UPDATE: You can find a new post with 100+ Easter Basket Stuffers & Catholic Gift Ideas here.
Over the weekend, I planned out our children’s Easter Baskets for this year. While I was at it, I decided to share the following list of ideas – some for this year and others that we have used in the past – tying in our beautiful Catholic faith and the true meaning of Easter.
Just like on the feast of St. Nicholas, when we give our children each an Advent/Christmas themed book, we have always given our children a new book on Easter. Over the years we have built a wonderful collection of Picture Books for Easter!
- For Twinkle Toes :: The Princess and the Three Knights
- For Chiquita :: The Story of the Easter Robin
- For Snuggles :: The Easter Cave
- For Rose :: The Easter Swallows
Also, now that my boys are getting a little older (and since the UPS man didn’t arrive until 8pm on Rascal’s Birthday) I decided to give them each a new chapter books, Lost in Peter’s Tomb
I think Easter Baskets are a great place to include a few new coloring books and art supplies! There are so many wonderful
The Holy Imitation Series :: Life of Jesus
Catholic Story Coloring Books :: All these coloring books
Catholic Mosaic Coloring Book :: I am sure most of you already own a copy of Fenestrae Fidei: A Coloring Companion for Catholic Mosaic, but if not, you really should consider adding it to your collection. I love that the illustrator and publisher gives permission for copies to be made for family use!
Easter Egg Coloring Books :: Artful Eggs from Around the World Stained Glass Coloring Book
Art Supplies :: I have been slowly adding to our supply of quality art supplies. The Stockmar Modeling Beeswax
This year I ordered a cute little set of Crayon Rocks in a Cotton Muslin Bag for Snuggles. I think he is going to love them!
Another question I receive often, is where do I purchase our Catholic Stickers… I don’t think I have ever answered that here, so this is the perfect opportunity! Here are some great sources online:
Trademark Stationary :: These traditional and inspiring stickers are my favorite!
RosaryCard.Net :: Here you will also find a great assortment of Catholic Stickers, in addition to free shipping!
Autom :: Although you have to puchase these in bulk, Autom has a great variety to choose from. Including all the stickers that can also be found (occasionally) at the Dollar Store. It wouldn’t be hard to find a few friends to split an order with!
Amazon
Old-Time Easter Animals Stickers.
We don’t generally put a whole lot of candy in our children’s Easter Baskets – they usually end up with plenty from their Easter Egg Hunt. I do like putting in a Chocolate Cross each year and sometimes (when I can find them) the little Lindt Chocolate Lambs.
This year I am planning on making my own candy to include in the baskets. I already have the mold to make Easter Lily Lollipops and I also decided to order a larger cross mold (I currently only have this small cross and bible molds
To tie in each of my Children’s Patron Saints, I have decided to include a Hand-Painted Wooden Saint for each of them. Inspired, back in 2008, by the Wee Felt Saints used in the Alphabet Path, I decided to paint our own Alphabet of Saints. My children just love these little dolls and really enjoy playing with them! Along the way I have added a few others to our collection and this past year I painted a couple larger saints for Rose’s first birthday. I have purchased/been given a few saints that I will put in the baskets this year, in addition to painting a couple more myself. I have found Woodworks LTD to be a great place to purchase the little wood people and wooden toy parts.
I am often asked whether or not I would be willing to sell any of my little saints. You all are so sweet, but, to be honest, I think you’d be much happier with the darling dolls from Catholic Folk Toys, St. Luke’s Brush, or St. Anne’s Pixies – these (real) artists are able to add so much lovely detail to their dolls, unlike myself. If I ever find the time to paint some (very plain and simple) extras, I will let you know!
Another option would be to make your children darling Saint Dolls using Amy’s Crochet Saint Patterns or Charlotte’s Saints ‘N Stiches. Or you could always order the cute little Saint Softies from Saintly Silver.
Various Holy Cards, Holy Traders
We usually include one small toy in each of the baskets. This year, for the girls, I picked up the Calico Critter Lambrook Sheep Family and the matching baby twins. 
Thank you for this list! I have been trying to find the Stations of the Cross and Rosary stickers at my Dollar Tree without any luck, and am so happy to hear that I can purchase them online.
Dollar Tree has those identical Catholic Stickers right now too! I picked up quite a few 🙂
Thank you for linking to our shop Jessica! We also have painted wooden eggs which would be great for baskets;-) I LOVE the book suggestions. We seem to have so many good Christmas books but I have a harder time finding good Easter selections. And I know Snuggles will love the rock crayons…our 2 year old just got some and is CRAZY about them! Something about the little pouch makes them very special 😉 God Bless, Amy
Oh thank you Jessica!! This is great! Easter is sneaking up on us fast, isn't it? Yikes!
Thank you for the link too! 🙂
There are so many fantastic links here I don't know where to start. THANK YOU!
Which size peg dolls did you get for your Alphabet of Saints? My mother-in-law is an artist by trade, and if you don't mind, I think I'm going to have her make a set just like yours for us, including the kids' patron Saints. I LOVE this idea and was just telling my mom about doing the same sort of thing for my kiddos for Easter!
Great list, thank you!
I love those ideas- thank´s for sharing! God bless from Germany, Nicole.
Great ideas!! Thanks for sharing all the links, too!
I noticed that Target has the Lindt chocolate lambs right now in the Easter section … (And they're on sale! =)
You welcome! I had fun putting this list together, and it really helped me with my own planning this year! 😉
Sarah ~ The majority of our dolls (including the Alphabet of Saints) are all made with the 2 3/8" Doll. I've used the larger 3 1/2" Doll for the ones I painted for my littlest one. Hope that helps!
Sarah ~ I actually checked Target this past weekend – that is where I usually purchase them – and ours didn't have them. 🙁 I will have to check again. . . Maybe they were just out of stock and they will get more in.
Thank you for all of the wonderful ideas!! You are very creative and have really helped our family bring the liturgical year into our home. I found it fun to know your family is linked to the Fraternity of St. Peter too. My brother is a Fraternity priest. God bless and blessed Lent.
Thank you so much for a wonderful post! I love your ideas and am now thinking, maybe I'll try my own hand at making the children's chocolate treats with molds. I love your blog!!
Hi (stranger!) Jessica,
What are you using for the candy molds? Do the Wilton Candy Melts come out shiny like that or are you using something else?
I really love the lily mold and think that would be fun to make for Easter.
~Angela
Hi Jessica~ Just stopping by to thank you so much for all of these wonderful ideas. You are always so generous to share everything you do. May you continue to be showered with roses, especially on this Laetare (Rose) Sunday:-)
Hi Jessica~I'm back to give you this link in case you haven't found your Easter lambs! I just love the Lindt Easter candy…and discovered the Amazon grocery section had a lot of their candy.(dangerous for me)!;-)
http://www.amazon.com/Lambs-Lindt-Chocolate-Mini-Easter/dp/B0037J927I/ref=sr_1_17?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1301861172&sr=1-17
These are great ideas! I looked at our Catholic bookstore for ideas last year and unfortunately didn't have much luck!
Our Target finally got the Lindt Chocolate Lambs in again this year! Yay!! 🙂
Angela ~ It looks like I somehow missed answering your question. . . Yes, I am just using the Wilton Candy Melts. They work beautifully as long as they are fresh, and if you don't over heat the candy when melting it!
What great ideas, while I have no problem figuring out St. Nicholas Day and Christmas gifts I am at a loss to pick out Easter Basket items. I don't want a basket filled with candy and dollar store toys. I want gifts that are meaningful and faith filled. Now I wish I had read this post before i bought the fillings for the baskets.
I would love to see your ideas of toys for boys…especially 10, 4, 2, and new born 🙂
Jessica, Do you decorate the house before Easter? I often wonder what other catholics do. Is seems like my whole neighborhood is decorated but I see that in Church today all the statues and crosses were covered with purple cloths. Thank you. Barb
Hi Barb, I somehow missed answering your question… We don't decorate our home for Easter until late on Holy Saturday. We do decorate with lots of purple and all of our Lenten "decorations" from Holy Week through Good Friday, and then I usually replace them with the Easter decorations after my kids go to bed on Holy Saturday, leaving it out until Pentecost Sunday.
I Love all the suggestions especially the books! I am a big book gifter for children of all ages. Thank you for sharing! ~ Yolanda ~