Best Small Wooden Toys for Easter Baskets
Easter baskets don’t have to be filled entirely with chocolate. Many families now mix small treats with toys, books and creative activities so children have something to enjoy long after Easter morning. Small, wooden toys are a safe, tactile, and lasting alternative that encourages imaginative play. Adding a few extras, like books or craft items, can make a basket even more engaging. In this guide, we’ll share some of our favourite small toys for Easter baskets, along with a few simple ideas for creating a balanced basket children will love.
For ideas on wooden Easter gifts in general, check out our post: Easter Gifts for Children That Aren’t Chocolate.
What Makes a Good Easter Basket Toy?
Good Easter basket toys are usually:
● small enough to fit easily into a basket
● simple and open-ended so they inspire imaginative play
● durable enough to last beyond Easter morning
● easy to combine with other toys or play scenes
Wooden toys often work especially well because they are compact, beautifully made and can be used in many different types of play.
Top Picks for Small Wooden Toys
Little Peeps
These tiny characters fit easily into eggs, baskets, or spring play scenes, making them a perfect seasonal surprise.
Pretend Play Food
Bargain Grocery Bag – compact fruits and groceries for imaginative shop play in a basket.
Smiley Fruit Chopping Board – small, durable, and perfect for hands-on pretend play.
Cakes and Baking Sets
Animal Macarons – lightweight, colourful, and instant imaginative play.
Outer Space Apron – small, themed apron that slips neatly into a basket.
Cookie Cutting Set – compact set that encourages seasonal baking fun.
Pretend Play Shops
Candy Shop Bag – mini set for shop play, perfect for baskets or gift bags.
Sweetie Pic’n’Mix Shop – embrace the sweet treat trend with this enticing sweetie shop playset
Toys on Wheels
Animal Racers are new this year and they are proving to be seriously popular with our younger readers! 3 cute animals in a carrot, cheese and fish car to pull back and whizz!
Craft and Printables
Small craft packs can be tucked in for extra creativity: think new crayons or colouring pens, cardboard tubes, felt scraps, egg cartons, pens, and glue. Pair with our printable activities for instant Easter Sunday fun!
● Easter Bunny Craft – just add cardboard tubes, colours and glue
● Baby Bird Nest artwork – just add paper, colours and glue
Books
Adding a small Easter or spring-themed rag book brings early storytelling into the basket – you’ll find gorgeous books starring bunnies and chicks in our books collection
How to Build A Thoughtful Easter Basket
● Include a mix and match selection of toys, books and craft items for variety.
● Balance small and medium-sized items so nothing dominates the basket.
● Add extras like Easter decorations you can reuse every year
● Rotate small toys and printables so baskets feel fresh each year.
● Dig out any spring-themed toys they already have – that long-forgotten bunny figure will add an element of surprise: ‘How did she get in there?!’
● And the big question: will you add sweets and chocolate? Every family has a different view, but you don’t have to stick to the extremes of all or nothing. Instead of filling the entire basket with sweets, many parents choose to include a little treat or two alongside toys, books and activities. A handful of pretty foil-wrapped eggs makes a lovely finishing touch
This balance keeps the excitement of Easter while ensuring the gifts last longer than a single afternoon.
Why This Works
Including small wooden toys, craft packs, and books creates a basket that:
● Fits perfectly into eggs, gift bags, or baskets
● Encourages imaginative, open-ended play
● Supports fine motor skills, sequencing, and creativity
● Provides lasting engagement beyond Easter
For more ideas on wooden Easter gifts, see Easter Gifts for Children That Aren’t Chocolate
FAQ – Best Small Wooden Toys for Easter Baskets
Q1: What are good non-chocolate Easter basket ideas for children?
A: Small wooden toys, craft packs, and board books make excellent non-chocolate Easter gifts. They fit neatly in baskets and encourage imaginative, open-ended play.
Q2: Which small wooden toys are best for Easter baskets?
A: Toys like Little Peeps, pretend play food sets, cookie cutters, and mini tea sets are ideal. They’re compact, durable, and perfect for creative play.
Q3: Can Easter baskets include crafts and printables?
A: Yes! Adding small craft packs or printable activities supports creativity and extends play beyond the basket. Examples include cardboard tubes, felt scraps, and Easter-themed printable PDFs.
Q4: How can I make a wooden toy Easter basket more engaging?
A: Combine toys, books, and crafts for variety. Make sure there’s something to do on Easter Sunday – a craft project, puzzle, game or stickers. Add small seasonal extras like bunnies, flowers, or eggs.
Q5: Why are wooden toys better than chocolate for Easter?
A: Wooden toys encourage imagination, creativity, and fine motor skills. Unlike chocolate, they provide lasting engagement, don’t create sugar highs or mess, and can be reused year after year.
