After a particularly dreary winter, we're excited for spring and everything that it brings — blooming flowers, sunny days and, of course, all the fun of spring break and Easter. With the holiday less than a week away, time is running out to get your ducks (or, should we say eggs?) in a row. If you're short on ideas, we're here to help, so you'll have the perfect toys to put in your little one's Easter basket on Sunday.
When choosing a toy for your kid's basket, Ali Mierzejewski, editor-in-chief of The Toy Insider, told Shop TODAY that it's always fun to find picks that are on theme with the holiday. Think, egg-centric baubles or spring-themed toys. Though, kids will also be overjoyed to get one of the hot and trendy toys that they've had their eyes on all year long.
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With that in mind, we asked Mierzejewski to walk us through some of the best seasonal and trendy toys to give kids this Easter, and we picked out some bestsellers that you can shop as well.
The best seasonal toys for Easter
Playmaker Toys Surprise Unicorn Hatching Eggs (Set of 2)
Simply place one of these eggs into water to hatch your own rainbow unicorn friend! According to the brand, the egg shell starts to break slowly around 12 hours after being exposed to water and continues to expand for up to 48 hours.
Peek-a-Ears Interactive Peter Rabbit
Bring your little one's favorite storybook character to life with this Peter Rabbit plush toy. When you press a button on his foot, he'll hide behind his ears and then pop back out for a fun interactive game of peek-a-boo. He also speaks in an adorable British accent, too! While Mierzejewski said that the toy is great for toddlers or pre-schoolers (the brand says it's suitable for kids aged 1 year and older), it's also a great gift that older kids who loved the character can keep as an heirloom.
Blume Baby Pop
Toys that feature surprises and unboxing aspects have been super trendy for a while now. "Companies are really finding new and fun ways to make that happen for kids instead of just a simple blind bag," Mierzejewski said. These Blume Baby Pops are a great example of that (and they just so happen to be perfect for the season). The toy comes packaged in a flower box that features more than 25 surprises for them to discover. Kids can pull out the five sprouts and then pop them open to find a Blume baby or accessory. Beyond the unboxing experience, there are plenty of ways that kids can play with the toy, Mierzejewski said. The pot turns into a playset, and the babies come with color-changing diapers and removable swaddles.
IMC Toys Bloopies Fairies Little Surprise Dolls
Toys centered around magic and fantastical creatures are another big trend in the toy industry, Mierzejewski said. And your little one will love finding one of these cute fairies in their basket. Kids will use the magic butterfly key to open the flower petals and reveal a fairy and its nine accessories. There are more than nine characters to collect, so if you get one of them for each of your kids, they can trade and share, she said.
Kinetic Sand Eggs (Set of 20)
You can either add these fun eggs to their basket or make them a part of the Easter egg hunt, Mierzejewski suggested. Either way, they're sure to be a hit! Each one is filled with a different color of kinetic sand that they can squish and combine to make fun creations.
The best trending toys for Easter
Creativity for Kids Big Gem Diamond Painting Kit
Gift your artistic little one this 2021 Toy of the Year finalist. It may be a painting kit, but it doesn't involve messy glue or paints that stain. All they need are the included stickers and stylus to pick up gems and decorate everything from bags to notebooks.
Magic Mixies Magical Misting Cauldron
This bestselling toy was one of the hottest toys this holiday season — and it was nearly impossible to get. Now, it's finally back in stock, so you're going to want to grab it quickly. Your child can mix all the magic ingredients together to brew a potion and reveal a cute, fuzzy friend. The interactive toy has captivated many kids — and even some adults, too! (It's been particularly trendy on TikTok.) One reviewer said, "This thing is so cool, I am legit mad there isn't one for 40-year-olds."
Foxmind Go Pop! Colorio Sensory Pop It Fidget Toy
Whether they play it solo or with a friend, this tactile bubble popping game will provide hours of fun. And parents will love it, too — because of its size, Mierzejewski said that you can stick it in your purse so they'll have a fun activity to distract them while you're at a restaurant or a friend's house.
5 Surprise Mini Brands Disney Store Edition
The 5 Surprise Mini Brands toys have been all over TikTok, and Mierzejewski expects that the company's recently-launched Disney Store series is going to be super popular this year. Kids can open the capsule and peel back the coverings to reveal miniature versions of items sold in the Disney store. “Marvel heroes, the Disney characters, Pixar characters, ‘Star Wars’, all of them are in here,” Mierzejewski said. You can grab a few for your little one's basket — there are more than 70 miniatures to collect!
Pokémon Gardevoir V Battle Deck
This trading card game comes with everything they need to have epic Pokemon battles, including reference cards, damage counters, a play mat, metallic coin and a rule book and quick guide that will teach them battle strategies. The decks can also be used in the Battle Academy board game.
Cats vs Pickles Chonk Size Mystery Bags
Cats are afraid of pickles, but the pickles just want to be friends with the furry creatures. And your kids can collect them both! While they come in a few varieties, the “chonks” are super soft six-inch plushies that your little one can squeeze and cuddle. You can choose which one you want or get a mystery bag and open it up to discover the character.
Bestselling Easter toys
Play-Doh Make Your Own Easter Bunny Kit
Encourage play in a festive way with this 25-piece kit. It includes 10 cans of Play-Doh that they can use to craft their own Easter bunny. The included molds also make it easy for them to create eggs, springtime animal friends and more.
Shashibo Shape Shifting Box
Consider this bestseller an updated take on the fidget spinner. It is comprised of 36 magnets that can be used to create over 70 shapes — which means a lot of hours for creative play.
LeapFrog 100 Animals Book
This bilingual book can help teach them everything from animal facts and sounds to names. They can sing along and learn in both Spanish and English about all kinds of animals that inhabit the oceans, forests and more.
Toomies Hide & Squeak Egg Racers
Shopping for a toddler? These cute egg racers will make the perfect addition to their basket. Made for kids aged 12 to 36 months, they can open up each egg to discover a cute character. They'll put their color matching and motor skills to the test as they match each "helmet" to the correct egg and send the little cars off on a race.
Melissa & Doug Burrow Bunny Rabbit Stuffed Animal
Meet your little one's new best friend! This cuddly bunny is said to be made from an ultra-plush material, making it ideal for cuddling or hugging. "This is my daughters best buddy; the cuddly toy she always calls out for, 'Buhnee'... 'Buhnee,'" one verified reviewer wrote. "Soft, durable, and cuddly. When I first purchased this cute critter — a year ago — I also bought several stand-in's for those additional locations like day-care, auntie's house, a laundry spare.... So happy I first purchased him, and so happy we now have a whole herd of Bunny's. Definitely recommend you have one join your warren too!"
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Move2Play Egg Toss
This toy brings all the fun of an egg toss game without any of the mess! It has intelligent sensors, which will determine whether the catch is soft enough to pass or will cause an "egg-splosion." The toy has more than 40 sound effects and puns that it plays throughout the game to add to the fun.
Original Tamagotchi
Remember Tamagotchis? The retro toys made a big comeback this holiday season, and the craze doesn't seem to be stopping any time soon. The little electronic pet toy is an Amazon bestseller with more than 12,000 five-star ratings. Kids can feed and nurture their pet, play games with it and so much more.
Dan&Darci Paint & Plant Flower Growing Kit
Help them grow their green thumb with this Flower Growing Kit. They can paint the planter with their own unique design, and then follow the step-by-step instructions to plant the included marigold, cosmos and zinnia seeds. They'll love taking care of their new plants and watching the flowers bloom.
Chuckle & Roar Pop It! XL Fidget and Sensory Game
Available exclusively at Target, this extra-large Pop It! is three times bigger than the original. It has 93 silicone bubbles, so it's sure to keep them occupied, whether you're in the car or at a restaurant.
Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn Smart Stages Puppy
Perfect for infants and toddlers, this popular plush toy is equipped with over 75 songs and sounds. You can choose a learning level based on their age so they can learn all about parts of the body, colors, shapes and more at their own pace.
TeeTurtle’s The Moody Reversible Octopus Plushie
TeaTurtle's moody reversible octopus plushie is a super popular toy this year — it's a finalist for the 2022 Toy of the Year Awards! The plushie toy comes in more than 30 colors, and kids can flip it inside out and switch the face to reflect their current mood.
Barbie Cutie Reveal Dolls with Animal Plush Costume
Barbie is ready for Easter! Kids will unbox this toy to find her dressed in a bunny costume that's perfect for the holiday. But that's not the only surprise: This Barbie comes with multiple clothes and accessories for kids to discover. They can also use cold water to reveal Barbie's fun animal face paint and to open and close her pet’s eyes. Once they're done playing, the doll can be changed back with warm water.
Hatchimals CollEGGtibles Egg Carton
This adorable carton has 10 adorable Hatchimal unicorns — two parents, one big kid and seven little ones hiding in the eggs. Kids will have a blast popping each one open to discover their new little friends. There are eight Hatchimal families for kids to collect, so the fun never ends!
For more stories like this, check out:
- 41 Easter basket stuffers for the kid who’s interested in more than just candy
- 39 interactive gifts the 5-year-old in your life won’t want to put down
- 40 best gifts for the 1-year-old who's growing up way too fast
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