I had so much fun putting together Lyla’s Easter basket this year! Holidays are one of my favorite parts of motherhood. I thought I would share some Easter basket ideas for babies and toddlers, since those are the stages I’ve experienced. I’m linking everything through Target because they have reliable shipping and you can earn points by using Target Circle, but these are just examples! I filled Lyla’s basket with items from a variety of stores.
Safety tip!! Before you read anything else, my number one tip for Easter baskets for littles is to use the paper grass instead of plastic. Babies and toddlers put everything in their mouth, and if they put that plastic in their mouth, it’s either going to gag them, or cause problems if it gets swallowed. At least paper shred will get wet in their mouth and is less likely to present a problem. Of course the ideal scenario is them not eating their basket grass, but I’m a realist.
0-6 months
Save your energy and keep it simple. There’s nothing wrong with skipping an Easter basket at this age if it’s not something that’s important to you. Motherhood is full of obligations that don’t always make sense for your child’s age. You are their whole world and beyond that, they really don’t need anything. If you do decide to do an Easter basket, try finding a container you can use for something, like nursery storage, so you’re not just buying a basket for this one occasion. If you do want to do a gift for them, you can’t go wrong with a classic:
- Bunny stuffed animal
- Activity book
- Teether
- Rattle
- Jammies (I put these in Lyla’s basket last year and I can still see those little bunny feet!)
6-12 months
At this age they will give you a little bit of a reaction, but they still don’t need much to be impressed. You certainly don’t need to do all of these, but here are some ideas:
- Stuffed animal (I linked another bunny, but Lyla also loved Squishmallows at this age)
- Board book
- Eggs filled with puffs or other age-appropriate snack or treat
- Stacking cups
- Freeze-able teether (this is the age they will really start cutting teeth)
- Pajamas
- Paci clip
- Hooded towel for bath time
- Bath toy
- Silicone bibs
- A sun hat for outdoor play as the weather warms up
18 months+
By 18 months, they are doing and understanding so much more. Here’s what I’m putting in Lyla’s basket, plus a few other suggestions I’ve gotten recently or plan to get soon.
- Rain boots
- Rain jacket
- Swimsuit
- Sidewalk chalk
- Bubbles
- Small chocolate bunny (like, verrrrry small)
- Pajamas
- Board book
- Eggs with puffs
General tips:
Here are two tips that have helped me keep this a fun tradition instead of a stressful obligation:
Remember they’re just babies. As much fun as it is to spoil them, don’t put any pressure on yourself. These years will make up our memories, not theirs. Have fun with it but don’t stress out over it. Easter is about gathering to celebrate what Jesus has done for us by defeating death forever! The Easter basket is just for fun, and you don’t have to knock it out of the park in these early years.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed or stuck, try choosing a theme or color scheme to limit your choices. For example, Lyla’s “signature color,” (Steel Magnolias, anyone?) is a lavender purple, so I always incorporate it into her gifts. I also found those cute mint pajamas I linked the day I bought her eggs & basket grass, so I decided to make her basket purple & mint themed. It helped so much as I picked other things to fill it in, because it narrowed my choices and made it easy to decide. Similarly, this year I themed it around the first item I found, which was a pair of rain boots with Thumper from Bambi on them. I decided to do a Thumper theme and ended up finding a Thumper book and pajamas without even trying. If you’re someone like me who loves putting gifts together but has trouble not buying ALL THE THINGS, a theme will help simplify and streamline your shopping so you don’t get distracted by something shiny.
As you celebrate Easter this season, I pray you take time to reflect on the hope we celebrate. This time of year is equal to Christmas for me. I get so excited for all the pastels, the meals shared with family, the warming weather that lets us enjoy outside, and how spring is such a reflection of God one day making all things new. Happy Easter to you & yours!
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