21 Amazing Easter Basket Ideas for the Under 2 Crowd

Easter in a Secular Household

Easter is a challenging holiday for me. We are not a religious family, but I was raised celebrating Christian holidays, and I do enjoy the atmosphere and fun of them. Because of this, I often struggle with things that are promoted for Easter baskets, as they are often overtly religious or filled with sugar. My first years of parenting were both the easiest and the hardest baskets I created. My oldest had no expectations, but I also had no clue what would fit into a basket or what would be fun and practical. I hate wasting money on tchotchkes that just clutter up my house and break in two days, and while I try to strike a balance with sugar – organic candy is hard to come by! This is the same struggle I repeatedly have at Christmas – where the stakes (and stress) are a lot higher.

Luckily for me (and you), I’ve had a few kids and six years of experience since that first Easter with my oldest. I’ve dropped societal expectations of what an Easter basket should look like, and developed my own. I’ve found that the best formula for baskets and stockings is to use the same categories as the five-gift rule (need/want/wear/read/experience). For little ones, I find the experience gift pretty unnecessary – all of life is still an experience!

Since holidays are supposed to be fun (and I know you’re here for the ideas, not the reading), I promise to keep this post short-ish. Let’s get to it!

NEED

I don’t know what exactly your kiddo needs. But after having three kids go through this stage, I can make some pretty educated guesses about stuff that might not be on your radar right now but that could really make a difference in your family’s life. The cool thing about the under 2 crowd is they’re really easy to please, so you can throw a bunch of practical goodies in with a few fun things. They really only care about taking everything out of the basket, anyway.

A teething necklace – Have you experienced this witchcraft?! The theory behind this is the amber activates succinic acid in the body, which is a natural pain reliever. Okay. That’s the theory. With my first kiddo, I was so sketched out by this whole operation, and being a scientist, I conducted a very scientific experiment one evening. As my kiddo was tossing and turning in her sleep (clearly in pain because she is lucky enough to be allergic to Ibuprofen), I slipped this up under her jammies, so it was on her skin but not around her neck. Within ten minutes, she had completely settled into a nice, restful sleep. Amazing. I have since used it with all my kids, and have noticed an incredible difference in behavior. I currently have a toddler who has refused to put it back on, and… wow. She is really feeling her feelings.

Teething Tubes – More sorcery headed your way. These teething tubes are fantastic. I have given them as gifts with similar responses. There are five packs on Amazon that are a way better deal but they haven’t been as well received in my own home as the original.

Wool Travel Blanket – Whether you’re trying to keep a little one toasty in winter, or comfortable during a breezy spring stroll, wool is always a great option. Wool is an amazing fiber all around, but I love that it’s self-regulating. I have comfortably used this blanket for my kids in every condition from a room next to a pellet stove to a chilly spring walk. We even carry this in the car for road trips!

Contigo spillproof cup – I never go anywhere without my water bottle. The way some people feel about their phones is the way I feel about my water bottle. I literally take it to the shower with me. It’s another appendage and has been since… high school? Anyway, I have tried a lot of water bottles for my kids (1, 3, 5) and this is unanimously my favorite. The Contigo has held up well to being thrown/dropped, it’s stainless steel, can be washed in the dishwasher, and actually doesn’t leak. The straw is straight and comes apart in the middle for easy cleaning with a pipe cleaner. Sometimes it comes apart on its own, which is annoying for the kid needing a drink “JUST RIGHT NOW,” but takes 0.3 seconds to correct.

Munchkin spillproof cup – Yes, it’s plastic. No, that doesn’t make me happy. But I’ve used this cup for all my kids to help with oral development. We literally go from boob to cup without any issues whatsoever. We have also used this cup, but I will caution that it holds like a shot glass worth of liquid, which is epic for spills but terrible for dining interruptions. Additionally, you can’t take this cup with you on the go, so you’d need a backup for adventuring.

Snack cups – Snack cups are awesome for all. the. kids. I don’t care what age they are, these things are great. I despise buying individually packaged snacks. Besides the environmental implications, it’s just not good for my bank account, and I hate paying for *packaging.* I also don’t appreciate having snacks being dumped throughout my vehicle and into the car seat. Commence meltdown mode. I have used these snack cups for the last six years. Not only are they great for keeping snacks from spilling, but they’re also wonderful for taking something big and dividing it up into smaller portions. Win-win.

Toothbrush – I always give my kids a fun new toothbrush at each holiday. From the initial teething stage to toddling, I like to give this one that they can chew use on their own. Once my kids have enough teeth that there’s 0% chance I’m sticking my fingers in their mouth, we switch to one of these electric varieties. It has a built-in light, so you can do a stealth check of how many teeth your toddler has without putting your fingers in their mouth.

Tooth Powder – Tooth powder is a great alternative to toothpaste. I love that it remineralizes and whitens teeth while cleaning, and it doesn’t have any nasty ingredients. My kids (and toddler) love Primal Life’s bubblegum and sweet peppermint flavors.

WANT

HABA eggs – HABA eggs are super sweet. These little shakers have gentle noises and introduce little ones to cause and effect. Each wooden egg has a different sound and they have made it through a lot of abuse in my home. Because they’re wooden, you’ll want to watch out if you have an aspiring little-leaguer in your home.

Egg-shaped crayons or Honesticks – For some period of time, Crayola was using a numeric system to help parents determine which art products would be best for their child by developmental stage. While it appears they’ve abandoned ship, they still make these adorable egg-shaped crayons. I love Honeysticks for the 0-3 crowd, but they’re expensive when trying to keep art supplies stocked for three kids.

Egg-shaped sidewalk chalk – adorable and more manageable for little hands to hold when they’re still palm-gripping everything. They can also be used on a wood deck if you don’t have access to a paved surface.

Stacking Cups – These take stacking cups to a whole new level. They’re clear and the bottoms have different numbers of holes and configurations. When kids are in the bath, they can see how the differing number of holes impacts how fast or slow the water drains. I’ve had a few sets of stacking cups and these are by far the favorite.

Rainbow Silks – Rainbow silks are amazing for imaginative play. My kids have used them for everything from baby swaddles to playing “ghost” with their grandparents. For tiny ones, they’re great for teaching object permanence or just watching flutter in the breeze.

Bubbles! – What Easter list would be complete without bubbles? If anticipating the meltdown of a toddler who just spilled their bubbles doesn’t give you an anxiety attack, I’m not sure we can be friends. Fubbles offers a solution to this. The container is pretty spill-proof, but the little bubble hole is definitely challenging for little people to blow and it isn’t really big enough for them to just shake it around. You may get dizzy from blowing so much, so take turns with a partner.

WEAR

Pediped Soft shoes – Just because I’m a hippie does not mean that my kids are learning to walk on gravel. PediPed shoes are machine washable and have been recognized by the APA for promoting healthy foot development. I don’t use any other brand for my babies/toddlers.

Thicker sun hat – Before the age of 2, my children do not grow hair. They are born with juuuuuusssst enough hair to make them cute, but they’re basically bald until 2. Since little people lose all the heat from their noggins, I like to put them in a thicker style hat for the spring. I’ve found that something between a beanie and a swim hat works best for this season. The Patagonia Baby Sun Bucket Hat strikes the perfect balance. It’s durable like canvas, washes well, and has a chin strap. The brim is stiff enough that it keeps the sun out of the face without flopping in the wind.

Sunglasses – My eyes are extremely sensitive to sunlight. Whether my kids choose to wear them or not, I always gift them a pair of polarized sunglasses in the spring. It’s a kind thing to do. Why polarized? It takes the glare off water and other reflective surfaces. Skipping meltdowns from squinting all day? Yeah, I’ll gamble $40 for that. Babiators will replace your glasses free of charge for life, so you don’t have to worry about your $40 investment getting lost, damaged, or destroyed. Just register your sunglasses with the code on the box, and you’re on your way to keeping little eyes healthy.

READ

I’m a bit of a bibliophile – especially when it comes to children’s books. I’m not even kidding when I tell you that I have amassed a collection of over 500 children’s books. I will literally stop any conversation in its tracks to read to my kids. Anyway, we’ve read a ton of books. Here are some great ones for a spring celebration.

That’s not my bunny – Part of the “That’s Not My” series by Usbourne, this book is an adorable touchy-feely book. We have a few of these (That’s Not My Monster, That’s Not My Reindeer) and they are all cute in their own way.

Barnyard Dance – Another adorable one by Boynton, this would be absolutely perfect for a farm-themed easter basket! There’s also an accompanying song. So if you really want to turn up the cuteness, find it on Spotify and let your little one rock out. And have your camera ready.

Tap the Magic Tree – My husband and I do not appreciate the “Press Here” series in the slightest. This book is similar but more educational and not annoying at all. It follows the changes of a tree throughout the year while giving the reader things to do to bring about each stage. I would say this book is best for children 1.5+.

Moo, Baa, La La La – Such an adorable book about animal sounds. We love Sandra Boynton. This book covers more than just a cow and a sheep, so could be perfect for any themed Easter basket – or no theme at all!

EXPERIENCES & TREATS

This category is most affordable with the little set. Most places admit kids under two free, so you could easily (and affordably) visit an aquarium or a children’s museum.

This age group loves to eat! Anything outside of their normal (and even within their normal) is fair game. Good options are cereal bars, fruit bars, Larabars, Yogurt drops (be careful with these), puffs, and rice rusks. If you’re really feeling frisky, you can try lollipops, but I wouldn’t recommend this until your kiddo is at least 1 and definitely with adult supervision at all times.

Okay okay. I know I said I’d keep it short. And 2152 words is not considered “short” in the blogosphere. I just LOVE doing holidays for my kids. So I’m going to just drop you off a cliff here and hope that you found something unexpected to add some fun to your Easter morning. Cheers!