While it’s important to keep the spirit of Easter in mind as we celebrate the spring holiday, let’s not fool ourselves – for kids, the best part of the holiday is almost always the Easter egg hunt. There’s something about the novelty of hunting down treat-filled eggs once a year that makes it an absolute blast, but the sugar rush that ensues once your kiddo chomps down all the candy inside? Most of us could do without that.
Fortunately, you don’t have to fill your plastic eggs with sweets. More and more parents are catching on and are turning away from candy, choosing to focus on other items instead. If you’d prefer to minimize the amount of candy in your kiddo’s plastic eggs this Easter, consider these fun non-candy ideas:
Find Some Fun Toys!
One of the easiest ways to fill plastic eggs without candy? Throw in some toys! There are tons of tiny toys out there that fit perfectly inside a plastic Easter egg. Not only will your kids be excited to find fun things to play with inside, but they’ll also get far more enjoyment out of them than a couple of jelly beans or a piece of chocolate!
Potential toys to hide inside your plastic eggs include:
- Slime
- Rubber balls
- Finger puppets
- Sticky hands
- Toy cars
- Accessories for a favorite doll
Get Crafty!
Does your little one love arts and crafts? Consider filling plastic eggs with the components they’ll need to make their next creation – or just fill ‘em up with an assortment of things they’ll be able to use later.
Easy arts and crafts ideas for your plastic eggs include:
- A rubber stamp
- Colorful stickers
- Beads and string (for build-your-own bracelets)
- Mini pencil sharpener
- Fun erasers
Don’t Forget About Beauty!
If you’re constantly asking your kid to leave your makeup and jewelry alone, they’ll love finding fun beauty- and fashion-inspired trinkets and toys in their plastic eggs. Small and inexpensive, these are great fillers – especially for older girls.
Here are a handful of fun beauty-related ideas for your child’s plastic eggs:
- Miniature lip balm or gloss
- Little nail polish
- Earrings (stick-on, clip-on, or real)
- Friendship bracelets
- Hair clips or bows
- Temporary tattoos
Stuff ‘Em With Snacks!
Avoiding sweets doesn’t mean you can’t fill your kid’s plastic eggs with tasty treats! There are lots of snacks that can be portioned into plastic eggs that your little ones will be excited to eat. Surprise them with some tasty new treats to try, or fill them up with old favorites you know they’ll enjoy – either way, you should have lots of options!
Not sure what snacks to choose? Here are some of my favorite snacky plastic egg stuffers:
- Pretzels (plain or yogurt-covered)
- Popcorn
- Fruit chews
- Actual fruit, like grapes, blueberries, or small clementines
- Goldfish crackers
- Trail mix
As you can see, there are tons of items you can use to fill your child’s plastic eggs if you’re trying to avoid candy. All it takes is a little creative thinking – and maybe a couple of trips to the store!
