Month: April 2022

Imaginary Friends in Toddlers and What They Mean

Imaginary Friends in Toddlers and What They Mean

Meet Bobby (my child’s imaginary friend): He is approximately 2 inches tall, has grey hair, and blue eyes, and wears train pajama pants. Bobby likes to run fast and he also likes to hide in things – like pillows, snack cups, and avocados. He can 

Homemade Kinetic Sand for Toddlers

Homemade Kinetic Sand for Toddlers

Homemade kinetic sand is so soothing and fun for kids to explore! It is moldable like wet beach sand, but unlike wet sand, it is light, fluffy, and delightfully soft. And it is incredibly easy to make! This homemade kinetic sand recipe has 3 simple 

The Best Easter Egg Fillers for Toddlers and Preschoolers

The Best Easter Egg Fillers for Toddlers and Preschoolers

Easter egg fillers for toddlers can be super simple! In fact, after getting a bag of plastic easter eggs at the thrift store for $2, I walked around the house and poked through the pantry to find some no-fuss fillers.

You can also buy packs of easter eggs at the dollar store in all different colors. And you can keep these eggs to fill year after year!

For young toddlers, the thrill of an easter egg hunt is more about the easter hunt than it is about the contents of the eggs.

Ever buy your toddler an expensive toy, only to watch them toss it aside and go for an old cardboard box or a spatula instead? Yep, toddlers often find everyday items around the house more interesting than fancy toys and gadgets. It’s good to keep this in mind as your on the search for some good egg fillers.

Below is a list of easter egg filler ideas for younger toddlers and another list for older toddlers. I have also included a list of non-plastic easter egg fillers at the end. 

Simple & Budget-Friendly Easter Egg Fillers for Toddlers

I filled my 2-year-old’s plastic eggs with his favorite bite-size snacks, stickers, flowers, and small items like little figurines and matchbox cars.

easter egg fillers for toddlers

Please note any food allergies and choking hazards specific to your toddler. If your child tends to put things in their mouth, you can stick with larger eggs and fill them with bigger items.

Here is a full list of some simple easter egg fillers for younger toddlers;

  • Stickers
  • Pom poms
  • Fresh berries (filled on easter morning, squished/cut if needed to prevent choking risk)
  • Fun small pictures cut from magazines
  • Circus animal cookies
  • Yogurt Melties
  • Puffs or cheerios
  • Small heart chocolates
  • Small figurines (horses, dinos, etc)
  • Small cars like Matchbox Cars or Hot Wheels
  • Flowers
  • Small toys
  • Finger puppets
  • Bouncy balls
  • Hair clips
  • Fruit snacks
  • Animal crackers
  • Un-inflated balloons you can blow up later
  • Animal or Alphabet magnets

Additional List of Non-Candy Easter Egg Fillers for Older Toddlers

My now recently turned 4-year-old is obsessed with our annual easter egg hunt. As he is getting older, I know that fillers like pom poms and puffs may not quite cut it. So I am adding a few more fun easter egg fillers to the mix that I know will be a huge hit. 

easter egg fillers for toddlers and preschoolers

Here are the best easter egg fillers for older toddlers and preschoolers that won’t lead to sugar overload! While I’m including a few sweet treats like jelly beans and mini chocolates this year, I’m sticking to as few sugary treats as possible.

  • Temporary tattoos
  • Puzzle pieces
  • Mini stamps
  • Glow in the dark stars
  • Dollar bills or coins
  • Parachute men
  • Mini bubbles
  • Mini erasers in fun shapes
  • Small handwritten notes to your child
  • Small rocks and “gemstones”

To sweeten the pot and as a fun surprise this year, I am going to include a jumbo egg!  I’ll fill it with some favorites; small glow sticks, bath bombs, and a couple of Hot Wheels and bath toys. 

These are just a few ideas to get started. The point is that Easter egg fillers for toddlers don’t have to be complicated or extravagant. 

One of the most amazing things that toddlers remind us of as adults, is that there is joy and delight to be found in the simple and small things! 

The best gift we can give our toddlers on Easter is spending some time with them. We can simply fill and hide all those little eggs in the yard or around the house, and let them play and have fun finding them.

easter basket with easter eggs and flowers for toddlers

Gathering Toddler Easter Egg Hunt Materials

Creating a great holiday for toddlers isn’t about spending a lot of money or putting a ton of time into prep work. While some prep is certainly helpful to make the occasion special, it can be pretty minimal!

For example, thrift stores can be an amazing resource for gathering some fun, inexpensive and environmentally sustainable holiday materials! I found some easter baskets and all of the plastic easter eggs at our local thrift store for a grand total of $5. And all of the fillers were things we had around our house, I made or I picked up at the grocery store.

Older kids won’t be quite as impressed if you only include fillers you have found around the house, but you can still keep it pretty simple. My preschooler loves all the mini items from the dollar store and thrift store, so young kids are pretty easy to please! 

washing thrift store easter eggs
Washing our thrift store Easter eggs!

Eco-Friendly Easter Egg Filler Considerations

I find myself buying plastic junk items far too often for my children. While I am trying to get away from that, I find it a bit of a challenge when it comes to filling easter eggs.

Especially as my child gets older into the preschool years, I see him getting so excited about little plastic toys and items from the dollar store. He treats them as though they are precious treasures and has small stockpiles around the house.

While I do not want to invalidate what is precious to him, I’m not feeling great about encouraging his love of small cheap plastic toys. For one, I’m tired of all the clutter it creates in our house.

Secondly, I hate that I am contributing to what eventually ends up in our Earth’s landfills. Even though we are buying these plastic toys to bring our kids joy, in the long run, we are creating a less hospitable Earth for them and future generations. 

With this in mind, I am striving to create more eco-conscious Easter traditions and egg hunts. 

Non-Plastic Easter Egg Fillers

I listed many of these non-plastic and non-candy easter egg filler ideas in the previous lists, but I am consolidating them here.

Note that items like small rocks are choking hazards and should not be given to young toddlers. 

  • Small flowers
  • Rocks (Kids love rocks!)
  • Chopped dried fruit
  • Fresh berries (eggs filled the morning of, squish/cut if needed to avoid choking risk)
  • Small handwritten notes
  • Animal crackers

Always keep in mind, that the best thing about an easter hunt is the hunt itself! 

Related: DIY Cardboard Toddler Toys

Creating Easter Morning Fun

Other ways to create magic and fun on Easter morning for little ones;

  • Make big easter bunny footprints in the mud outside. Do this the night before and let your kids find them Easter morning.

  • Make a fun breakfast with watermelon, pancakes or toast cut out with easter shaped cookie cutters.

  • Play fun music and have a dance party.

  • Blow bubbles outside.

  • Have toddlers collect rocks, sticks and leaves in a basket during their egg hung outside.

Happy Easter!

Please say hi and leave a comment below if you have any great ideas for simple easter egg fillers for toddlers!

Pandemic Babies and Their Social Development

Pandemic Babies and Their Social Development

Babies who were born shortly before or after the COVID-19 pandemic are now wild little toddlers! But while completely wild at home, some of them exhibit some social apprehensions. People often use the term “COVID babies” or “pandemic babies” for these kiddos who hide behind