealthyfamily.com

As a kid, I got animal crackers.

I plan on giving this to my daughter. She is 14 months old so she will get them next year.

As for money, I spent about $40 the past two years.

I read some of the responses... and I like the idea of the larger eaggs to put snacks in them. You can also put stickers of his favorite characters and some of Easter in the easter eggs. For an Easter basket well keep it simple... maybe just one of his favoite toy with Easter grass. a soccer ball or an outdoor play item, something like that with more snacks.

For a tradition, we spend it with our family. But, if you don't have your family around you can and don't plan it. Maybe you can find a park near by and take him to the playground or park and have a picnic. Maybe even have the Easter hunt at the playground or park.

Best Wishes and Happy Easter.

You have already received some good ideas and I only have one thing to share.

When my boys were young after hunting eggs they spent the next week one hiding the eggs and the other finding, then changing places. The eggs were empty by that time. My point is, they didn't care what was in them, it was just fun gathering them.

Hi C.,

I know you have recieved so many wonderful ideas but i thought that i would share one more with you. I have used dried fruit in my sons eggs, it is alot better than candy. Good Luck and have a blessed easter.

For my children's first easter, I put little holiday decorated socks in the plastic eggs. I also put things like toy cars, sesame street figures and things like that they could play with and not choke on. They loved it! I still do it and they are now 5 and 3. They love getting a suprise in each one.

I also put goldfish and teddy grahms in the eggs, but I take them out of their packages and put just a few in each egg. That way he can eat what is in the egg and not have too much in each egg. If I use candy I only put one or two pieces in each egg so he can eat them as he opens and we don't worry about him eating too much. You can also get the larger eggs and put cascarones in them; that is a lot of fun.

When my daughter was very young I used to stuff her eggs with colored marshmallows and animal crackers - also stickers.

I stuff my kids eggs with Annie's cheddar bunnies, graham bunnies, or friends bunnies. These are all natural little cookies/ crackers that fit nicely in the eggs. I've also used stickers and dried fruit.

We do just a tiny bit of candy...for instance...in a 6 pack of BIG easter eggs we put candy in...ie...smarties for little ones because they dissolve. Then in a bunch of little ones we put money in. It can be from 5 pennies up to 4 quarters. That way they go monday night and get to cash in their easter money to buy something they really want. It works great in our house and we have a 7 year old girl and a 3 year old girl. Good luck!

We used to stuff ours with stickers, goldfish crackers, low sugar Gerber baby treats (arrowroot cookies, etc...) and bought a few "large eggs" that are usually sold at any of the stores where you get plastic eggs and which we could fit small toys such as matchbox cars in. Even now that I have a nearly 4 year old, I still minimize the candy and will usually pack their easter baskets and eggs with just a little candy and try to give them alternatives such as toys in their easter basket.

We don't do much candy either. Our boys usually get a gift for Easter. Summer toys or something. You can do hard boiled eggs or put something like fruit snacks (my boys loved the Gerber ones) or stickers, raisins. You could also use something like dry cereal that he likes. Easter at your home will be what you choose for it to be. Our boys don't expect a lot of candy because we just never did that. One year they got shovels and pails. Another, they got toy tools. The main thing is to do what you believe is right for your child and to remember our Savior.

Stuffed toys, one year I gave my son a small toy fishing pole,another year movies and games.

Gerber sells fruit bites in the baby food section at Walmart, they are in individual packages that come in a box. Also I buy the yogurt melts in the baby food section.They come in 3 flavors, strawberry, peach & mixed berry. You could tie them up in colored cellophane & put them in the eggs also. I have seen the fruit sticks for babies too, like the fruit rollups but little sticks. i havent tried them with my 17 month old but he eats the fruit snacks & yogurt melts & loves them. Another thing is Dollar tree has packages of cloth balls, 5 to a pack for a dollar. some look like basketballs, some baseballs & some just mutli colored. You could squeeze those into eggs also. My baby loves balls, so all the above is what I plan on doing :)

At Target they have playdo stuffed eggs and ones with cars inside. You could also buy stickers and put them in the eggs. I put books in the basket and I am putting a new sippy cup, with a new disney movie and he is really into goldsfish so I buy the single serve packs and put them in the basket also.

Instead of candy put fruit, things that he likes that he adores. Make Easter into Christmas but without the wrapping paper. If your son likes trains or cars, even a certain character (you know how now a days anything on t.v. has its proper place on a shelf). You can even put a new sippy cup or a clothing. I mean kids that age are amazed with the fact that they recieved a basket. My son was 3 months last year in Easter my mother still made him an Easter basket, she put in a new bib, a bottle, a soft material book with nursery rhymes and filled up those plastic eggs with money (since she gave her other grandchildren money she gave him too). There's tons of thins you can put in the basket don't get discouraged. Hope this helps.

We do rasins, teddy grams, any kind of snack food that's small and will fit into the eggs.

Raisins, yogurt covered raisins, cheerios, teddy grahams, fruit snacks, little people...
You can put the snacks in little bags and tie them up to make them look cute.

Finger puppets!! You can get them at Carter's or Ikea.

Hi C.,
I stuffed my nephews eggs with different cereals, sunflower seeds, raisins, yogurt balls, cheese crackers. I also bought different pastas, like ABC's and gears. I mailed the unopened bags of pasta, a couple marshmallow chicks, a paint book, a story book and the like so that he could open a box from us since we live a long distance from him. He also loves his piggy bank so we put pennies, nickels and dimes in some eggs so he could put some in his bank.
Happy Hunting!
C.

I did not read all the responses, but my children, too, when they were younger loved the hunt of the the eggs, so the empty eggs were hidden many times that day and the following days. As they got older, I put wrapped candy and money in the eggs. They loved putting the money into their banks. When they started school and reading (and counting how many eggs they had), I started writing each letter of Happy Easter & the year on the eggs, it comes out to a dozen eggs each. Then there would be one large egg for each child with a clue in it giving the location of a special gift. They loved spelling out the words Happy Easter '09 and would trade colored eggs before they opened the eggs.
Have fun developing your traditions and do not hesitate to add to it in the years to some.

Help your little one make "grass" nests around the house ,,, ,,, most of them on the floor and in plain sight. Corners, under a table, beside a chair, etc. Tell him they are places the Easter bunny can put eggs for him. "hide" colored hard cooked eggs in the nests before he wakes the next morning. Be sure he has a basket and is ready to "hunt" for his eggs. Don't worry about candy at all. If he is not used to eating candy, he won't miss it. I have a photo of my four-year-old brother and my two-year-old son sharing Easter eggs. My little brother liked the whites and my son liked the yolks. They didn't get candy either. If you want a little gift in his basket, a Beanie Baby type stuffed toy should suffice, or even a small tub toy. Christian book stores may have a book telling about the real meaning of Easter. One of these books is the favorite story of our five year old granddaughter who is the daughter of our little boy who liked the egg yolks. Keep it simple for the little ones. Don't be surprised if the year comes when he wants the eggs hidden over and over again. By that time, you can probably move the hunt to the backyard. That is fun, too.

When my sis and I were little, we always got new shoes and a dress to wear to church and usually we also got a play outfit to change into before going to our grandparents house in the country. When I was about nine, my aunt and uncle gave me a decorated sugar egg with a little scene inside it. I didn't eat the egg, just saved it forever and loved looking through the peephole at the scene.

When you son is a little older, check out the Resurrection Eggs. You will find them at Christian bookstores.

Best wishes and Happy Easter.

Famly Fun has some ideas (a great magazine, but they also have some a web site). They had the idea to put slips of paper with things to do together in them. Examples: trip to the park to feed the ducks, trip to Baskin Robbins (we have dollar scoop night on Tuesdays here), tea party with Grandma, etc...their favorite things to do. You could sit down and do a "List for the Easter Bunny" like a Santa letter...

We do the fillable eggs - you can fill them with Cheerios, goldfish, etc. I use whatever is in the pantry and re-use the eggs every year. The kids play with them whenver it isn't easter.

I second the cascarones. With little ones, I do it differently - we lay them out all over the yard and let my toddler stomp on them! He gets such a kick out of it. If you're game, you can do it in your living room as well, there's just a lot of vacuuming to do afterwards.

We do almost no candy in the baskets, only a small chocolate bunny. They get small toys (non choking hazards, like Little People), balloons, coloring books, reading books, stickers, etc. The $1 spot at Target has some good options.

An HEB in Austin had colored eggs filled with confetti ($1.79 for a dozen), The idea of filling them with healthier treats is a nice tradition to start now. Candy is toooo easy to give in to. Good luck.

When my daughter was two, I put small toys inside eggs, like little bouncy balls, etc. This year I bought plenty of candy to donate to Easter Egg hunts, but I'm hoping to use almost none of it in my daughter's Easter basket. I have a book, an Easter cartoon DVD, stickers, etc., so far.

You could fill his basket with things he likes to play with or do especially with summer comming? Does he like to blow bubbles. You could buy a bubble machine or add bubble bottle to his basket. You could buy a ball, outside chalk in an egg shape,easter bunny video or another type of movie, playdough, or sands castle stuff (pail, shovel, and pail). As far as the eggs, you could put stickers, tattoos, dollar bills, and small cars. This year I'm bought a sprinkler toy for the kids, each are getting a small stuff animal, swim suits, playdough, bubbles and a very small amount of jelly beans & m&m's. Instead of an Easter Basket I bought a big beach pail to put everything in it. I have limited space so everything has to be resusable. The eggs I will keep and put them into an empty carton and they can play store with it.Many churches offer Easter egg hunts too. Good luck!

We do money.....various amounts....pennies, dimes, nickles and quarters.....plus dollar bills, in various amounts and our daughter then gets to choose something she wants.......As for the basket, we do clothes, new shoes, CD's, movies etc....Our traditon is to write a letter to our daughter on the computer in a fun font, and a pretty color and make it from the Easter bunny, but, just like Christmas, we remind her that Easter is not just about the cndy, toys, etc, but what is the real purpose of the season.
Hope this helps...
Godd luck and Happy Easter!

Do hard boiled eggs! You could also but fruit snacks.
For the baskets, I always get my kids started for summer. They get a new swimsuit, goggles, sunscreen and flip flops. I have also done a gardening basket with little packs of seeds and gloves and a watering can. Good luck!

My first didn't have candy until he was nearly three, so I understand! I did let him have healthful fruit snacks (most of them contain high fructose corn syrup, but I did have some for him that were fruit based and didn't have HFCS) and put those little packets in his basket. At my mom's house, we always do coins. My son never put that kind of stuff in his mouth so it was ok. We came home and put it into his football-shaped coin bank! Do you let him play with stickers? That's an idea, too. You could put individual stickers in the eggs. Animal crackers would fit nicely. A few Teddy Grahams and Goldfish would fit. We don't eat Teddy Grahams, but we eat Bunny Grahams and Cheddar Bunnies (made by Annie's, in the natural food section) and those would be PERFECT in Easter eggs! If you have let him have Rice Crispy treats, you can make thoes and fashion them into eggs or chicks. Last year my son and I made nests, colored some coconut green, and put the Robin's Eggs (that Daddy ate later) in the nest. Whatever you let him have occasionally would be a good bet for easter eggs, as long as it's small.

You could also make chicks and bunnies using those little pom pom things and stuff them in the eggs. That would be cute when y'all opened them and a chick or bunny popped out.

Honestly, we don't stuff plastic eggs at home. We use real ones to hide in the backyard, and we fill the easter basket with the treats. Last year I bought my 3 year old a DVD and each of them (I also have a 21 month old, but she was 9 months old then! no DVD for her) a small stuffed lamb or bunny and a book. I always got stuffed animals for Easter as a child, and have continued that with my own. This year, I bought them these cool wooden Anamalz to go in their basket, and I'll probably get a book or DVD. In my opinion, every holiday is a reason to buy a book!!!

As far as traditions, we do what my sisters and I experienced. The day before, my son and I dye eggs. I'll probably let my daughter help this year, too. When they wake up on Sunday their Easter baskets are filled and waiting where they'll see them (coffee table or kitchen table). THey see them as soon as they get up. The Easter eggs are already hidden in the back yard. I leave a little piece of cotton ball in the back door and bring their attention to the fact that the bunny must have got his tail caught. We should check the backyard to see if he's still there! And then we hunt for eggs.

HTH!

At that age I did baskets with coloring books, maybe a ball or a stuffed animals. I think every child should experience getting candy on there clothes at Easter (what fun to get out,huh?),"chocolate easter bunny", but do the simple candy like fruit snacks, for the plastic eggs just buy the different candies in the individual bags and stuff in the eggs, that way he can just shake the eggs. The biggest thing is just seeing their surprise to open the eggs. Just walking around with the little bag of candy, doesn't mean that he will get to eat it, just gives them an opportunity to show other what they got out of the egg.

As far as the traditional things for Easter, at that age if my kids don't get a chance to go to an Easter egg hunt or we didn't go to church that day. I did an Easter egg hunt throughout the house, it was fun. Try decorating the house with them or just coloring and decorating easter eggs. Of course teaching them the true meaning of Easter is the biggest tradition.

Good Luck.

I have not read through the responses so I might be repeating. I like the dollar section at target they have books, stickers, tattoos if there is something cute I will usually get it and save it. For a long time my son thought raisins, craisins, yogurt bites(gerber yogurt melts)fruity cheerios, were candy you can use that. He figured out what the real thing is on Halloween and it was all down hill from there. We don't really have any traditions yet my son is 22 months, but there are a lot of places doing Easter activities so you could look online and see if you find something close by. He will do the Easter egg hunt at church, and for his basket I will put a few hot wheels cars, or little trucks or trains, sand toys($10 max). If I do use candy its gummy snacks. We use/will use the same basket every year, its a soft tonka truck with a handle. I'll take my hubby and kids out to eat after church, that's all we do.

C.;
I never have done much at Easter because it is a church holiday. You may want to go to Family Christian store and get a couple of books about Easter.My kids always got a book and maybe a pievce or two of candy. Once they got a little older, then jewelry, notepads and special Easter items from FCS. Then for an easter egg hunt you may want to try change for his piggy bank. Even at two, they know what money is....or use real eggs, like we used to...if you want, wrap them in clear wrap. Unless there are allergies, a piece of candy or two, may make it even more special, since that would be the only time he gets any...just a thought.

We do an egg hunt every year with the fillable eggs. My kids don't like real eggs but we have nieces and nephews who loved them when they were small. I put gummies and fruit snacks in them. We do allow candy in the eggs, too. Crackers and cookies are an excellent idea and I think I may do that, too. As far as the baskets go, last year the Easter Bunny brought a new swimsuit/trunks, beach towel, flip-flops, sunscreen, some inflatables for the pool (this was all stuff that I would have had to buy anyway), and then I got them bubbles and other small toys. I put very little candy in the baskets, just a few novelty candies like a Tootsie Roll filled bank, that sort of thing.

This year, my daughter (almost 5) is getting an art easel. She is an art freak. For her basket, I bought paper, brushes, paints, markers, etc. to be used with the easel. Our son (almost 10) is getting an assortment of Mario Brothers figures, some Funkey Monkeys and a SpongeBob game. I think I went a bit overboard this year. It's hard to control myself because I really enjoy making the baskets.

What is wrong with real EGGS? Cook them, dye them, hide them, find them, eat them!

My almost 2 year old doesn't know that there is supposed to be anything inside. He just had a blast finding them.

Hi C.,
We also have a 2 yr old boy who we just put in cheerios or goldfish in the eggs for. He never knows the difference & he'll have plenty of time for candy later! :)

We stuff our eggs with things like teddy grahams, goldfish, and real fruit juice fruit snacks. they come in little indevidual bags in the lunch box packing area of your grocery store, or even some of the toddler snacks in the toddler food area would work. Hobby lobby has larger eggs. They are easier to find and have more flexability to stuff them with things.
For the basket, DD usually gets a religous book, some fun Easter type bubbles, and a large chocolate Easter bunny for every one to share. We don't usually spend more than $20 total.

Stuff the large plastic eggs with fruit snacks. One little prick with a needle or pin and you can roll up the individual bags to fit into the egg. Quarters work well in the small eggs. Instead of a lot of small toys, get some of the larger, more suitable ones and number them. Place something with a corresponding number inside the egg.
Use books as basket stuffers. (Don't forget to get new crayons if you get a coloring boo!) Balls also work well. In fact, we hid balls with the eggs last year. (Fewer eggs to make a good sized hunt.) Remember that one as young as yours is going to tire quickly so don't hide more than you're willing to finish finding!

I put stickers in my daughters eggs. She is a sticker lover.

You could probably put cars in your little boys easter basket. Or does he like sports. They have soft sports balls that he could play with. Good luck.