10 Great Easter Treats That Aren't Candy
To keep your family from overdosing on candy and sweets this year, we found 10 affordable treats that work for both Easter baskets and egg hunts -- and these are sure to leave you and your kids hopping with joy.
Overview
Giant milk-chocolate bunnies and multicolored candy eggs aren't the only way to celebrate Easter. To keep your family from overdosing on candy and sweets this year, we found 10 affordable treats that work for both Easter baskets and egg hunts -- and these are sure to leave you and your kids hopping with joy.
Easter-Themed Temporary Tattoos
Painting eggs isn't the only way to add color to your Easter celebration. These super cute Easter-themed temporary tattoos from TattooSales.com are just as colorful and fun. They're all made in the USA with dyes that exceed FDA safety standards so that you know they are safe for your kids to use them. And if you get extras, you can even use them to decorate eggs! RECOMMENDED AGE: 3+. COST: Individual tattoos (great for stuffing jumbo eggs) start at $0.62 each, while a sheet package of 50+ tattoos (better for Easter baskets) is $3.99.
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Freeze-Dried Fruit
Sure, you could go with nature's candy and give them raisins, but freeze-dried mango, blueberries and bananas are much more exotic and fun. Karen's Naturals carries a wide selection of organic dried fruit, including strawberries, apples and a fruit munchies assortment. There's no oil added and it's not sticky like other dried fruit. Be aware of the powdery crumbs from the brightly colored berries that might get on clothing, particularly if your children are dressed in their Easter best. RECOMMENDED AGE: 1+, except the blueberries, which should not be given to kids under 3. COST: Around $2 per snack bag — prices vary per fruit variety.
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Easter Stickers
An old favorite takes on a new twist: make-your-own stickers. Choose from bunny stickers kids can "dress up" with little outfits and accessories or egg stickers they can "paint" with stickers of decorations. And for those who prefer to celebrate in neon, KidsLoveStickers.com also carries glow-in-the-dark Easter stickers. Bonus: It's a family-owned company, and all their stickers are made in America. RECOMMENDED AGE: 3+. COST: 90 stickers, individually packed or on a roll, are $6.25. Shipping is $8.95 for up to $60 worth of stickers.
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Egg Shakers
Shake it up with these bright egg shakers from Meinl. Nestle them in a basket or, for an egg hunt, hide them on their own or slip one inside another plastic egg. They fit nicely into children's hands and are neat treats for little music makers who like to keep the beat. RECOMMENDED AGE: 3+ (Younger children should not be permitted to play with them unsupervised, since the shakers may break and spill their beads if dropped on a hard surface.) COST: $7.99 for four.
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Play-Doh
Give your children creativity instead of sugar with Play-Doh, now available in individually wrapped packages that fit snugly inside a jumbo plastic egg. Or fill an Easter basket with one-ounce containers of Play-Doh Plus, a softer, fluffier Play-Doh (think frosting consistency) that allows for more finely detailed creations. RECOMMENDED AGE: 2+ (Younger children should not be permitted to play with it unsupervised, since they could try to eat it.) COST: The Play-Doh Box o' Color and Play-Doh Plus Variety Pack are available at retailers such as Amazon, Target and Walmart. Prices may vary.
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Hexbugs
Spring for these tiny battery-powered robotic creatures that behave like real bugs—just flip them on, let them go and watch them skitter across the floor. If you give two or more, have your kids hold a race, nudging the Hexbugs back on track anytime they go astray. RECOMMENDED AGE: 3+ COST: $20 for a set of five. You can also buy them individually for $4.99 each, but you can't choose the color when you buy them online. Shipping cost depends on your location, but will probably run around $5 for a set.
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Bunny Grahams
Want to offer your kids something sweet yet free of trans fats, saturated fats and cholesterol and made with whole-wheat flour? Give your honey bunnies Honey Bunny grahams! The 1-ounce Annie's organic snack packs are ideal for baskets, but the bunnies can also go directly into plastic eggs for a hunt. RECOMMENDED AGE: 1+. COST: $5 for a 7.5-ounce box.
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Silly Putty
Invented in 1943 and still American-made, Silly Putty is a classic now available in a Spring Fun Pack of light blue and pink eggs with matching putty inside. Though it doesn't transfer newspaper inks as well now that many newspaper (and magazine) inks are soy-based, you can still use Silly Putty to pick up and stretch out pencil drawings, and it still bounces and stretches just like it did when you were a kid. RECOMMENDED AGE: 3+ (Younger children should not be permitted to play with it unsupervised, since they be tempted to eat it.) COST: Get it for $4.85.
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Marbles
Once played by ancient Egyptians and Romans, marbles are still used in games and prized as little lucky treasures. For simple fun, give kids an empty egg carton and have them see how many marbles they can toss in the cups. RECOMMENDED AGE: 5+ (Younger children should not be permitted to play with them unsupervised, since they could try to swallow them.) COST: $5.50 for 100 assorted cat's eye marbles from GlassMarbles.com. Marbles with a design on them (like the heart and globe marbles shown) start at $2.49.
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Personalized Keychains
Using ribbon, tie a personalized keychain featuring your child's name or monogram onto their Easter basket to label it. Later, they can attach the keychain to their backpack or lunchbox. For an egg hunt, order a keychain featuring a group photo of all the kids who will be at the hunt or choose an Easter-themed picture any little one would like. RECOMMENDED AGE: 5+ COST: $7.50 per keychain from GracefulCorrespondence.com.
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More Ideas
Still looking for more inspiration? Here are some more ideas: gold dollar coins (get shiny new ones from the bank), Super Balls, pistachios (bonus: they're egg-shaped!), whistles, kazoos, LEGOs (check out LEGO.com's Easter bunny set, or tuck a few individual Legos into plastic eggs), mini bottles of bubbles, Matchbox cars (especially the three-packs packaged in eggs), self-inking Easter stamps, barrettes or hair ties, jacks with a ball, polished colored rocks, and small animal figures.