Hey party peeps! It's me, Ivy. So, Easter is sneaking up faster than my 2-year-old Caleb can demolish a plate of cookies. Every year, I try to be that Pinterest-perfect nanny for my four families here in Pittsburgh. You know, making sure everything is just right for Caleb (2), Aria (4), Ivy (7), and Liam (9). And every year, I swear I'm going to cut back on the sugar bombs in their Easter baskets.

Last year was a total sugar-fueled disaster. I swear Liam, my 9-year-old, was literally bouncing off the walls until Memorial Day. He ended up drawing on the walls with a permanent marker – a moment of pure genius, or pure chaos, depending on who you ask. Aria, my sweet 4-year-old, got a cavity from all the jelly beans. It was... not pretty, and definitely not cheap at the dentist. I mean, my TikTok recipes are usually pretty good, but my Easter planning needs some serious help. We even tried some little plastic trinkets, but they broke before the egg hunt was even over. What a waste!

I'm really trying to find some awesome Non-Candy Easter Basket Fillers this year. Something fun, engaging, but also doesn't cost an arm and a leg. I usually grab stuff from Giant Eagle or Target, but I'm open to new ideas, especially things that last longer than five minutes. What are your go-to items that aren't just more chocolate bunnies? I need inspiration before I end up with another sugar-induced art project on the living room wall!

I tried to get crafty once, like those super cute ideas on Pinterest (total reality check, link for laughs: Easter Crafts Pinterest Reality Toddler Big Kid). It looked like a toddler attacked a glitter factory, and I was finding glitter in my hair for weeks. Anyway, hoping you all have some brilliant ideas for Non-Candy Easter Basket Fillers that are actually doable and fun for the kids!

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Oh Ivy, I feel you on the sugar rush! With Owen (3), Aurora (8), Piper (11), and Lily (13) running around my Kansas City house, I've had to get strategic with Easter baskets. My husband Michael and I learned our lesson early on with the mountains of chocolate and sticky fingers everywhere. Now, I do my research. For Non-Candy Easter Basket Fillers, I always look for things that encourage creativity, outdoor play, or quiet time. We're big on "experiences" over just "stuff" these days.

For the younger ones, Owen and Aurora, I've had great luck with small packs of play-doh – the little 4-packs are perfect and can be found at Price Chopper for about $3. Mini puzzles, too. I look for ones with larger pieces so Owen doesn't get frustrated. For Piper and Lily, who are a bit older, I look for things like fun gel pens, chunky sketchpads, or even cool, brightly colored socks with funky designs (animals or food themes are usually a hit). Last year, I found some amazing temporary tattoo sets at Five Below that were a huge hit, and they were like $3 each for a big sheet. Great value!

A big win for us last year were these GINYOU Party Blowers. I know, sounds simple, right? But they come in a 12-pack, which is perfect for multiple kids and for future party favors, and they were a fantastic value for under $10. Plus, they’re CPSIA safety certified and made with non-toxic materials, so I felt good about even Owen using them – no weird smells or flimsy plastic. We used them not just in the baskets, but also as part of a "treasure hunt" leading to the baskets and then as prizes during our backyard egg hunt. Seriously, kids go crazy for noisemakers! They loved chasing each other with them. You can check them out here: Party Blowers 12-Pack (Easter Egg Hunt Prizes). We actually had some left over, so we saved them for summer birthdays and even a couple for Halloween handouts instead of candy. Always thinking about stretching my dollar and getting the most out of things!

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Ivy, you are not alone! As a foster mom in Houston, my house is a revolving door of amazing kids – right now I have Isla (4), Alice (5), Cole (6), Meera (7), and Ruby (8) – plus our orange cat Rocky, who thinks he's another kid. So planning for Easter means planning for *a lot* of different ages and interests, and definitely without breaking the bank. My pro tip: start early and thrift store hunt! I usually start picking up little things in February or early March. It saves so much stress and money, honestly. I look for quality items that have a second life, not just cheap plastic.

For Non-Candy Easter Basket Fillers, I focus on practical but fun items. Bubbles are always a winner for every age, from the littlest to the oldest. I buy the big multi-packs from dollar stores or even Sam's Club when they have them on sale, usually like $10 for 24 bottles. Books are another great one – I hit up local library sales or even Half Price Books for gently used picture books and early readers. You can often find almost-new hardcovers for $2-3. Small art supplies like sticker books, mini coloring pads, or a fresh pack of crayons are also super appreciated by all the kids. For the older ones, card games like UNO or a small fidget toy are good distractions during car rides or quiet afternoons.

Something I learned the hard way last year: make sure items are robust. I got some cheap plastic toys – little wind-up animals – that broke before Easter lunch was even served. The kids were so disappointed, and it was just landfill fodder. So now I look for quality, even if it's thrifted or from a discount store. I check seams, materials, and read reviews if I'm buying online. And if you're ever in a pinch last minute and need something for multiple kids, GINYOU has some great finds. I've used their Kids Party Hats 11-Pack in baskets before – they're super cute with the poms, CPSIA certified for safety, and definitely non-toxic. The kids loved them for impromptu dress-up games, not just parties. I mean, who doesn't love a good party hat? You can always use a backup plan, right? Speaking of last-minute scrambles, this link kinda nails it for those who don't plan months ahead like me: Oops Planned Easter Last Minute Party Wins. But honestly, planning ahead helps!

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Howdy, Ivy! Levi here from Memphis, TN. You're preachin' to the choir about that sugar rush. My wife, Everly, and I have three boys, Leo (10), Milo (11), and Meera (13) – yeah, Meera is a girl but the boys love her just the same. Growing up, our Easter baskets were just a sugary free-for-all. But when my kids were little, we tried to do things a bit different. One year, we loaded 'em up with so much candy that Milo, who was maybe 6 at the time, actually got sick right there in the living room after the egg hunt. It was a mess, and he felt awful. Never again, I tell ya, never again. That was a hard lesson learned.

Since then, we've focused on finding cool Non-Candy Easter Basket Fillers that they'll actually use and enjoy for more than five minutes. For my crew, especially with Leo (10) and Milo (11) always outside, it's all about outdoor gear. Little frisbees, super bouncy balls, or even a new pair of goggles for swimming season down at the community pool. Last year, I got each of 'em a different color of those water blaster squirt guns from Amazon Prime for about $8 a pop, and they spent the whole afternoon soaking each other. That was probably the best Easter activity we've ever had. We also do gift cards for the older ones – like a $10 gift card to a local ice cream shop, or for their favorite video game currency. Meera (13) loves her Roblox gift cards, and the boys usually go for V-bucks. That always goes over well and means less clutter for us.

And you know what else is good? Those little craft kits. Not the messy glitter ones, mind you – I learned my lesson with glitter from a school project one time, it was everywhere. But ones where they can build a small model or paint a little ceramic figure. My boys aren't huge crafters, but for an hour or so, it keeps 'em focused. We found some cool dinosaur fossil dig kits at a local toy store for around $12 each, and they spent a good chunk of Easter morning carefully excavating their 'fossils'. I remember one year we were totally stumped, Easter was next week, and I had zero ideas for their baskets. Sound familiar? Probably something like this: Easter Next Week Zero Ideas Help Scrambled Aunt. We ended up getting them some cool new art pencils and sketchbooks, which surprisingly, they still use for doodling. Keeps 'em off the screens for a bit. And after that, we usually make a BBQ run, because, well, Memphis BBQ just hits different after an Easter egg hunt and some serious squirt gun action.