Easter Basket Picks for Babies and Toddlers
I’ll be honest, I have been hitting another pandemic wall recently. This winter has felt extra long since it has been more isolated than ever. And with that, I have not been very motivated in any aspect of my life.
Sometimes when I’m feeling that way, I online shop. I know, you’re probably thinking to yourself right now: “Maggie, this is terrible advice!” And you may be right (haha), BUT, my theory is this: If all I want to do is sit on my couch and scroll on my phone, I can either be productive with my scrolling or not. And, luckily, this day in age you can practically run most of your errands from your couch and your phone! So that’s what I did.
I turned to my Seasonal Shopping List to see what was next up on my shopping to-do list, and, believe it or not, it’s Easter! As Jackson gets older, holidays get more and more fun, so this shopping spree has been delightful. (Plus, shopping for spring things gives me even more hope for the warmer days ahead of us!)
With all of my excitement, I decided to round up some of my favorite picks for baby & toddler Easter baskets. This list is a combination of things we got last year, things we got this year, and things I’ve loved along the way!
Easter Baskets
Every great Easter basket starts with the basket itself. I was amazed at how many cute ones are out there! Here are some of my favorites and some (hopefully) more affordable options:
Easter Basket Fillers
Practical Things
When I’m picking out a gift, I love to make it practical in order to avoid waste and over-spending. If this recipient is already going to need the item anyways, and it’s something they love, then I know I’ve found a winner. This is pretty easy to do with babies and toddlers, and this list is just the beginning of some of my brainstorming!
As far as snacks go, we prefer to stay away from straight-up candy for babies and toddlers, because there are other beloved options out there, like these bunny-themed snacks by Annie’s (how perfect for Easter!). And obviously you can never go wrong with pouches…
Jackson is absolutely obsessed with his Crocs! He even took his first steps in them – I think they helped give him a little bit of extra traction. He outgrew his pair from last fall, so we got him his next size up for the spring. He already found them and begs to put them on all of the time.
These socks double as puppets! We got them as a gift and love them.
Jackson recently got a large cut on his face (don’t worry, he’s okay and it’s healing!), but because of that we quickly became well-acquainted with the world of Band-Aids and toddlers. Although the injuries themselves and the ripping-off-of-the-band-aid part certainly aren’t fun, the stickiness and fun designs are! Welly in particular is great at making bandages more fun. (For example, they call them “Bravery Badges.” Is that not just the cutest thing you’ve ever heard?!)
Books
We have this board book, and I love how explicitly it presents the gospel! I am sure we’ll use it for years to come.
These foam books are particularly great because they’re safe for a car seat, so they are our on-the-go entertainment of choice right now.
Toys
Jackson has a Poke-a-Dot book that he absolutely loves, and it keeps him playing independently for a good amount of time for someone his age. So of course I jumped at the chance to get these cards when I saw them! I think they’ll be even easier for him to manage now, and they’ll be educational as he gets older.
We got this Teething Egg for Jackson last year when he was 6 months old, because we thought the “egg” theme was so cute for Easter! Luckily, he absolutely loved it and clung to it all of the time. I am now considering getting the molar version for him now that he’s 1.5 years old and in the process of getting his molars.
Easter Pajamas
One of my greatest shopping weaknesses is holiday pajamas. Luckily, I restrained myself to just one set for this holiday (we got the Burt’s Bees Eggcellent Pajamas), but I was tempted by so many others…
Magnetic Me is one of my favorite brands for newborns through about 6-9 months. It makes those frequent diaper changes SO much easier. This is the one item that I recommend to people who want to give a surprise or off-registry baby gift, because: (1) new parents don’t know what they’re missing until they experience the magic of the magnets (lol!), and (2) there is no limit to the number of easy newborn sleepers a new parent could want… because every one means less laundry.
Happy shopping, all! Hopefully looking forward to spring days will bring you some more hope like it did for me.
But most of all, may you find hope in the true meaning of Easter:
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” -1 Peter 1:3
