Between church and school and other activities, I NEVER buy candy for our candy jar, and it’s always overflowing! Needless to say, I have no wish to add more candy to our stash when it comes to holidays like this.
But I do LOVE using Easter as an excuse for gift giving! Usually it ends up being an excuse to grab a few things that are needed, but I always like to throw in a couple special surprises.
Last year, here’s what E’s Easter basket was stuffed with…
- A NEW EASTER DRESS FROM Storytime and Stitches. I cannot say enough about Yolanda’s work! Almost all of E’s dresses have been made by her. They are both quality and comfortable…and her twirly dresses have THE BEST twirl! (If you sign up for my newsletter ASAP, I am sending out a discount code for her shop tomorrow…just for newsletter subscribers.)
- 3-MINUTE GRATITUDE JOURNAL FOR KIDS. This is the sweetest gift for a child. E loved filling it out last year. Each page has a space for things they are thankful for, a space to draw or write about the best part of their day, and a couple of other reflective questions.
- JOURNAL. E had been asking for a journal for some time so she could take notes during church. Her journal from last year is almost full, and it’s about time to get her a new one. This journal is my go-to when I need one. I love that there are so many color options to choose from.
- SPOT-IT. It’s always fun to add in a simple game if there’s space, and this one was a real winner. It’s simple enough for very young children, and quick enough to play a few rounds in just a couple of minutes.
This year we’ve gone a little bit of a different direction with things.
- CHRONICLES OF NARNIA AUDIO DRAMAS by Focus on the Family Radio Theatre. We just finished reading through this series, we’ve watched all the movies, and now it’s time for the audio dramas. I’ve had my eyes on these for ages. I have such sweet memories of listening to these with my Dad. But I’ve just been waiting for E to be old enough. Easter seemed like the perfect excuse to finally get them for us. I’ll put them in E’s basket, but really they’re for me. (Don’t tell her. Lol.) The biggest issue with these, is that they are SO EXPENSIVE. But I checked on eBay and got them brand new for a STEAL! So don’t forget to check there first before you buy!
- ANNIE CRAFT KIT BOX. This is something I’ve seen around for a long time, but never tried. When I saw they had a deal recently for a free box (just pay shipping), I thought it would be a perfect addition to the Easter basket…especially since E loves doing these kinds of things! Nothing beats FREE! If you missed that deal, it looks like you can get your first box for 50% off using the code JOIN50. Just don’t forget to cancel your subscription if you only want one box.
- BRAIN QUEST Q & A CARDS. I’m still thinking about purchasing these for the Easter basket. It seems like it would be a really fun addition. They come in packs for all different ages. Each stack of cards has hundreds of questions covering all your typical school subjects. It’s a great way to make learning fun while testing their knowledge. My friend keeps a basket of these in the car, and it gives the kids something to do if they are bored.
- BOOKS. Is that surprising? Now that E is reading pretty well, you better believe she is getting books any time I have an excuse to give them to her. I’m trying to decide between two different series to add to her Easter basket. I’m looking at the Heartwood Hotel Series and also the Mandie Collection that were around when I was a kid. I’m leaning toward the Mandie books just because we are getting ready to listen to the first two books on Hoopla. That will give her an introduction to the series, and I think will get her both interested and excited about reading more of them on her own.
And that’s a wrap! Hopefully there are a few good ideas here for you to grab for your own children to round out their own candy-free Easter baskets.
Gifts are fun, but don’t forget to teach your kiddos the REAL meaning of Easter…the real reason we celebrate and give gifts. Without the resurrection of Christ, we could not have the greatest gift of all…salvation!
A few of the links here are Amazon affiliate links. If used to make a purchase, I will receive a small commission from Amazon at no extra cost to you! So THANK YOU!