Chocolate can absolutely overwhelm the Easter season. It’s everywhere – advertisements, school, kindy, shop displays and even hippity-hopping around shopping centres.
But a lot of parents are resisting the urge to over-indulge during this season and are trying to pass that on to their children. This can be for a host of reasons. There may be concerns about allergies, a hesitance to overload on sugar or simply looking for something a little more meaningful than a chocolate rabbit. That being said, it can be hard to face allowing your kids to miss out on the magic. But there are solutions to be found.
If you’re looking for Easter gift ideas that aren’t chocolate, then you’re looking for something meaningful that will last long after that bunny has hopped off into the distance.
Here are some great ideas to round out your Easter basket.
Books
The written word is a powerful thing, and all the more so when it’s shared with our kids. Purchasing age appropriate, exciting and engaging books for kids can be a great Easter gift that’s NOT chocolate. This is a gift that will just keep on giving as your children devour the written word instead of empty calories.
Reading together is a great way to bond with children of any age. Consider a series of books for an older reader, a ‘touch and feel’ book for little ones and some great picture books for the in-betweens.
Clothes
Stores will also be stocked with super cute Easter outfits! But, this time of year also heralds a change in season, so now would be a great time to stock up on some essentials.
Allow your kids to get involved by asking them to help you with your selections. Let their individuality shine through their clothing choices! (Within reason. Spiderman costumes at formal functions are somewhat looked down upon.) Pyjamas are a popular option and you can generally pick them up pretty cheap.
Small Toys
Easter is about new life and renewal. Work with the kids to clean out their toy cupboards (more on that later) and talk to them about the kinds of things they’d really like to have. Work together to find solutions to their toy dreams. Kids could perform chores around the house to work up some money (matched by you) to go towards that special gift that they’ll find on Easter morning.
Well-chosen toys are Easter gifts that aren’t chocolate that will far outlast anything that a chocolate factory could produce. They can be educational or inspiring or just plain fun!
Art and Crafts
Spend time with your children on Easter morning putting together some wonderful arts and crafts that encapsulate the joy and delight that comes with any special occasion. You could pass these gifts on to happy relatives or display them around the home to remind yourselves of a morning well spent.
Cookie Decoration
Package up some biscuits and little marshmallows or small lollies for a cookie decoration activity. Not only do the kids get to have fun, you also get to avoid the mass amount of chocolate being smeared on your walls and couch. Be prepared for a bit of a sugar high though.
The Act of Giving
Remember the idea about toys? Take unwanted items to charity, get involved in supporting charities that give back or volunteer time at a soup kitchen or meal service. This promotes the twin ideas of charity and sacrifice that Easter is supposed to be all about.
The Gift of Time
There is no better gift to give our kids than time. Take a picnic or be a tourist in your own city. Make cubby houses at home, let the kids help cook a pancake breakfast, put on music and dance. Just enjoy your time together. They’re only little for so long – make the most of these precious hours together.
Useful Items
Just like clothing, Easter is the perfect time to upgrade other usual items. Make a gift basket with water bottles, themed bowls and cups, colouring books, hats and even jigsaw puzzles. The possibilities are endless.
Money
This is fast becoming a popular choice for grandparents, aunties and uncles. The Easter Bunny often brings more than enough chocolate and candy eggs so a small cash donation instead allows kids to buy whatever hot new toy is on the market. Within reason of course! You might also enjoy: Ways to teach kids to save money.
Easter Gifts That Aren’t Chocolate
There is life outside of the chocolate aisle! If you’ve got any other great ideas for non-chocolate based Easter gifts then feel free to share in the comments.
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My 3yo is obsessed with pj masks. Thanks for the opportunity to win this amazing prize pack and all the other amazing competitions.
I always give my girls bunny pajamas, hair accessories and arts and crafts activities it may be Autumn but it’s usually way to hot here for chocolate eggs anyway no one wants chocolate puddles for Easter
This would be awesome to win as I have 5 grandchildren rangeing from twins at 3months ,3, 6 and 10yrs old.
My 3 year old is getting a pj masks cup, bowl and spoon and my 3 month old is getting his first toothbrush!
We love to give gumboots ready for winter, pajamas, dressing gown, slippers.
We do an Easter egg hunt with crocheted Easter eggs. I give my kids an educational toy or game, or a book.
We always give our grandsons LEGO kits and craft activities to keep them occupied during school holidays and 1 small kinder surprise bunny each. Too much chocolate makes them hyper and no one needs that especially parents and I think they appreciate that ??
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Congrats!! You have won.
Congratulations to the lucky winner, what a great prize
Last year the bunny left our kids a crafty Easter treasure basket filled with a whole heap of craft supplies, play doh and cookie cutters. It has kept the kids being busy crafty bunnies ever since. Let’s hope the bunny can replenish stocks this Easter to keep the crafty fun going.
Pyjamas and water bottles
Arts and crafts are fun to do
Using scissors, paint and glue.
The kids are too busy to eat
Their Easter chocolate treat!
Pajamas, books, slippers
Love giving my kids, nieces and nephews some cute body washes and shampoos that smell divine. There’s some cute Easter themed ones at the shops.
Our Grandkids absolutely love PJ Masks , l know they really would have so much fun with this wonderful prize
An egg cup. My Nanna gave me one each Easter.
A new book and a new set of warm pjs. Reading we can do together as a family so it makes it the gift that keeps giving and once Easter hits, Tassie cold weather sets in so warm pjs are a must.
My girls are a huge fan of fluffy toys (even though they drive Mummy a little bit crazy) – so this year the bunny is bringing Beanie Boos (oh, and a Dobby plushie for my Harry Potter obsessed elder daughter).
my kids love getting craft and other creative things for fun during the holidays
My sister is especially good at this as she isn’t keen on indulging her kids in sugar over Easter. This year we caught up early and she gave my 3 bubble mixture to play outside with and books for us to read together. All very sensible but they absolutely LOVED it and there wasn’t even any question about where the eggs/chocolate was at all! Go sis! 😀
I love giving books,
with a special note inside.
Something that says “You’re special”
Something that makes them smile.
We paint boiled eggs and them eat them with lunch!
Over Easter our baby was born. The kids in our family have given our Easter bub the cute nickname of Bunny. The arrival of our baby girl made our Easter extra special this year. A bub isn’t something that we can deliver upon every year but items like sun hats, winter beanies and sunglasses certainly are. The kids think they are pretty cool wearing items left by the Easter Bunny or Santa and keep them on. Gotta love that!
We love a matching pair of socks, all the others we own seem to be odds!
We’re always in need of bigger sized jocks,
Character T’s with Elsa, Owelette, or Batman were a welcomed surprise this year, they haven’t come off since!
But it’s the mug that tops our favourite non chocolate egg gift received this year. Now each evening we enjoy a hot chocolate cheers!
My kids get winter PJs and socks! This year they also got the Bunny scruff a luvs! Soooo much better than chocolate!
Pj’s, Easter Book and a Easter Egg hunt using the little plastic Eggs hiding a little toy in each one ?
Kids get so Excited over Easter!
Keeping with the Easter theme my kids normally get Easter P.Js, Easter craft sets, and an Easter book. This year they also got the eggs that hatch into dinosaurs but any sort of hatchimal etc is a good alternative.
Keeping with the Easter theme my kids normally get Easter P.Js, Easter craft sets, and an Easter book. This year they also got the eggs that hatched into dinosaurs but any sort of hatchimal etc is a good alternative.
I like to get presents they can keep and remember for years to come
New pyjamas and slippers just like my mum and gran used to do.And a bunny for their first Easter ,I still have my first bunny 36 years later
My kids always get easter pajamas. This year they also got hooded poncho blankets. Slippers have been popular in the past as have easter dvds like ‘Hop’.
The best alternatives I have seen are pajamas, books, crafts, electric toothbrush, bunny plush toy and Easter themed movies