The Easter Bunny’s sharing some insider tips to help you create an unforgettable Easter basket! Skip the basket and use a container your little one will play with for years to come—such as the Step2 Little Helper’s Shopping Cart™.
Easter Basket Ideas for Toddlers
Does your little one love pretend play? Imagine how their faces will light up when they see their very own shopping cart—especially when it’s decked out with fun Easter basket stuffers! Choose toys that’ll encourage role playing, imaginative play, and build cognitive development, such as:
- 101-Piece Play Food Assortment
- Find & Match Montessori Eggs with Shapes, Numbers, and Letters
- Easter Bunny Plush
Fill the play shopping cart with some crinkle paper or Easter grass, then add in some food-themed toys and yummy candy!
Aisle 1: Social & Emotional Development
Your little one will spend hours of fun playing with the Little Helper’s Shopping Cart™. As they play, they’ll also be building important social and emotional skills!
As your child walks around the home “shopping” for food, trinkets, and more, they’ll be role playing, emulating behaviors, and building storylines. They may ask you to ring them up, make returns, or bag their groceries. Encourage their learning by playing along! You can even take turns playing cashier and customer.
Aisle 2: Cognitive Development
As kids role play, they also engage in critical thinking. They may realize they have too many items in their basket and need to decide what to put back. If they’re shopping for ingredients to make (pretend) pizza, they’ll need to think about what items they need to create their dish.
Use the shopping cart as a way to turn learning into a game! Ask your little one to shop for green, round, or large items. Creating tasks by color, shape, or size will help them learn in a fun new way!
Role playing also inspires creative thinking! As your child dreams up scenarios, their minds will push limits and exercise new ways of thinking—and you’ll never have a dull moment with all the cute and adorable storylines they’ll dream up!
Aisle 3: Physical & Motor Skills
Pretend play is also great for motor skill development! Gripping the handle of the shopping cart, maneuvering it around obstacles, and grabbing pretend food items and placing them in the cart help children practice hand-eye coordination and physical dexterity.
You can help them exercise these skills by sending them on a “shopping trip.” Ask them to “go to the store” to buy you some milk, eggs, cookies, or whatever pretend food you have in the house!
Need a hand with dinner? Ask your little shopper to shop from the pantry and retrieve the items you need to make your meal—it’s a win-win for both of you, and they’ll love the opportunity to help out!
Creative Easter Baskets for Kids
This Easter, surprise your little one with an Easter basket they’ll never forget! You’ll have tons of fun filling the Step2 Little Helper’s Shopping Cart™ with food-themed Easter basket stuffers, and your child will play with this toy for years to come! You’ll also feel good knowing that they’re building crucial developmental skills as they pretend play with their toy shopping cart.
Looking for more Easter basket alternatives? Check out Step2.com for some inspiration!
What Easter basket stuffers will you fill your Step2 Little Helper’s Shopping Cart™ with? What kind of imagination games will you play with the pretend cart? Comment below!
