This year the Easter Bunny is going Allergy-Free and filling baskets with non-food treats. For those in need of some inspiration, here are a few ideas.
Books
Books are a great gift no matter the occasion, and the best thing about them is that you can find books for as little as $1 (Dollar Store or Target's One Spot). All of my children love the "If you give a..." books, and this Easter version, while not the typical style, features the sweet Mouse and is a cute preschool selection. Monk will be getting the Easter Touch and Feel Board Book in his basket this year.
Balls
What child doesn't love a bouncy ball. I swear we can't pass up one of those bouncy ball vending machines at the grocery store without hearing the jarring requests for quarters. Local drugstores, dollar stores and superstores all carry fun selections that would be good additions to baskets. Bouncy balls come with an added benefit of getting the kids outside to play (or getting you a broken glass depending on the situation.)
I found these cute striped balls at Target.
Legos
While they are more on the expensive end of things, we are a Lego household. Jag is quite literally obsessed with Legos and thankfully they package minifigures individually and sell a few bagged kits for under $10. The 2014 Easter set from Lego can be found here.
Continuing the Lego theme, I found a water bottle topped with Mr. Lego Head and a Unikitty nightgown on Zulily when they cleaned out their Lego Movie stock.
BTW...if you don't already shop on Zulily, you should check it out. They always have fun holiday gift ideas and have even featured Allergy Friendly companies AllerMates and Enjoy Life Foods in the past 6 months.
Sidewalk Chalk
Every kid loves sidewalk chalk, and for Easter you can find it in the shapes of eggs, bunnies, chicks, etc. To keep things interesting, I found sprayable chalk at our local Walgreens. I figure that I have basically set myself up to have the house graffiti-ed, but at least it is washable!
Allergy Note: Be careful when purchasing chalk if your child has dairy or casein allergies as some chalks can contain casein as a binding agent.
Puzzles
My kids love puzzles. They are great for Easter baskets and are super easy to find at your local dollar store. My last visit to the Dollar Tree had Disney Princesses, Doc McStuffins, Avengers, Mickey Mouse and several other options.
And if you want to bring a little of the meaning of Easter into your baskets, our local Dollar Tree always has a good selection of Bible Themed puzzles and coloring books.
Toys
Most small, tinker-type toys that would fit in an Easter basket are great for immediate gratification, but are horrid a few days later when they break, or ever worse, end up jammed into the arch of your foot during a late night trip for a glass of water. There are, however, a few exceptions to this rule when it come to what keeps their attention and holds together.
Packaged in a cute little Easter Egg, the bunny earred Hex Bugs are new for us this year. Santa did bring a hex bug with reindeer antlers this past Christmas and it was (and still is) a big hit, so I expect nothing less of this toy, pink ears and all.
Girls Only!
Speaking of squealing girls...There are some things that I remember getting in my basket every year that my sweet Punkin loves to see in her's. Nail polish, fun plastic rings, hair accessories, lip gloss or basically anything beauty related will bring a huge smile to her face. If you are looking for a polish that is free from harsh toxins such as Formaldehyde and Phthalates, Zoya Nail Polish is great, albeit a bit more expensive than the usual beauty brands. Their Spring colors are super girly too!
Stuffed Animals
What Easter basket would be complete without a stuffed bunny or chick. Whether it is Ty or Gund, Easter just isn't the same without a fluffy little something that you will later have to scour the earth to find a bedtime! My sweet Monk will be getting the sweet cuddly bunny below, which was a steal when I found it on Zulily. Punkin has the same bunny in pink, which she received as a baby gift, and it is the perfect bedtime sleeping friend.
Candy
If you opt to add a little sweet to your kiddos baskets, Kids with Food Allergies has compiled a great list of allergy-friendly Easter candy. Check it out here!
Need a recap of great places to shop for Easter goodies?
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