Easter Basket Ideas (Without Candy!) from a Kids’ Activities Expert

There’s nothing like a classic stack of colorful construction paper to give kids endless possibilities for creative projects from homemade cards to simple collages. It’s easy for little hands to cut (with safety scissors and supervision), fold and glue, making them a versatile starting point for many craft projects.

This set of 18 water-based paints comes in small paint pots with a brush included, making it easy for kids to dive right into a craft project. The washable formula rinses easily from hands and most clothing, which makes cleanup easier for parents. These are a fan-favorite in my house––my sons and I use them for nearly every craft project. I especially love how easily they wash off of surfaces that my little guys inevitably splatter paint onto.

A pack of colorful craft sticks is a staple for kids’ art projects, whether they’re building mini houses, making puppets or creating picture frames. These brightly colored packs are easy for kids to glue, stack or decorate as they experiment with different craft ideas.

A set of soft, colorful pom-poms can be glued, stacked or decorated in all kinds of art projects, adding texture to your kid’s crafts. This pack includes a whopping thousand multicolored pom-poms in assorted sizes, giving kids plenty of materials to experiment with different designs. They’re an easy addition to a crafty Easter basket and a fun way for kids to practice creativity and fine motor skills as they work on their projects.

These colorful Easter sticker sheets let kids decorate eggs and characters by adding eyes, mouths and other fun details to create their own silly faces. This set includes multiple-themed sheets, giving kids plenty of chances to mix and match designs while decorating cards or crafts. My boys love completing these and I’ve found them to be a great tool to help my older son practice fine motor skills.

This colorful geometric puzzle set challenges kids to arrange colorful wooden shapes into different patterns and pictures. As they work through the designs (or invent their own) kids build spatial reasoning and problem-solving skills while staying engaged in hands-on play.

This Easter-themed activity book challenges kids to search busy illustrations for hidden objects using a bright highlighter. With scenes featuring bunnies, eggs and springtime surprises, kids reveal the hidden details as they color and solve each puzzle. Seek-and-find books like this help keep kids focused while building observation and concentration skills.

These question and answer cards turn learning into a quick game kids can play almost anywhere. With hundreds of prompts organized by grade level, they cover early skills like phonics, counting and problem-solving while keeping kids engaged. We've got the pre-k edition here, but McLeod tells us they're available for multiple grades. “They’re fun because you can ask friends and family [the questions] but you’re learning at the same time,” she says.

This simple wooden toy creates a fun visual illusion as the connected blocks flip and cascade down the ribbons when you turn it over. Kids can keep their hands busy flipping it again and again while watching the satisfying chain reaction of blocks falling into place. Toys like this are great for keeping little hands occupied and sparking curiosity about how things work!

Math games like Adsumudi turn number practice into a playful challenge as kids work to reach the target number on each card. Along the way, they practice basic math concepts while building problem-solving skills. McLeod recommends games like this because of their educational value in sharpening math and thinking skills.

McLeod loves sensory toys that offer relief from tantrums, and I can attest that Play-Doh is a staple calm-down item in our house. Plastic eggs filled with Play-Doh offer a fun surprise that kids can squish, roll and shape right away. Each egg contains a small amount of Play-Doh in bright colors, making them a playful alternative to candy in an Easter basket. The soft, moldable dough encourages creative play while offering a satisfying sensory activity for their hands.

Watching beads tumble, glitter swirl or sand slowly fall inside these clear tubes can be surprisingly calming for kids. Each tube offers a different sensory experience, giving little hands something simple to flip, watch and explore. McLeod calls them a great “calm-down item,” noting that toys like these can help kids pause, refocus and regulate their emotions.

Kids press, peel and flip the soft silicone pieces on this sensory board as they explore different textures with their fingers. The simple fidget activity keeps little hands occupied while encouraging tactile play. McLeod says toys like this are “fun to take on the go.”

Squish, stretch, squeeze and pop! This set of colorful sensory toys gives kids plenty of ways to keep their hands busy. With a mix of textures and fidget-style toys to explore, it offers a simple way for kids to release energy and stay engaged during quiet moments, car rides or travel.

Inside these soft, gel-filled mazes, small beads move through winding paths as kids guide them along. The simple challenge gives little hands something to do, and we love how it offers screen-free focus time.

My boys love these, and they’ll definitely find a new tin in their Easter baskets this year—it’s the kind of sensory toy they pick up easily, and I love that it doesn’t stick to surfaces like slime. This option is color-changing from deep blue to purple and pink with the warmth of your hands.

Curious kids will love taking a closer look at the world around them. This portable, digital microscope lets them explore everything from paper and insects to fabric and coins. With high magnification and a small built-in screen, it’s easy for kids to explore ordinary objects they find around the house. This is one of McLeod’s and her children’s favorites. “It really encourages you to look at the world in a different way that you don’t normally see. You can take it on walks… getting active with some of these is fun, too.”

Colorful magnetic wands are a handy addition to any science-themed Easter basket, giving kids a hands-on way to explore the basics of magnetism. Designed for small hands, the easy-grip wands can be used to pick up metal objects, test what materials are magnetic and experiment with simple science concepts through play. “You can use these for a bunch of different science experiments,” says McLeod.

While this colorful sand might not look unusual at first, it has a special water-repelling coating that lets kids mold and shape it underwater while it stays dry. When removed from the water, it instantly returns to normal sand, giving kids a hands-on way to explore how different materials interact with water. “Look for products that come with a science explanation behind it, and then your kids can learn about the topic related to the product,” McLeod advises.

Add a mystery element to play with this activity book filled with hidden messages, secret codes and puzzles that kids reveal using a special invisible ink pen. Each page includes clues, jokes and activities that encourage problem-solving while letting kids create their own secret messages.

Introduce kids to basic programming concepts with this screen-free coding toy. Children program the mouse by pressing directional buttons to create a sequence of steps, guiding it through mazes and toward its “cheese” goal. Along the way, kids practice sequencing, problem-solving and early logic skills. “It's an early step into coding and learning how to move a mouse,” says McLeod.