Ideas for Easter Eggs - Candy-Free Fillers
Need egg hunt supplies?
As any parent will tell you, by the time Easter rolls around, there has been enough candy floating around the house to last a lifetime. While kids love Easter egg hunts, parents dread the big basket of candy that usually comes with them.
Here in our house we still have Halloween candy in our cupboard, and it's almost Easter!
The perfect alternative is to fill eggs with non-candy fillers. Children love the unique treats and parents will thank you. Don't forget to tailor the eggs to the ages of the children. If you have really young ones, some of these suggestions may not work because they could pose a choking hazard.
Here are 20 great ideas that aren't candy.
What to put in Easter eggs that isn't candy
Filler Ideas
| Filler Ideas
| ||
|---|---|---|---|
Money
| Who doesn't love getting some change? Any amount will work.
| Legos
| Buy a small box or figure and break it up so you can stuff a few eggs. Legos are always a hit.
|
Decorative Erasers
| Found in the holiday section of almost any dollar store, these cute themed erasers fit well in most plastic eggs and kids can use them in school.
| Toy Jewelry
| Little rings, bracelets and necklaces always put a smile on a girl's face.
|
Themed Socks
| Whenever holidays come around, there are inexpensive themed kids socks for sale. They are always a hit, especially with younger children.
| Seed Packets
| Since it's springtime you may want to encourage your little gardener to get out and plant some pretty flowers.
|
Hair Ribbons
| Girls love lots of frilly hair clips and ribbons, and smaller ones usually fit well in the eggs.
| Keychains
| Fun keychains are found almost everywhere, and kids love to hang them on their backpacks.
|
Small Toy Cars
| Boys, and a lot of girls too, can never have enough toy cars.
| Mini Hand Sanitizers
| These are all the rage around my daughter's school. They even sell little holders that clip on to backpacks. These sanitizers come in all different fragrances and colors.
|
Nail Polish
| My daughter is 10 years old and still loves mini nail polish sets. Buy a set of 5 and you have 5 eggs filled. They are inexpensive and come in fun colors.
| Marbles
| This can be a tricky one if you are going to have an egg hunt with lots of young children, but if your kids are older, and like marbles, they make a great egg filler.
|
Lip Balm
| Coming in every flavor imaginable, they usually come in multi-packs.
| Stickers
| Kids of all ages always enjoy stickers and there are themes for absolutely any occasion.
|
Mini Stuffed Animals
| No child can resist a cute little stuffed bunny or chick, and they fit perfectly in small eggs.
| Mini Pencil Sharpeners
| Perfect for school, these can be found in all sorts of shapes and characters.
|
Gift Cards
| You'll need larger eggs for these to fit, but kids love getting gift cards that they can spend on whatever they want.
| Ear Buds
| My daughter is always misplacing her ear buds, so I keep a couple of extra pairs tucked away. Buy a bright colorful pair to brighten up a music player.
|
Mini Music Player*
| These little gems are an extra special egg stuffer for a special occasion.
| Real Jewelry*
| For that special someone or occasion, jewelry makes a great gift.
|
Where do you have your Easter egg hunts?
* The final two suggestions can be quite expensive and, depending on what you normally give out at Easter, should be reserved for a special occasion.
The most important rule when hiding those extra special eggs is, don't forget where you hide them!
Fun places to hide Easter eggs
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|---|
Public Parks
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Public Gardens
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Neighborhood
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Beach
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Forest
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Public Playgrounds
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Farm Field
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Banks of a Local Stream
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Easter egg hunt ideas for families
Churches usually have egg hunts, but many families like to have their own as well. Easter egg hunts can be done practically anywhere.
Growing up near Washington, DC, my brother and I were lucky enough to have ours around the U.S. Capitol building. They don't let people do that anymore, but with a little preplanning, there are loads of fun and interesting areas where you can have an egg hunt.
These days, my in-laws have an annual egg hunt at their neighborhood club house. The cousins all get a color assigned to them and they run around the area picking up all of their surprises.
The house and backyard are always a good alternative, but sometimes it is fun to change things up a bit. Depending on where you live, the list on the upper right can get you started with a few ideas.
Of course it helps if Easter falls later in the year, when the weather tends to be nicer.
© 2013 Claudia Porter
