Easter Gifts for Every Basket, From a First Easter to the Grown-Ups

By the Gift DeskUpdated October 8, 202620 hand-picked ideas

The short list

Start the basket hereKids Easter Basket with Handle and Grass~$16
Better than candyButterfly Growing Kit~$30
For a baby’s first EasterPlush Easter Bunny Stuffed Animal~$19
For the Easter hostSpring Bulb Garden Pot Kit~$22

Easter morning has its own particular rhythm: a basket at the foot of the bed, a sugar rush before breakfast, a hunt in the backyard that ends with one plastic egg nobody can find until July. Unlike Christmas, it’s a small-gift holiday. The point is a basket that feels generous and a morning that feels like spring, not a pile of expensive presents.

This guide is built around the basket. We start with the basics that fill it, then move on to spring toys that get kids outdoors, gifts for a baby or toddler’s first Easter, and a few for older kids who insist they’re too old for the whole thing. There’s a section on how much candy is enough, and some gifts for the grown-ups, including whoever is hosting the family lunch.

Most of the kids' ideas here also work as small spring birthday gifts; see birthday gifts for kids for more. For a baby’s very first basket, our gifts for babies guide has extra ideas, and our main gifts for kids list is sorted by age.

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Basket basics

The core of any Easter morning: something to carry, something to hunt, something to dye and something sweet. Buy these a couple of weeks ahead; the seasonal aisle empties fast in the final days before Easter.

1.
Kids Easter Basket with Handle and Grass
World Market Bunny Ears Easter Basket Kit
A sturdy fabric-lined basket with a handle and paper grass. Choose one solid enough to reuse every year, and add the child’s name if you can.
On Amazonabout $16
2.
Fillable Plastic Easter Eggs Assorted 48-Pack
Fun Little Toys Printed Fillable Easter Eggs, 48-Pack
Forty-eight snap-shut eggs for the backyard hunt. Fill some with stickers or coins instead of candy, and count them so none are left to melt.
On Amazonabout $15
3.
Easter Egg Dye Decorating Kit
Color tablets, wire dippers and stickers for dyeing hard-boiled eggs. Messy, cheap and one of the best family traditions of the season.
On Amazonabout $5
4.
Gourmet Jelly Bean Assortment
Jelly Belly 50-Flavor Jelly Bean Gift Box
Dozens of distinct flavors with a guide, which turns eating them into a guessing game. A small upgrade on the bag from the drugstore.
On Amazonabout $40
5.
Milk Chocolate Easter Bunny Assortment
Hollow chocolate bunnies in a few sizes. The ears always go first, and that’s a debate every family has to settle for itself.
On Amazonabout $20

Know exactly who it’s for?

Spring things that get them outside

Easter usually lands just as the weather turns, and the best basket gifts give kids a reason to run out the door. These all cost under $30, and most work for ages four to ten.

6
Kids Kite
In the Breeze Jewel 30-Inch Diamond Kite
An easy-flying kite for a breezy spring afternoon. Adults end up holding the string as often as kids, and nobody minds.
On Amazonabout $15
7
Butterfly Growing Kit
Insect Lore Butterfly Garden with Live Caterpillars
A mesh habitat with live caterpillars, usually shipped later by voucher. Kids watch them turn into butterflies, then let them go.
On Amazonabout $30
8
Bubble Wand and Solution Set
Oversized wands that make giant, wobbling bubbles. A crowd-pleaser for every age, including the grandparents watching from the porch.
On Amazonabout $13
9
Jumbo Sidewalk Chalk Set
A bucket of chunky chalk for driveway art and hopscotch. Easy for small hands, and the first rain cleans up everything.
On Amazonabout $12
10
Kids Grow-Your-Own Flower Garden Kit
Dan&Darci Paint & Plant Flower Growing Kit
A windowsill kit with seeds and soil discs. Planted on Easter weekend, the first sprouts usually show up within a week or two.
On Amazonabout $18
11
Kids Gardening Tool Set with Watering Can
A child-size trowel, rake, gloves and watering can. A good gift for a kid who loves helping in the yard, especially in spring.
On Amazonabout $25

A first Easter for babies and toddlers

A baby’s first Easter basket is really for the photos, and that’s fine. Skip the candy and the small plastic eggs entirely for children under three, and go for something soft, something to read and something to keep.

12
Plush Easter Bunny Stuffed Animal
B. toys Plumberry Bunny Plush
A soft, floppy-eared bunny, made to be safe for babies and toddlers. It looks lovely in a first Easter basket and often becomes a favorite toy for years. Keep it out of the crib for young babies, as with any plush, and follow safe-sleep guidance. Write the year on the tag if you’d like a keepsake.
On Amazonabout $19
13
Soft Cloth Crinkle Book
Lamaze Peek-A-Boo Forest Soft Book
A fabric book that crinkles when squeezed, with bright pictures to grab and chew. It’s a great alternative to candy for a baby’s basket, and it survives drool and the washing machine. Parents will appreciate a gift that doesn’t add sugar to the morning.
On Amazonabout $15
14
Easter Picture Book Bundle for Kids
The Night Before Easter by Natasha Wing
A set of three illustrated Easter stories for ages three to seven. Reading one aloud on Easter morning is a calm way to start a busy day. For a toddler, choose stories with short text and big pictures, and keep them for next year.
On Amazonabout $11

How much candy, and what to put in instead

There’s no rule, but a basket doesn’t need to be all chocolate. Many families settle on a mix: a chocolate bunny, a handful of jelly beans, and then a few small non-candy gifts. Spring toys, books, art supplies, a new pair of sunglasses or socks, and seed packets all work. If you’re filling plastic eggs, stickers, temporary tattoos, coins and small erasers are as exciting to a five-year-old as candy, and they don’t cause a crash by lunchtime.

Always check for allergies before giving candy to someone else’s child; nut allergies are common, and a lot of seasonal chocolate carries a may-contain warning. For an egg hunt with kids of different ages, give each child a color to find, so the four-year-old isn’t outrun by the nine-year-old. And hide the eggs for the youngest ones in plain sight. The smiles are worth more than the challenge.

For kids who say they’re too old for a basket

Around ten, some kids start to claim they’ve outgrown Easter. Most of them still want a basket; they just want it to feel more grown-up. Swap the plush for a project.

Our favorite15
Tie-Dye Kit for Kids
Squeeze bottles of dye, rubber bands and gloves for making shirts, socks and tote bags. It’s the natural next step from dyeing eggs, and it suits a warm spring afternoon in the backyard. Add a few plain white shirts so they can start right away. Lay down a tarp; dye stains everything, including fingers for a day or two.
On Amazonabout $20
16
LEGO Classic Creative Brick Box
A big box of mixed bricks for open-ended building. It’s an easy basket gift for an older kid who still loves building but has outgrown smaller sets. Challenge them to build an Easter scene or a bunny before lunch.
On Amazonabout $20
17
Kids Science Experiment Kit
Thames & Kosmos Kids First Chemistry Set
A box of safe experiments with plenty of fizzing and color changes. It’s ideal for an Easter Monday or the rest of a spring break, when kids have time on their hands. Choose one rated for their age; older kids want experiments that feel real.
On Amazonabout $45

Easter gifts for the grown-ups

Adults don’t expect much at Easter, which makes a small gift all the more welcome. These suit a spouse, a grandparent or whoever is hosting the family meal.

Spring is the theme that ties them together. Something that grows or blooms over the following weeks keeps the holiday going a little longer, and it’s easy for kids to help choose, carry in and present at the door.

18
Spring Bulb Garden Pot Kit
Holland Bulb Farms Spring Treasure Potted Bulb Garden
A pot with spring bulbs that bloom on a windowsill or porch. It makes a lovely host gift for Easter lunch, longer-lasting than cut flowers and very much in the spirit of the season. It suits grandparents who love their garden and anyone who’d enjoy a bit of spring on the kitchen table.
On Amazonabout $22
19
Adult Easter Basket with Tea, Chocolate and Candle
Easter Tea and Treats Gift Basket
A basket for grown-ups with good tea, fine chocolate and a candle. It’s a thoughtful way to include a partner, mom or grandma in the basket tradition, especially if the kids help put it together. A nice gift for someone who always makes everyone else’s Easter.
On Amazonabout $45
20
Herb Kitchen Windowsill Kit
Indoor Herb Garden Starter Kit
A kit for growing herbs like basil and parsley on a sunny windowsill. A good, low-key hostess gift for a cook, and kids can help plant it on Easter afternoon. Fresh herbs by early summer are a nice reminder of the visit.
On Amazonabout $25

A few Easter basket rules

Mix candy with small non-candy gifts. A basket feels just as full with a kite, a book and some chalk.
Check for allergies before giving candy to other people’s children.
Leave candy and small plastic eggs out of baskets for children under three.
Count the eggs before the hunt, so you know when they’ve all been found.
Need a few more ideas? Ask our gift finder for Easter gifts by age and budget.

Easter gift questions

What should I put in an Easter basket besides candy?

Spring toys like a kite, bubbles or sidewalk chalk, a picture book, a flower growing kit, a butterfly habitat, art supplies, socks or sunglasses. Fill plastic eggs with stickers, coins or temporary tattoos.

What is a good Easter gift for a baby?

A soft plush bunny, a cloth crinkle book or a board book. Skip candy and small plastic eggs for babies and toddlers.

How much should I spend on an Easter basket?

Most families spend $20 to $50 per child. Many of the best basket fillers cost under $15, so it’s easy to make a basket feel generous without overspending.

What can I bring to Easter dinner as a gift for the host?

A pot of spring bulbs, an herb kit, a box of good chocolates or a small basket of treats for the grown-ups. Something they can enjoy after the meal is always welcome.

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Basket basics

Know exactly who it’s for?

Spring things that get them outside

A first Easter for babies and toddlers

How much candy, and what to put in instead

For kids who say they’re too old for a basket

Easter gifts for the grown-ups

Shop this guide by price

Under $25

$25–$50

A few Easter basket rules

Easter gift questions

Related gift guides

Basket basics

Know exactly who it’s for?

Spring things that get them outside

A first Easter for babies and toddlers

How much candy, and what to put in instead

For kids who say they’re too old for a basket

Easter gifts for the grown-ups

Shop this guide by price

Under $25

$25–$50