11 Easter gifts for 2024 (that aren't chocolate)
It’s a holiday filled with discarded golden wrappers, backyard scrimmages with wooden baskets, and a sugar crash that takes out every sweet tooth in sight.
But what if it wasn’t?
Easter doesn’t have to mean tantrums through chocolate-stained cheeks and infighting over who got the bigger piece. Whilst your family might not be able to escape chocolate bunnies entirely – the revolt and consequent parent guilt probably isn’t worth it – temporary relief is possible by peppering the indulgent long weekend with some non-chocolate goodies too.
We know what you’re thinking; “Yeah….that would take me on the express train to ‘most boring parent ever.’” But if you lend us this bit of your time, we promise you’ll see the light. Easter gifts can be just as sweet without the need for chocolate treats.
1. Decorate some wooden eggs
Not all Easter eggs need to be cast in chocolate, though they definitely taste better that way.
Wooden eggs can act as a mini oval-shaped canvas for your kid’s Easter-inspired creativity. Conjure up a craft space – and by that, we mean to prepare the splash zone – before laying out pencils, markers, paint pots, and an apron for good measure.
Inspire your kid for true mastery by helping them to pick out a few patterns or colours they like, before letting them design their own egg.
These Easter gifts can become super cute keepsakes for your family that you can pull out every year and say, “Oh wow – remember these?”
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2. Bunny pattern pyjamas
Snuggling up on the Easter long weekend is infinitely cosier when your kids are wrapped up in bunny-themed pyjamas.
Soft fabric to curl up in on sleepy mornings and warm sleeves to keep them toasty as the autumn chill comes around – a good pair of PJs does it all. They keep kids comfy through all the holiday mayhem, from movie nights to bright and early egg hunts in the garden.
Whether you go with a generic print or a more iconic bunny like Peter Rabbit or Miffy, this Easter gift will have your kids gleaming with excitement.
3. Easter chalk eggs
Got a tiny toddler who’s decided that the living room walls are a gallery and they’re the featured artist?
There’s a fine line between letting your kid ‘explore their imagination’ and being forced to abandon any architectural digest dreams in the dust.
Chalk eggs are not only wonderfully festive; they’re also a lot easier to clean up. Most of them, like the below ones from Micador, can wash off with water. The round shape grips easily for tiny hands and gives them control over their creations, turning their big ideas into adorable art.
This Easter present can be used on anything from blackboards to pavement and even brick walls.
4. Cuddly bunnies
When your child isn’t elbowing their cousins out of the way for a chocolate egg, they’re probably interrogating you about all things Easter Bunny.
- “Where does the Easter Bunny live?
- “Does the Easter Bunny have a family?”
- “Why does the Easter Bunny have to hide the eggs? It’s so much work.” (This one’s normally accompanied by a sigh before downing more sugar).
Most parents are certified world champs at BSing, but it doesn’t hurt to have a scapegoat. Or should we say, scape-bunny.
At the point where those questions get a tad too close to home, hand them a super-soft and cuddly toy bunny as their Easter present. This floppy-eared friend will be clutched to their chest in no time.
Easter Bunny who?
5. Easter colouring-in book
We could all do with a little structure now and then. Even in our artistic endeavours.
An Easter colouring-in book hooks your kid’s attention for a good chunk of time as they flip through and fill in the pages. Skip the “umming” and “ahhing” in front of a blank page – the bunny-and-egg-filled designs will inspire.
Your child will be so invested, they’ll forget all about the sugary side of Easter (a parent can dream).
The finished work from this Easter gift can be stuck on the wall – framed too if you’re fancy – so that they can puff out their chest with a proud smile whenever it catches their eye.
6. Stop by Sylvania
Name a toy that embodies Easter more than Sylvanian Families.
These little creatures are the cutest things around. The Milk Rabbit Family pack includes four smartly dressed bunny characters that look like they’ve come straight out of a Beatrix Potter book – perfect for some Easter-time storytelling and roleplay.
Maybe your little one plays with these Easter gifts outside in the grass or shuffles them in with their other mismatched figurines for a world crossover. If you’ve ever wanted to see a velveteen rabbit hang out with a Bluey toy, this is your moment.
7. Super-soft slippers
There’s no such thing as too many bunny references. Well, not around Easter.
So when you can combine festive feels with a cushiony pair of slippers, your kid will be going “Pinch me, I’m dreaming.”
Soft, snug, and ready to soothe even the crankiest of morning moods, these give the kind of comfort every little foot deserves. They’re supportive for sleepy-eyed endeavours and make the long weekend that much cosier.
8. Read about an egg hunt
What’s the next best thing to the sugar high of a chocolate egg hunt?
The high you get from living through an adorable dog named Spot and his Easter egg hunt. Okay not quite, but it’s a close call!
In all seriousness, reading is the perfect way to settle your little one during one of the most energetic holidays of the year. After they’ve spent the day chomping down on goodies, playing with their cousins, and trying to knick their little sister’s bunny headband – a wholesome book can come as sweet relief to the whole family.
We love tales like “Spot’s Easter Egg Hunt”, “Bluey: Easter”, and “That’s not my Bunny.”
9. Build your own bunny
For LEGO-obsessed tweens who are working on building their brick empire, the LEGO Creator White Rabbit is the Easter gift to keep them busy all weekend.
And if they’re not too hot on a white, fluffy friend, the bricks can be used to build a cockatoo parrot or a white seal. The potential for building and rebuilding stimulates their creativity, motor skills, and cognitive development. It’s also just a really nice way to spend Easter that probably won’t end in meltdown mode (assuming you’re there to help pick up the pieces – literally).
10. Stack it up
Keeping on with the notion of learning through play, this wooden bunny stacking Easter toy from Petit Collage promises to capture your little one’s attention and make them grant their creation with a name.
With different shapes, sizes, and patterns to play with, this toy adds gentle movement to playtime. It’s perfect for your ages 12+, so even your toddler can get their cute fingers on it.
11. Now that’s a hot cross-bun
Soft toys shouldn’t be just targeted at bunny rabbits – we can’t let the other Easter icons be left to the forgetful dregs!
Hot cross buns deserve some limelight too, especially when they come in the form of a cuddly plush toy. Fancy an Easter-themed tea party? Or a play-pretend bakery shop? Creative play comes alive with these felt hot cross-bun Easter presents, and they’ll put you right in the mood for a baked treat (the raisin flavour is superior to chocolate anyways).
Wrapping it up
So, did we manage to convince you?
Regulating your child’s choccie intake over the sugariest of public holidays is a mean feat; one that can cause quite the (temporary) chasm in family relationships.
But you can soften the blow with other exciting bits and bobs that make for an Easter that they’ll be raving about in the playground.
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Lise Bosch Follow +
Lise is a South African-born and Aussie-raised creative working as Kiindred's in-house writer and editor. With a journalism degree and experience in the beauty industry, she has a passion for family and lifestyle content. On her days off, she’s finding the latest and greatest brunch spots and trying to work through the longest TBR list known to humankind. It’s a work in...
