Gift Guides

Easter Basket Toy Ideas for Every Age

By GToys Published

Easter Basket Toy Ideas for Every Age

Easter baskets work best when they combine one or two quality toys with small treats rather than overflowing with candy. The basket format suits small, self-contained toys that fit in a basket without bulky packaging. Here are specific ideas sized and priced perfectly for Easter giving.

Babies (0-12 Months)

Keep it simple. A Sophie la Girafe teether ($25) from the French company Vulli has been the go-to baby Easter gift since the giraffe was first manufactured in 1961 from natural rubber and food-grade paint. Add a pair of board books with spring themes and a soft rattle. Skip the candy entirely — a basket with a teether and books is perfect.

Toddlers (1-3 Years)

Sidewalk Chalk

A bucket of chunky sidewalk chalk ($5-8) signals that outdoor season has arrived. Crayola makes a washable formula that cleans off driveways and patios with a hose. Fat, triangular sticks prevent rolling and fit toddler grips.

Bubbles

The Gazillion Bubbles solution produces stronger, longer-lasting bubbles than homemade mixtures. A large bottle ($5) with an assortment of wands (circle, square, multi-ring) provides an afternoon of outdoor entertainment. The Fubbles No-Spill Bubble Tumbler ($5) is designed for clumsy toddler hands with a drip-proof design.

Spring-Themed Play-Doh

The Play-Doh Spring Eggs pack ($8) includes 10 mini cans in Easter egg-shaped containers. Each can is a different color. Kids play with the dough and reuse the eggs for toy storage. The egg shape makes them natural basket fillers.

Preschoolers (3-5 Years)

Melissa and Doug Reusable Sticker Pads ($5-7)

Themed sticker scenes (Habitats, Farm, Princess Castle) with over 150 repositionable stickers each. Kids create scenes, peel stickers off, and rearrange them. Each pad provides 30+ minutes of quiet play and fits flat in a basket.

Small LEGO or DUPLO Sets ($10-15)

LEGO seasonal sets are released for Easter with bunny themes, spring flowers, and pastel colors. The LEGO Creator Easter Bunny ($10) builds a rabbit, chick, or lamb from the same pieces. These small sets are specifically designed as basket fillers.

Jumbo Plastic Easter Eggs with Toys Inside

Fill large plastic eggs with small toys: mini dinosaurs, bouncy balls, temporary tattoos, stickers, and coins. The hunt-and-discover format turns opening each egg into a mini surprise. Pack 10-12 eggs and hide them around the house or yard for an Easter egg hunt that produces toys instead of candy.

School Age (6-10 Years)

Card Games

Sushi Go ($10), Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza ($10), or Sleeping Queens ($10) fit inside a basket and become family game staples. Card games are the most underrated basket fillers.

Craft Kits

Klutz friendship bracelet kits ($13) include thread and instructions. Perler Bead small kits ($8) include a pegboard, beads, and ironing paper for one project. Shrinky Dinks ($8) let kids color, cut, and bake plastic sheets that shrink to hard charms.

Outdoor Toys

A Waboba water bouncing ball ($8) bounces on water surfaces. Stomp Rocket Stunt Planes ($15) launch from a stomp pad and do loops and barrel rolls. Both signal that spring outdoor play has begun.

Teens

Skip the traditional basket format. Instead, fill a reusable bag with a quality card game ($10-15), favorite candy, a gift card to their preferred store ($15-25), and a book ($10-15). Teens appreciate practical gifting over themed presentation.

Easter Basket Assembly Tips

Building a great Easter basket is about variety and presentation. Start with a sturdy, reusable basket that can become part of the child’s room decor after the holiday. Use grass filler sparingly since too much makes it hard to find the smaller items nestled inside. Place the largest item at the back as the visual anchor, medium items at the sides, and small treats and toys throughout the front. Consider a themed basket where all items connect, like an art-themed basket with crayons, a sketch pad, stickers, and a small paint set. Dollar store finds mix well with one or two quality items to create a full-looking basket without breaking the budget.