Simple Easter Basket Ideas for 2-year-old

Easter is an exciting time for kids, especially for 2-year-olds who are just beginning to understand the holiday. But they are also still so young that finding appropriate easter basket ideas can be difficult.

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While it's tempting to fill their Easter basket with candy and little toys, there are other creative and more meaningful ways to celebrate (that also make it super simple for you!)

This blog post will share some simple Easter basket ideas for 2-year-olds.

Simple Easter Basket Ideas for 2-year-olds

If you're looking for inspirational gift ideas for toddlers, this list has you covered! But be warned,  it's not going to be filled with a bunch of inexpensive filler toys that have little play value. We don't promote that here. 

It's best to keep your gift-giving simple for any holiday, including spring or easter baskets for your children. So here are a few highly curated gift ideas that will promote high-quality play and not clutter up your house.

Spring-themed books

Reading books is an excellent way to introduce young children to new ideas and concepts, and even though I try to be super minimal with kids' stuff in general, books are the one place I don't restrict (I was an English teacher, so it's hard!).

Look for age-appropriate board books about spring, Easter, bunnies, or chicks. A few great options include “The Runaway Bunny” by Margaret Wise Brown, “Llama Llama Easter Egg” by Anna Dewdney, and “The Itsy Bitsy Bunny” by Jeffrey Burton. Here is a list of all our favorite spring and easter themed book ideas for toddlers.

Art supplies

We all know young children love to get creative and messy, so why not include art supplies in their Easter baskets? We love gifting art supplies because they don't just add toy clutter to the house.

Consider including beeswax traditional crayons or even egg-shaped crayons, finger paints, coloring books, or stickers, as these are great choices to help their fine motor skills. These materials will encourage their creativity and imagination and keep them entertained for a long time.

Outdoor toys

Springtime means spending more time outdoors, so consider including some outdoor toys for their Easter basket. Even simple items like a bubble machine, bubble wands, old-school plain bubbles, sidewalk chalk, or a small ball can provide hours of entertainment and promote physical activity. Keep in mind the more simple, the better!

Bath toys

Bath toys are a great option because we all know toddlers love water play! I have always used bath time as the time to reset if we are having a long day because I know it will help relieve stress for my kids (and myself!). Here are a few of our favorite bath toys.

Experience gifts

Instead of filling their Easter basket with material items, consider giving them the gift of an experience. Purchase tickets to local events like a children's museum, zoo, or aquarium. This will create a lasting memory and provide an opportunity for quality time with your child.

Again, remember that your 2-year-old does not need elaborate gifts (or any gifts at all!). The absolute most important thing is spending time with them and exposing them to different activities–which is why an experience gift is a perfect option for their age.

Personalized gifts

Personalized gifts can be a fun way to give them something more meaningful. Consider ordering a personalized book through Wonderbly or a monogrammed backpack like this one from LL Bean. If you wanted to splurge, you could get them a reading chair from Pottery Barn Kids.

Puzzles or games

Puzzles and games are excellent toys that can provide hours of entertainment and are a fun way for you to play with your child without having to really “play,” if you know what I mean. Choose age-appropriate puzzles or games to challenge your child's problem-solving skills and promote cognitive development.

Healthy Snacks

While some candy is fine, consider filling their Easter basket with healthy snacks or healthier versions of your kid's favorite snacks. Some great options include real fruit snacks, yogurt tubes, granola bars, or applesauce pouches. We usually try to stick to chocolate bunnies, and a few healthier but fun snacks (think Annie's bunnies cracker snacks). For candy, we do try to limit artificial dyes, and there are tons of candy now that uses natural dye–you can even find Jelly Beans with natural dye. 

Stuffed Animals or dolls

At this age, children are starting to get into more into imaginative play and often love playing with stuffed animals–getting a stuffed bunny is the perfect way to include a toy connected to spring! JellyCat makes our favorite stuffed animals, and they have many adorable stuffed bunny options. You could also consider a baby doll–we love the dolls from Olli Ella. Stuffed animals and dolls are a great way to encourage imaginative play for your toddler.

Sensory play gift ideas

Sensory play is huge in the toddler years, but there is no need to run to Pinterest to curate tons of fancy sensory bins. Getting some simple sensory items like kinetic sand, rice, or uncooked pasta could be the perfect addition to your simple easter basket. Sensory play can happen inside a pot or pan you have, so again, don't feel like you need a perfect set-up. 

How to stuff your easter baskets for 2-year-olds

We love to use hand-dyed play silks to lay in the bottom of our Easter baskets–they are much better for the environment versus that plastic grass basket filler sold everywhere, AND they double as an incredible open-ended toy that will be played with for years to come.