75 Easter-Basket Ideas for Kids of All Ages
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Easter baskets are theChristmas stockingsof spring, and there’s an art to stuffing them with a mix of delightful surprises and practical goodies without spending a gazillion dollars. So I’ve compiled a list of excellent Easter-basket-filler ideas for kids of all ages, whether you’re shopping for atoddler, a7-year-old, ateen, or all three. Each one is small enough to fit in an Easter basket or big enough to double as one and costs less than $40. But don’t dillydally in making your selections: If you order ASAP, you can still get many of the items below by this Sunday, April 5, depending on your delivery location. Wait any longer, and you’ll probably need to rely on local store pickup.
As is the case with any holiday that different people celebrate differently, your personal approach to the Bunny-and-basket tradition may vary wildly from mine. But here’s my tried-and-true advice: If you want to go “big,” focus on fillers that you were going to buy anyway and pass them off as presents — think new swimsuits andgoggles, a fresh supply ofsidewalk chalk, a card game or otherportable toyoractivitythat will come in handy during spring and summer travels. For older kids especially, throw in a just-because goodie or two, whether it’s candy, agift cardto see a movie or get a little treat with their friends, alip gloss, or ablind box. And finally, keep the basket itself quite small so you don’t have to do too much to make it look abundant, or pack everything into another equally gift-y item, from atoy wagonor a bucket for the beach to aBagguor a belt bag.
Updated on April 1, 2026
I added a several new picks, removed a few that are sold out or definitely won’t arrive before Easter, and checked prices for all products. Now that we’re in “last-minute shopping” territory, delivery times will vary based on where you’re shipping to, so pay close attention to each retailer’s estimates and guidelines.
Easter baskets and fillers for kids age 3 and under
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My elder daughter received these color-matching and shape-sorting eggs when she was 6 months old and played with them daily for at least a year.
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Or here’s another shape sorter in the form of a wooden carrot patch: Each carrot is a different width and fits into only one matching spot on the board, so there’s a puzzle to solve once they’re plucked.
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Toss one of these colorful tablets into the tub, and the water will turn a vibrant shade of red, blue, or yellow; use more to learn real-time lessons about color-mixing. Strategist writer Liza Corsillo says they’ve brought so much excitement to her 3-year-old son’s nightly bath that she’s had to start rationing them.
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This simple wagon from Green Toys is made from recycled milk jugs and has plenty of space to hold Easter loot. My daughters loved theirorange onefor years, even after they’d grown way too tall for the pull string.
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Even for younger kids who won’t grasp how trendy they are,Jellycatstuffies are irristably soft and undeniably adorable.
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This cargo truck is also a 3-D puzzle that breaks down into nine pieces.
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Kids can build standard towers with the pieces from Melissa & Doug’sBlockablesline of wooden blocks or use the included connectors to link them into shapes like the barnyard animals in this Farm Friends play set.
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Each of Mudpuppy’s pouch puzzles has 12 pieces and zips into a nearly flat storage bag that’s easy to toss in a backpack or tote. There are several scenes to choose from, includingWoodland Picnic,Rainforest,Under the Sea, andConstruction Site.
DUPLO is LEGO’s larger cousin that’s easier for toddlers to build with and harder for them to fit into their mouths. These three sets are small and spring-y.
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Egg-shakers: a perfect “my first musical instrument” that also hits the Easter theme.
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If you prefer wooden shakers over plastic ones, each of the five in Haba’s set makes a different sound.
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A classic and heartwarmingly competitive tale of a parent and kid who love each other to the moon — and back.
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These palm-grip crayons are one of our best-selling gifts for1-year-oldswith a shape that helps develop fine motor skills. They’re also nice for slightly older kids who tend to be a littleroughwith traditional crayons — and especially apropos for Easter.
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For artists who are ready to graduate from palm-grip crayons but still working on their pincer grasp, these half-size Crayola Pip Squeak markers are a nice next step that fits nicely in small hands.
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The stylish kids’ sunglasses from Babiators are sized to fit small faces and come with an enticing guarantee: If they’re lost or broken within a year of purchase, the brand will replace them for merely the cost of shipping.
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Thesefriction-powered construction vehiclesdon’t require much effort or skill to get them going, so they’re easy for young kids to play with. They’re also sturdy enough to survive countless trips down a playground slide.
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A classic pail makes a great alternative Easter basket, and comes in handy for backyard mud-making and summertime sand-schlepping. This heavy-duty, German-made option won’t crack even if it’s filled with heavy seashells.
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When my elder daughter turned 1, this dump truck was her hands-down favorite birthday present. It comes in three colorways (pink and purple,red and yellow, andblue and orange), and it won’t hold a ton, making it a perfect “basket” for younger kids who will be more than happy with a piece of candy and a trinket or two.
Easter baskets and fillers for kids ages 4 to 8
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New Yorkfeatures editor Julia Edelstein swears by this “silent” basketball, which her two sons love and that bounces quietly enough that it doesn’t disturb any neighbors in their apartment building.
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Magna-Tiles are probably the most valuable toy my family has ever owned in terms of sheer hours of playtime. This set of spring-themed mini-tiles comes in a tin that makes it conveniently portable for travel.
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Speedo Kids’ Swim Goggles
For the kid who’s already in a summer state of mind, these easy-to-adjust swim goggles look like sunglasses and are gentler than most on delicate hair. They come in lots of colors and styles, too — even a slickpair of aviators.
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Ooly makes some of our favoritekids’ art supplies; these nifty markers have regular brush tips on one end and emojilike stamps on the other. (There’s also aSnoopy version, made in collaboration with thePeanutsempire.)
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These chubby carrot-shaped markers are also delightful and especially on theme.
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Playing with Wikki Stix is almost like having an extremely lo-fi 3-D printer. I first learned about them at a restaurant that handed them out to kids in place of crayons; they’re made of yarn that’s coated in food-grade wax, and they’re bendable and sculptable into all sorts of creations. Plus the colors don’t mix and get muddy, the wax doesn’t dry out, and the pieces don’t get tangled or permanently stuck.
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NeeDoh fidgets are one of the hottest toys on the market right now— if you can find them in stock. This extra-large version of the brand’s familiar Nice Cube packs some serious squish.
Editor’s note: Needohs of all shapes and sizes areconstantly selling out and restockingat retailers all over the country. Your best bet is to keep stalking IRL stores and refreshing the links below and hoping you get lucky.
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According to my own kids, if you can’t get your hands on a NeeDoh, the next most-popular squishy is a semi-transparent stress ball called a Gump, made by the brand Speks. They come in a range of pastel colors and two sizes; the regular size is sold individually, and the mini comes in a pack of six. Squishies shaped like dumplings, giant bananas, sticks of butter, and blocks of cheese are also very trendy
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No matter which age group you’re shopping for, LEGO has something for everyone. My fellow Strategist parents and I especially love the three-in-one sets.
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GUI GUI Slime Kit
I have begrudgingly made peace with the tactile appeal of slime (though I still force my kids to play with it on a plastic tray).Gui Guiis one of the big names right now — there are lots of varieties, frombutterto gloss, and the kits come with all sorts of mix-ins. Plus there’s a blind-box element since the color you get is a surprise.
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I’d go so far as to call this card game a new classic: Our PTA gifted a copy to every elementary classroom in our school district, and it’s been a hit during a harsh winter full of indoor recess. Players chant the game’s title, in order, as each person plays a card from their hand. When the spoken word matches the card, everyone races to slap the pile, and the last one to do so takes the cards — the first to get rid of their cards wins.
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Soft Beaded Jump Rope
Jump ropes are a classicoutdoor toythat kids can start getting the hang of around age 7 or so. The beaded ropes in this set of two are easy to carry in a backpack for practicing at school or the park and have a good weight to them that makes it easier for beginners to learn.
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It’s easy to get obsessed with thisTetris-esque brain-teaser game that prompts players to place one of the 12 shapes in a specific spot on the board and fit all the rest into the surrounding grid. I put it in my younger daughter’s Easter basket right after she turned6 years oldand was impressed by how quickly she grasped the concept; if you have puzzlers in your midst, I’ve seen a range of age groups get totally hooked (my 10-year-old is also a fan), and there are lots ofmore-advanced versionstoo.
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The latest Beyblade tops come with a rip cord to start each one spinning. If you’re shopping for more than one kid,get a fewso they can battle with each other.
Squishmallows are still popular with a wide range of kids, particularly if they align with a special interest. There are new styles launching all the time, from a boba-sipping dragon toPokémoncharactersto a cow with a chocolate bunny.
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Spring is the perfect time to crack open a fresh box of sidewalk chalk.
Easter baskets and fillers for tweens and teens
The blind-box trend knows no bounds. Some of my daughters’ current favorites areBaby Threes, most of which come on aLabubu-esque keychain so they can double as abag-charm; they also have moving eyes that make them very doll-like. But there are truly endless options for every kind of trinket kid.
The bag-charm trendalsoknows no bounds; here are a few to add to their cluster, including acreepy-cuteSpongeBobFuggler, alanky Jellycat frog, and aLEGO Stormtrooperwhose foot is a flashlight.
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It’s a blind box. Its a bag charm.Andit’s areal working digital camera. Triple whammy!
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A cotton candy bath bomb for sweet-scented self-care.
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Posca’s paint markers are vibrant enough to pop on a wide range of materials and beloved by artsy tweens and tweens.
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My 10-year-old nephew really enjoys playing with Shashibo’s magnetic fidget cubes, which expand into an array of prismatic shapes (and can combine with other cubes if you have more than one).
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Replenish their favorite Touchland scent, keep the germs away.
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Even though I try avoid giving my kids more candy, these Swedish gummies are good enough to make an exception if you’ve got a teen who’s ready to level up from Sour Patch.
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If they don’t already have one of these silicone suction phone mounts, it will let them stick their phone to nearly any flat surface. (There’s also aMagSafe-compatible version, if you’re willing to spend a little more.)
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One of the most teen-friendly Easter “baskets” imaginable is a Baby Baggu filled with their favorite candy, snacks, and gift cards. Once the goodies are gone, they can reuse the bag for whatever they want.
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Dutch Blitzis an all-time Strategist favorite, even if it’s been known to briefly tear families apart. But any card game that isn’t overly complicated to learn and doesn’t take too long to play is a winner in my book.
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For a non-card game that’s just as portable, the expandable cup for this simple dice game doubles as its carrying case.
While a lot of the Strategist staff are pretty firmly onTeam Owala, whatever statuswater bottleis on their wish list will make a splash — and can double as a “basket” if you stuff it with a gift card and a sweet treat. I’m currently eyeing theOwala FreeSip Sway, which fits in cupholders and has a more comfortable carry handle than the original design. And Hydro Flask’s latest mini model — the 13.5-ounce Micro Hydro — is especially endearing (though you can still goeven smallerif you desire).
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If they want something from Rhode,just get them the Lip Tint.
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For more discerning Jellycat collectors, instead of a predictable bunny, might I suggest this grinning peanut all dressed up for a space rodeo?
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For the frag head in training, Sol de Janeiro’s hair and body mists are a favorite in this age group and come in over a dozen scents.
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One of our favoritegifts for bookworms (that isn’t a book), a clip-on reading light is handy for readers of any age.
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Nike Everyday Plus Cushioned Socks
Why not throw in a new pack of Nike socks for their fresh spring fits?
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Kickit Birdie Soccer Trainer
For kids who are into soccer, this birdie trainer will help them up their juggle count. But it’s also fun to play with in a group, hacky sack-style.
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Agift cardto get a little treat with their friends will not go unused.
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