Non-Candy Easter Egg Fillers… for Boys

I’m beginning to feel that candy has become the theme of most holidays. You’re supposed to buy chocolates for Valentines, jelly beans for Easter, and lets not even start on Halloween and Christmas. It’s to the point where I mention a holiday is coming up, and the kids start wondering what treats we are going to have.

I’m a bit of a sugar addict myself, but I want to start moving my family in a healthier direction, both by what we put in our mouth and by the way we view our holidays. With that in mind, I’ve been thinking about some non-candy options to put in my children’s Easter eggs. Here is a list of some items my 3-year-old son would love to find on Easter morning:

• Diecast Cars – There is always good fun to be had with cars, whether it is driving them along the stair railing or sending them shooting off the end of the slide.
• Bandaids – Seriously, these are the most expensive stickers we own. Who cares if you have an owie. They have Iron Man on them.
• Plastic Army Men – Oh the places your imagination can go with a pile of plastic soldiers in your hands. Just make sure the entire figure will fit in your eggs.
• Balloons – My kids love un-blown balloons. They blow them up and let them go, sending showers of spit through the sky, or they tie them off and turn them into lightweight balls. Then we can play indoor games with a ball that won’t cause any damage. Our favorite is, “Don’t let the balloon touch the floor.”
• Bouncy Balls – There are just so many options with Bouncy balls. My son’s new favorite is sending them springing down the stairs. Just make sure you have a spare for when the first one gets stuck under the refrigerator.
• Whistles – If you can stand it. We have rules about where and when you can blow whistles, but they are one of my little boy’s favorite things.
• Plastic Bugs – Bugs are just awesome! There is nothing so fun as chasing your big sisters around with a pretend spider in your hands. Don’t worry. The girls love it too!
• Play Dough – Play dough is always a great toy. Pull out a rolling pin and some cookie cutters, and spend a great afternoon.
• Stickers/Fake Tattoos – Boys love stickers too. Just make sure you buy the manly ones.
• Coins – Money is always fun to find, and this way they don’t have to dig through the couch to pay for their next trip to the dollar store.

Wishing you a fun Easter Holiday with the adventurous little boys in your life!