The Easter Basket, Beyond the Candy
Toys, books, and small wonders that outlast the sugar.
There’s a version of Easter morning that’s over by ten a.m. — the chocolate gone, the plastic eggs already underfoot, the sugar doing its work. And there’s another version, where the basket holds a few things that are still being loved in July. I’m firmly in the second camp. None of this is anti-candy — it’s just that the basket is a chance to give something that lasts, and children remember the rabbit they still sleep with long after they’ve forgotten the chocolate one. Here’s what I’d choose.
Books to begin a tradition.
The loveliest Easter gift is one you can reread every spring. The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes is the classic I’d start with — gorgeous, and quietly empowering in a way that’s aged beautifully. Kevin Henkes’ When Spring Comes is all hush and anticipation, perfect for the youngest listeners. Eric Carle’s The Tiny Seed teaches patience and growth without ever feeling like a lesson. And The Bunny Book is a warm little tale about becoming who you’re meant to be — a good one for the board-book years.
Soft friends that stay.
A plush companion is the centerpiece, and the right one becomes permanent. The ballet bunny in her tutu is made for imaginative play; the Little Nibble bunny in coral blush has the softest fur and the floppiest ears and becomes an instant favorite. For the smallest hands, the tiny gray Nibble bunny or My First Bunny — the latter designed with a grip babies can actually hold. The baby bunny boy is a sweet first companion, and the Dinkum bunny Pip is the one I’d choose for naptime — subtle colors, ultra-soft, the kind of thing that ends up in every photo for years.
For hands that want to be busy.
Play that does a little quiet development while it entertains: wooden egg shakers for rhythm and small-hand sensory work, stacking bunnies for fine motor skills and the deep toddler satisfaction of building-then-toppling, and a rabbit rattle set for the infants. For slightly older artists, color-changing markers feel genuinely magical (they blend into new colors), and a Pets painting pad gives them animals to make while quietly building creativity and control.
A little bit of spring, brought outdoors.
Easter and new growth are the same story, so a few things that get children into the dirt: a junior seed-starter kit that teaches responsibility and the small daily miracle of watching something come up, a set of properly-sized garden tools for hands that want to help, and — for mess-free sensory play — a butterfly-garden squish bag that walks them through the life cycle by touch.
The basket itself.
Let the container be part of the gift. A bunny straw basket bag doubles as a summer tote and long outlives the holiday; a fluffy basket makes the morning look like the memory you want it to be; a keepsake first-Easter basket is the one you hold onto. And a fluffy bunny purse adds a bit of whimsy while giving small treasures somewhere to live.
A few notes on the morning.
Layer it thoughtfully — larger plush at the back, small treasures at the front where little eyes land first. Use real grass (start it in a shallow dish a week ahead) or paper grass, never plastic. Tuck in a handwritten note “from the Easter Bunny” that names something specific and true about your child. And if you want to stretch the joy, number a few items so they’re discovered in sequence.
The candy will be gone by lunch. The bunny will still be here next spring.
À bientôt, Eve
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