With these gift guides, I really focused on trying to be more intentional with the gifts I am giving them. Both of my daughters have birthdays that fall right around the holiday season (October and November), so they typically tend to get a lot of presents between their birthdays, Christmas and their Valentine’s Day basket. Because of this, I really try to be more intentional for Easter and give them things they really need, want or will use! I also tailor the baskets towards their own personal interests.

Intentional Gift Giving Categories

When creating a basket for any holiday, I really try to focus on a few different categories. I typically will include something to read, something to wear, a learning activity, something they can play with outdoors, an item for everyday play and an experience! Having these categories helps me stick to a budget, buy things they really need and create a well-rounded basket that will really peak their interest! Keep reading for a breakdown of my Easter Basket Gift Guides.

Also keep in mind that my children are 1.5 and 4.5 so a lot of the stuff I show will be tailored to them. However, with the breakdown of categories, you can easily find items for older children as well!

Category 1 // Read

Regardless of what season or holiday it is, I always include something to read! Reading to children is so important and it honestly teaches them so much! We read at least 5-6 books a day in our house and are frequent library goers! There is just something so fun about opening a new book and getting lost in the characters!

This year, I chose to incorporate more spring books into my reading gift guide. You can find a few Easter bunny ones or Easter themed ones, as well as a few religious books as well, but the majority will be more season specific. I did this because we will be using some of these books in our homeschooling lessons to learn more about gardening and seasons.

I really love the Over and Under series, so I am really excited to add Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt to my older daughter’s basket! She loves plants and gardening so it will be a fun addition! I plan on using it for our homeschooling lessons too! You can ask questions like “How many invertebrates can you find? or ask your child to draw a plant above/below the dirt. You can even use playdough to make some of the animals you find in the book! Adding books is a great way to give your child something fun, while still allowing the gift to be functional!

You can shop my selection of books below!

Category 2 // Wear

Adding in something to wear is a fun and easy way to fill the basket! You can literally find something in any budget so you can really tailor everything towards your budget and your child. I typically always get my kids a pajama that goes with the holiday theme! I found some cute ones at Old Navy this year for $10! You can also get them some cute accessories for those sunny days, like these Little Grom Hats or Babiator sunnies! So many good options!

You Can Shop Some of My Pics Below!

Category 3// Learning Activity

Whenever I give a gift, I always try to find some kind of educational value in it! I know that not only will the toy provide a fun experience, but it is a way for me to sneak in some learning! It’s truly a win-win for everyone! This could also be tailored to your child, their educational level and your budget. It could be something as simple as adding in some new markers and crayons or getting them a STEM kit to help bring science, technology, engineering and math to life! I love the different boxes that jackinthebox have! They truly serve so many purposes. The kits encourage children to use their imagination, learn practical skills and build confidence, while also allowing them to play and be hands-on. We just ordered the space explorer kit and are so excited to use it! The Space box includes 6 activities – Make your own beautiful Solar System Mobile, learn about the constellations by making a streamer, make a magical kaleidoscope and see patterns in it, learn how a rocket works by doing a simple science experiment, and use Oreo cookies to lick off the cream and understand the different phases that the moon goes through during the month! So fun right?!

I also really love the Brain Quest card decks! They are perfect for travel and my kids love them so much! They have so many ages too!

And I am definitely a fan of these matching and memory games and bingo! We actually played ABC bingo to learn the alphabet and sounds so they are great to have on hand!

You Can Shop My Picks Below!

Category 4// Outdoor Activity

For this category choose an item to encourage outdoor play. Add some new chalk, gardening tools, bubbles, or a ball! If your child loves nature exploring, then get them some binoculars or a nature journal. If they play soccer, you can get them a new soccer ball or cones to practice their kicking skills! The key is to be intentional about choosing a gift based on their interests, while also being something that they play with longer than five minutes!

I love adding some garden supplies and bubbles to our outdoor play toys! They keep both my kids occupied and it helps us get closer to our 1000 hours outside! To learn more about 1000 hours outside, read this blog post here!

Shop Outdoor Toys Here!

Category 5// Experience

Have you heard of the Five Love Languages? It’s a book that has helped so many couples build relationships that last by identifying their love language. The book is seriously so good so I was so excited when I found one for children too! It’s a must read! The book helps you discover your child’s love language, use the specific love language to correct and make discipline more effective and it provides lots of tips of how to speak your child’s love language.

Anyways, after reading it, I found that my daughters primary love language is quality time and so I began to start giving her gifts of experiences where we can create quality time together. For example, we usually won’t throw big birthday parties and will instead go away to a hotel for the weekend where we can do lots of fun family activities! It’s her favorite thing!

So try adding in a fun experience into your basket! It could be a handmade coupon for an ice cream date, allowing them to choose a favorite hike or simply having a picnic at the park!

Category 6// Experience

For the last category, just try to add something that your child is interested in that will be something they can play with daily. If your child loves Legos, get them a new set to add to their collection. Or if they love dolls, you can find some new accessories to add! There are so many ways you can tailor your gifts to their interests and your budget!

I love the Petit Collage Magnet Scenes and so do my girls! They can use their imagination and they will often bring them in the car if we have a longer trip planned! It keeps them entertained and away from screens! If you have younger babies, the Tegu magnetic blocks are super fun!

You Can Shop My Favorite Everyday Play Toys Below!

If you need even more gift suggestions, you can check out our Valentines Day basket post for some more super cool gift ideas! We hope these Easter Gift Guides help you find ideas to get intentional meaningful gifts! It’s so easy to accumulate tons of toys so being intentional really helps keep your home more minimal and clutter free! That’s always the goal for me!

Thanks for following along and I hope you are all having a great week!!

xoxoxo

Kari

p.s. by purchasing form the links above we do make a small commission! So thank you for your support!

The post Easter Gift Guides appeared first on sunkissed & grateful.