Spring is a great time of year, the weather is getting better, everything is blooming and you get to open the windows. With Spring also comes Easter. This year will be the first year we really do something for E so I've been thinking alot about what I should put in his Easter Basket. While I love Reese's Easter Eggs and Sweettarts Chickie's, Duckies and Bunnies, I don't necessarily want to give those to my 1 1/2 year old. So I'm going to change it up a little and make it all about being a happy, healthy kid and emphasize all the things he loves.
Let me start first with a reminder. Toddlers put everything in their mouth. EVERYTHING. So be very careful with what you use to stuff the basket. My mom always used that plastic grass which is fine as long as you take it away from them as soon as they've pulled the basket apart. The last thing you want is to find them ingesting that.
Ok, now on to the fun stuff.
Candy Alternatives:
1. Individual packs of Craisins. E LOVES these things. They are every bit as sweet as Sweettarts but with a little added punch of the good stuff (antioxidants).
2. Animal Crackers. Another favorite without adding too much sugar.
3. Individual Peanut Butter Packs. E's big thing right now (and I assume any toddler) is dipping. Everything gets dipped in something. These little packs are easy to give to him with some crackers. It keeps him busy for quiet a while and I know he's getting something good. 
4. Goldfish Crackers - Again, a hands down favorite. I love the whole grain ones. 
5. Ella's Kitchen Food Pouches - E's not a baby but we still struggle with getting good veggies in him. This company makes food pouches that combine fruits and veggies. They are great. My sister in law introduced them to me and we've been loving them ever since. I'll probably add a few of these to his basket as well.
Toys and other things:
1. E's a HUGE fan of Elmo. These DVD's are affordable and educational. He doesn't watch a ton of TV but when he does, I want to make sure it's beneficial and entertaining. 
2. Tball set. I know, it won't fit in the Easter Basket but how much fun is this? It is scary to give a child a bat but he loves to be outside and this works on his hand/eye coordination.
3. New Shoes. Spring is a great time to get new shoes. For E, we love New Balance Shoes. He has wide feet and they fit him very well. This will be his third pair so far. 
4. New Crib Cloud Blanket. E never did pacifiers but he loves a good blanket. He sleeps with three of them. I'm starting to realize that he favors this one we got as a gift and I'm afraid if I have to replace it later I won't be able to find it so I'll probably order one now and get it monogrammed for him. 
5. Books. E loves Eric Carle books, especially the popup ones. I'm sure some of these will find their way into his basket. 
6. Coins. I want E to learn the value of saving. My grandparents did this with me and it was always so much fun. Instead of filling these plastic eggs with candy, I think I'll fill them with coins. After we've had the fun of looking for them, we'll show E how to put the money in his piggy bank.
Those are some of my preliminary plans for E's basket. What do you do for your toddlers? What other healthy alternatives do you rely on?
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