Easter Gifts That Aren't Chocolate

Why look for Easter gifts that aren't chocolate?

Nobody's saying cancel the eggs. The trouble is how many turn up. Grandparents, aunts, godparents and the school fair can all hand over an egg, and a child can end Easter Sunday with more chocolate than they'll eat by May.

For some families it's not about quantity. A child with a milk allergy can't have most Easter eggs, and a child with diabetes has to count every one. Others would just like one or two eggs and something else to open.

A toy also lasts past the long weekend. It doesn't melt in a warm car or get eaten before breakfast, and it's still around when the eggs are only foil.

How to do an Easter egg hunt without chocolate

Fillable plastic eggs that open in the middle are the easiest way to do it. Children still get the fun of finding and opening an egg, and you decide what goes inside.

1. Fill the eggs with small toys. Stickers, a rubber, a bouncy ball or a small fidget all work. Check that each toy fits before the day, because a toy that only just fits is a pain to get out with cold fingers.
2. Mix in a few chocolate ones if you like. Most hunts end up with a bit of both, and that's fine.
3. Count the eggs before you hide them. Write the number down. Someone always asks if they've all been found, usually in the dark.
4. Set a fair limit. "Five eggs each, then help the little ones" stops the fastest child clearing the garden.
5. Give toddlers their own hunt. Use a different colour of egg for under-threes, filled with things that have no small parts, and hide them low and in plain sight.

Plastic eggs can be reused every year, so the cost of buying them goes down each Easter.

What to put in an Easter basket instead of chocolate

An Easter basket works best with one main thing and a few small extras, the same as a party bag or a stocking.

• A book, especially one with a spring or animal theme
• Seeds and a small pot, so there's something to grow over the holidays
• Pavement chalk or bubbles for the garden
• A small fidget that can go back to school in a pencil case
• One chocolate egg, so it still feels like Easter

For older children, one decent toy and a single egg is often enough. Younger ones tend to like more things to unwrap, even if each one is small.

Easter gifts for older children and teenagers

Egg hunts lose their shine at about the age children start rolling their eyes at them. Older children often still like being included, though, so give them a job. Let them hide the eggs for the younger ones, or set them a harder hunt with clues.

For their own gift, think about something they'd use after the holidays. A fidget that goes in a school bag for revision season is a sensible pick, since Easter falls just before summer exams. A silent one is the better choice for that, and our guide to fidget toys for teenagers goes into which kinds suit them.

Are toys more expensive than Easter eggs?

Usually, yes, at least compared with the small eggs. A bag of mini chocolate eggs costs less per egg than any toy we make, and we'd rather be honest about that than pretend otherwise.

The comparison changes with the big boxed character eggs. If a relative asks what to get your child, a small toy and one egg can cost about the same and last a lot longer.

Multipacks bring the cost per toy down if you're filling several eggs or baskets. One trio split between three cousins' baskets goes a long way.

Which fidgets work for Easter?

Small ones that make sense straight away. An Easter hunt is quick and excited, so a toy that needs explaining tends to get put down.

• Clickers are a favourite with most children and fit easily in a basket. They do click, so they're one for the garden rather than the car.
• Little spinners are easy to share between siblings.
• Flexi animals suit a spring theme and get carried around all day.

Every toy we make is 3D-printed by us in Kent, in small batches, from PLA, a plant-based polymer. Each one carries the UKCA mark and is made to the UK toy safety standard, BS EN 71. Our toys are not suitable for children under 36 months because they contain small parts, so keep them out of the toddler hunt.

Give yourself time for the post before the Easter holidays and check our delivery page when you order. For more small gift ideas, see our guide to fidget toys under £10, or our party bag fillers without sweets, which works just as well for an Easter party.