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Candy Alternatives

A few tweaks to your Easter basket routine can make the holiday fun and memorable.

While candies shaped like bunnies and eggs are always crowd-pleasing favorites for the Easter holiday, you can make the day extra special for kids with some less sugary treats that can be enjoyed year-round. For a joy-filled celebration, get inspired with these fun and egg-cellent ideas for Easter baskets:

Great Books: Books unlock new worlds and ideas, making them great gifts on any occasion. Easter is no exception. Use the opportunity to stock children’s shelves with fiction by favorite and new-to-them authors, as well as non-fiction books on subjects of interest to them. With the thoughtful gift of brand-new titles to discover, they’ll be well-prepared to stay engaged and entertained during the downtime of spring and summer vacation ahead. A few thematic ideas include, The Good Egg: An Easter and Springtime Book for Kids and The Velveteen Rabbit.

Cool Toys: Make children’s days tweet-tastic with VTech Gabbers, fluffy bird buddies that can be brought along on adventures by sliding a fabric-covered magnetic egg under one’s shoulder sleeve and perching the bird on top. Three different colored Gabbers: Jay Blue, Finch Pink and Owl White, all sing, make funny sounds and will repeat and tweet the things kids say in a funny voice. Whether you gift one bird, or all three, this will be a beloved and adorable addition to any Easter basket. Another cool idea that puts a spin on Easter eggs? Switch & Go Hatch & Roaaar Eggs. They open up to include all the pieces needed to build 2-in-1 dinosaur vehicles. The line-up includes a T-rex racer, pterodactyl chopper and more.

Inspiration and Gear: Another fun addition to Easter baskets is gear and tools that support kids’ hobbies, passions and talents. For example, if you’re shopping for a young artist, consider gifting them a watercolor set, crafting kit or kid-friendly knitting needles.

For a child interested in the performing arts, you can get them started on their journey with a gift certificate for music, acting or dance lessons. Or, help get a budding athlete prepared for the spring and summer sports seasons ahead with a light-up baseball or softball, which will allow them to extend their game of catch into the evening, giving them a competitive edge.