Easter Basket Ideas for Babies and Toddlers (No Lollies Required!)

Key Takeaways

• Non-lolly Easter basket fillers are a great way to celebrate the holiday while keeping things age-and-stage appropriate for babies and toddlers.
• Wholesome snacks like Little Bellies organic puffs, softcorn, and date and bars make fun, natural additions to Easter baskets and Easter egg hunts.
• Sensory toys, books, bath toys, and outdoor play items are all great Easter basket ideas that go beyond the usual sweet treats.
• Building an Easter basket for your little one doesn’t have to be complicated – start with a reusable basket, add some fun Easter egg fillers, and toss in a few small gifts they’ll actually use.

Easter is just around the corner, and if you have a little one at home, you might be wondering how to make the basket feel special without it turning into a lolly haul. The good news? There are so many fun, age-and-stage appropriate alternatives that babies and toddlers will absolutely love. From wholesome snacks to sensory toys and springtime keepsakes, we’ve put together everything you need to build the perfect Easter basket for your little one.

At Little Bellies, we are passionate about providing wholesome and delicious foods for babies, toddlers and kids. We believe in using organic and natural ingredients to create age-and-stage appropriate foods that allow little ones to explore new tastes, shapes, and textures while supporting their development.

Why Skip the Lollies?

Easter is such an exciting time for little ones – the colours, the eggs, the bunny! But when it comes to babies and toddlers, the basket doesn’t have to revolve around lollies – and for the youngest ones, most of it isn’t appropriate just yet anyway. There’s no judgement if you want to tuck in a little something sweet for older kids or yourself, but for babies and toddlers, added sugar really isn’t recommended, and honestly, they won’t miss it.

The good news is that doesn’t mean Easter has to be boring – far from it. With a little thought, you can put together a basket that genuinely excites your little one, supports their development, and still feels festive and special. Think age-and-stage appropriate snacks, fun textures, bright colours, and things that make the moment feel just as magical – without the sugar rush.

How to Build the Perfect Easter Basket for a Baby or Toddler

Before you start filling, here are a few simple tips to get the basket right:

Go reusable: Choose a basket that can be used again year after year. A cute wicker basket, a fabric tote, or even a small sand bucket works great and means less waste after the holiday.

Skip the shredded filler: Those plastic grass fillers are a choking hazard and not great for the environment. Use a soft cloth, a small blanket, or some colourful fabric instead.

Keep it age-and-stage appropriate: What works for a 6-month-old is very different from what’s right for a 2-year-old. Think about where your little one is developmentally and choose items that match.

Mix snacks with non-food items: A balance of wholesome snacks and small toys or books makes for a really well-rounded basket.

Wholesome Easter Basket Snack Ideas for Babies and Toddlers

When it comes to snacks, think natural, organic, and easy for little hands to manage. Here are some Little Bellies favourites available in New Zealand that work great as Easter basket fillers:

Organic Puffs – Apple & Cinnamon, Blueberry or Organic Carrot Puffs: A fan favourite for good reason. Made with organic ingredients and designed to dissolve easily, these are perfect for younger babies and make a fun, mess-free basket addition.

Organic Softcorn – Banana, Berry & Apple or Organic Pumpkin & Carrot Softcorn: Wholesome, organic puffed corn snacks in fun shapes that babies 10+ months love. They look great tucked into an Easter basket and come in a handy share pack size too – perfect if you’re making up baskets for a few little ones.

Organic Sweet Cinnamon Softcorn or Organic Sweet & Salty Softcorn: A delicious treat-style option that still keeps things wholesome for toddlers 12+ months – a great swap for lollies in the Easter basket.

Organic Pick-Up Sticks – Strawberry, Banana, Sweet Potato, Berry Yoghurt or Mango Yoghurt Pick-Up Sticks: Great for babies working on their palmar grasp – these make a brilliant basket or Easter egg filler and come in flavours little ones love.

Organic Cheese & Herb Fiddlesticks or Organic Tomato Fiddlesticks: A savoury option that’s exclusive to the New Zealand range – these are a great way to add a bit of variety to the basket alongside sweeter snacks.

Organic Pumpkin Round-a-bouts: A NZ favourite – these are a great pick for toddlers who love to snack independently and the fun round shape makes them an easy Easter basket addition.

Organic Pear & Vanilla Paws: The cute paw shape is a hit with babies 10+ months, and the pear and vanilla flavour is naturally sweet and wholesome – perfect for the Easter basket.

Organic Banana Date & Oat Bars or Organic Apricot Date & Oat Bars: Made with simple, recognisable ingredients and no added sugar – these bars are perfect for babies 10+ months and a great alternative to lollies in the Easter basket.

Organic Melts – Blueberry & Apple, Strawberry & Banana or Organic Mango & Banana Coconut Melts: These melt-in-the-mouth treats are perfect for little ones and make a really lovely Easter basket or egg filler.

Organic Animal Biscuits or Organic Gingerbread Men: Little Bellies classics. The fun shapes make these a really festive Easter basket pick and they’re easy for little hands to manage.

Organic Sultanas: Simple, natural and naturally sweet – a great no-fuss addition to an Easter basket or egg filler for toddlers 12+ months. 

Non-Food Easter Basket Ideas for Babies and Toddlers

Not everything in the basket needs to be edible! Here are some great age-and-stage appropriate ideas that will keep little ones entertained well beyond Easter Sunday:

For Babies (0-12 months)

• Soft plush bunny or chick toy
• Teething rings or silicone teethers
• Cloth books with bright colours and textures
• Bunny hooded towel
• Springtime baby bibs
• Soft stacking blocks

For Toddlers (1-3 years)

• Bath toys – always a winner at this age
• Wooden puzzles or simple shape sorters
• Non-toxic play dough or eco-dough
• Easter-themed books
• Outdoor or garden toys – sand tools, watering cans, gardening kits
• Stickers and stamps
• Chunky crayons or natural art supplies
• Spring PJs or a cute Easter outfit

Non-Lolly Easter Egg Filler Ideas

If you’re doing an Easter egg hunt, here’s how to fill those eggs without reaching for the lolly bag:

• Little Bellies Puffs or Softcorn (small portions fit perfectly!)
• Organic Mango & Banana Coconut Melts or Organic Strawberry & Banana Yoghurt Melts or Organic Blueberry & Apple Yoghurt Melts
• Organic Sultanas
• Stickers
• Colouring pages and crayons (for toddlers) – Little Bellies has some downloadable colouring pages at the bottom of this article.
• Small coins
• Bouncy balls (for older toddlers)
• Clues for a scavenger hunt

Making Easter Meaningful Beyond the Basket

• The basket is just one part of Easter. Some of the most memorable moments for little ones come from the traditions you build around it – not what’s inside it. A few ideas to make the day special:
• Dye eggs together using a natural egg dye kit – it’s a hands-on activity that toddlers absolutely love.
• Set up a simple Easter egg hunt in the backyard or around the house – the hunt is genuinely more exciting for toddlers than what’s inside the egg.
• Bake together – simple Easter biscuits with natural decorations are a great activity and a fun way to introduce kids to food in a low-pressure setting.
• Read an Easter book together – there are some really sweet ones for babies and toddlers that introduce the season in a gentle, age-and-stage appropriate way.
• Get messy with food play – Easter is a great excuse to let little ones explore food with their hands, squish, smell, and taste their way through the season. It’s all part of building a healthy relationship with food from the start. Explore our play with food guide, discover the benefits of playing with food, and find out why it’s so important.
• Print and colour together – download our free Little Bellies colouring pages for a fun, screen-free activity that little ones can enjoy at their own pace. A great way to wind down after all that Easter excitement. Our colouring pages can be downloaded from the bottom of this article.

Happy Easter from Little Bellies!

Easter is such a joyful time, and with a little creativity, you can put together a basket that your little one will genuinely love – no lollies required. Whether you fill it with wholesome snacks, sensory toys, books, or a mix of everything, the most important thing is that it feels fun and right for where your little one is at. From all of us at Little Bellies, we hope you and your whānau have a wonderful Easter.

FAQs

• What can I put in an Easter basket for a baby instead of lollies?

  Great non-lolly options for a baby’s Easter basket include soft toys, teething rings, cloth books, bath toys, and wholesome snacks like organic puffs or softcorn. Think about what’s age-and-stage appropriate for your little one – at this stage, novelty and sensory items tend to be a bigger hit than anything edible anyway.

• What are good Easter egg fillers for toddlers that aren’t lollies?

  There are plenty of fun alternatives to lollies for filling Easter eggs. Stickers, temporary tattoos, small organic snacks like Little Bellies Puffs, Softcorn or Pick-Up Sticks, Organic Sultanas, small coins, and bouncy balls all work really well. For older toddlers, scavenger hunt clues can make the egg hunt even more exciting.

• What age can babies go on an Easter egg hunt?

  Most babies start to enjoy a simplified Easter egg hunt from around 12-18 months, when they’re walking and can start engaging with finding things. At this stage, keep it simple – a few brightly coloured eggs in obvious spots is plenty. For younger babies, just watching older siblings or whānau hunt eggs is stimulating enough, and the basket itself is usually more than enough excitement!

• Are Little Bellies snacks suitable for babies?

  Yes – Little Bellies snacks are designed to be age-and-stage appropriate for babies and toddlers. Made with organic and natural ingredients, they’re crafted to suit little ones at different stages of their development. Always check the recommended age on the pack, and if you have any questions about introducing new foods, it’s worth checking in with your healthcare provider.