Easter isn’t just about the chocolate bunnies, Peeps, and Cadbury Eggs. In fact, most of my best Easter memories weren’t about the chocolate at all—they were about coloring eggs, spending time with family, and totally crushing my older sister at an Easter egg hunt. This year, there are so many sugar-free options to fill kids’ baskets and eggs with, and—trust me—they’re way more fun than candy.
Shopkins Series 4 Surprise Eggs (Moose Toys)
Almost too good to be true, each surprise egg comes with two Season 4 Shopkins. These eggs are great to hide along with eggs filled with chocolate and other treats, or they can stand alone in an Easter basket. The eggs come in three pastel colors—blue, yellow, and pink. If kids are lucky, they can find the limited edition fluffy rare pair (I’m crossing my fingers!)
Ages: 5+
MSRP: $5.99
Bunny Surprise (Just Play)
Surprise! It’s a bunny! If you remember Puppy Surprise and Kitty Surprise, then you will also love Bunny Surprise! Kids love not knowing what they’re going to get (read: blind bags), so the real treat with Bunny Surprise is not knowing how many bunnies come in each litter. This mommy bunny comes with an unknown number of bunnies—either three, four, or five soft and huggable babies! Kids will love to cuddle, groom, and nurture their entire bunny family. Three mommies—Angora, HoneyBun, and Nibbles—are available for purchase!
Ages: 3+
MSRP: $24.99
Worry Eaters Pomm (The Haywire Group)
Worry Eaters is an incredible line that lets kids confide their fears, worries, and concerns to a plush friend. All they need to do is write down what is troubling them, feed it to the Worry Eater, and let it carry the worries so they don’t have to! My worries include not being able to drink coffee in the morning and the possibility of being stuck on a train during my commute home (#adulting). Best of all, parents can take a look at these worries when kids aren’t looking, using the Worry Eater to spark conversations about topics they didn’t even know were concerning their kids.  This year, there are so many more fun and quirky new characters in the line, including Wanda, Biff, Frula, and Pomm, an adorable bunny.
Ages: 3+
MSRP: $22.99
Go! Go! Smart Animals Furry Animals (VTech)
As if the Go! Go! Smart Animals couldn’t get any better, VTech has introduced the best thing ever—FURRY ANIMALS! I know it almost feels like you can reach into your computer screen and pet these adorable little cuties! My favorite part about these animals is how interactive they are. Not only can they be used for their respective play sets on SmartPoint locations and respond with different phrases, but kids can also play with them on their own. All the animals are fun to cuddle with thanks to to their soft fur and plush heads. Also, when kids press each of their light-up buttons, they will hear three sing-along songs and learn a letter and their animal name as kids play. Kids also can push the animals to hear fun sounds and six melodies, and while a melody is playing, push them again to add fun sounds on top of the melody! Perfect size for any Easter basket!
Mini Duckling and Sniffing Rabbit Puppets (Folkmanis)
I love all Folkmanis puppets because they facilitate pretend play and storytelling, two of my favorite types of play. For Easter, this sunshine-colored Mini Duckling fits right into the palm of kids’Â hands, and it is a finger puppet that happily chirps with a shake. The bunny is incredibly soft, and I can’t get enough of its floppy ears! Kids can dream up of all kind of scenarios and act them out in real life. No Easter adventure is complete without a bunny and its duckling friend.
Ages: 3+
MSRP: $9.99 (Mini Duckling); $27.99 (Sniffing Rabbit)
Hide & Go Beep Chicks (Build-A-Bear Workshop)
THIS IS NOT A DRILL. I got so excited when we first got these that someone in the office had to stop me in my tracks to ask, “Are you OK?” Not only are these plush chicks cute enough on their own, but they also play hide and seek with kids. All someone needs to do is squeeze their bellies and hide them, and then kids listen to their chirping until they find them. Then, kids squeeze their bellies again and a short tune of congratulations plays! Build-A-Bear aficionados will love how these small plush already come with the sound in them. The Hide & Go Beep line also includes bunnies.
Ages: 3+
MSRP: $8.00 (each)
The Velveteen Rabbit Game (Winning Moves Games)
All the fun of playing games on Easter doesn’t have to end with an egg hunt. Perfect all year ’round, The Velveteen Rabbit Game captures the spirit of the cherished story. Players go on a quest to become a real bunny, just like in the original book, venturing around the game board and collecting cards along the way. This interactive game includes fuzzy rabbit movers and is interactive for the whole family to get in on the fun.
Ages: 4+
MSRP: $14.95
Skylanders SuperChargers: Spring Ahead Dive Bomber and Eggcited Thrillipede (Activision)
One of my favorite parts about Easter toys are the Easter-themed limited edition characters for Skylanders. This year, since Skylanders SuperChargers brings vehicles into the mix, Activision has released a character and a vehicle. The Spring Ahead Dive Bomber is a way for the Skylanders to disguise the classic Dive Bomber as a decorative egg so they can sneak into the aquatic nest of the menacing Hydra. Just like all SuperChargers vehicles, this one can also fly, drive, and dive through the Skylands! Eggcited Thrillipede is one bunny that you don’t want to mess with. He is all suited up and ready to defend his title as the reigning Dragon Egg Toss Champion, especially since Kaos wrongly accused him of coating Dragon Eggs with tape (honestly, that is CLASSIC Kaos behavior). Thrillipede is eager to show everyone that his egg-tossing supremacy was no fluke, and has entered the competition with one hand tied behind his back. That is the kind of audacity I like to see.
Ages: 6+
MSRP: $14.9 (Spring Ahead Dive Bomber); $12.99 (Eggcited Thrillipede)
Candylicious Bubbles Bubble Machine (Little Kids Inc.)
Bubbles are a springtime staple. The only thing kids love more than bubbles is candy. This year, Little Kids Inc. introduced a combination of both (pinch me, I’m dreaming!). This bubble machine is shaped just like the infamous Bubble Ninja. All kids have to do is load up the solution, press the button to activate the machine, and catch bubbles in their mouths as they soar from the Bubble Ninja! The wand and dip tray are removable so they can be easily cleaned, and the bubbles come in cherry and grape flavors. If there’s no bubbles, then what’s the point?
Ages: 5+
MSRP: $12.99
Kaloo Les Amis Plush (Alex Brands)
There is no such thing as Easter without bunnies, chicks, and lambs. Kaloo’s Les Amis collection features plush characters that are silky and fluffy. With its soft fur and teeny tiny size, it will be a favorite for all kids! They also come in three sizes: small, medium, and large.
Ages: 0+
MSRP: $20.00 for small
