As a mom of four, Easter baskets can be a bit of an undertaking. There is so much planning and shopping, and I strive to find the perfect balance of fun, exciting surprises that I know my kiddos will love, as well as items that aren't going to end up in a pile collecting dust.
I have a formula that I use to create Easter baskets that are fun and special for my kiddos: I fill them with a combination of summer fun, educational fun, and yummy treats! When Easter is on the early side, as it is this year, I put more of an emphasis on the toys and products that promote learning more than outdoors, summery stuff. After all, getting a bunch of beach and pool toys you can't use for months to come is no fun! But it is always fun to get toys that are geared toward learning, especially when they are toys from our absolute favorite brand that makes learning toys and educational games: LeapFrog!
Today, I’m going to show you the Easter basket I have put together for my youngest, Beckham. Beckham is 3, and we are just starting to work on preschool readiness. It is so fun to watch his excitement and love of learning develop.
In his basket, I have some fun outside items that he can use. He's got some chalk, new sunglasses, and bubbles! Usually, I throw in some new beach toys, but this year, I opted for chalk and bubbles that he can use in the spring before the weather starts to warm up. To go along with my spring theme, I added a cozy plush bunny and some bunny fruit snacks.
The rest of the items that Beckham is getting as Easter gifts are geared toward learning. I am a big proponent of play-based learning in early childhood. So much research shows that toddlers and preschoolers learn the best by PLAYING! There's no need to sit there with flashcards because they simply can't retain that information... plus they will most likely get bored and try to run away to play. So, you might as well give them toys they can play with and learn simultaneously!
I love that LeapFrog has mastered the art of play-based learning. I used many of their toys with my older children, and they had so much fun with them while simultaneously working on shapes, colors, letters, numbers, and all of the pre-reading skills that are so important.
The first item in Beckham's basket is the LeapFrog Chat & Count Emoji Phone. This is going to make Beckham feel like such a big kid! With this phone, he can have pretend conversations with Scout and practice his numbers from 0-10.
The LeapFrog Nest & Count Turtle Tower is for ages 1-3 and I can't wait to see how Beckham plays with it! He can practice his numbers and engage in imaginative play with the turtles.
I am most excited for Beckham to receive these two items: the LeapFrog Prep for Preschool Activity Book and the LeapFrog LeapStart Learning Success Bundle. At 3 years old, we have just started doing some preschool activities, and I know that these activity books will help prepare him in the same way they helped to prepare my older kids!
The LeapFrog Prep for Preschool Activity Book is an interactive book for ages 3+ that explores counting, colors, shapes, and the alphabet. Little ones can practice writing letters, numbers, and tracing shapes with the included erasable pen. They can also work on phonics skills with activities that help children find the beginning letters of rhyming words. Repetition is crucial for learning, and this activity book is so fun and interactive that I know Beckham will want to do it every day!
The LeapFrog LeapStart Learning Success Bundle was my oldest child's absolute favorite thing when he was 3. It's intended for ages 2-7, so I know it will grow with Beckham for many years to come! It engages children through books and audio to reinforce learning. Kids can use the LeapStart stylus to tap on the pictures and words to explore reading, counting, and problem-solving. I could go on forever about how much I love this Learning Success Bundle!
The last item that Beckham is receiving for Easter is the LeapFrog My Pal Violet Smarty Paws. Violet can connect to your smartphone, computer, or tablet to be personalized for your child before it's even out of the box! Violet will be able to say Beckham's name and favorite food (which is pizza, no surprise there!), and encourage him to sing and dance. Beckham is always hesitant to sing, and I know that having his fuzzy friend singing alongside him will help him be more comfortable expressing himself through singing and dancing.
I hope this inspires you to create an Easter basket that promotes learning and indoor fun for those rainy spring days you know are coming... as well as some outdoor fun for when the sun is shining and the temperatures warm up a bit!
Bio:
Caitlin is a New England-based mom of four, including identical twin girls. She shares helpful tips for moms of multiples, including how to establish a solid routine with twins on her blog Twin Mom and More. She can also be found on Instagram, where she always shows the raw and true side of motherhood, from the hardships and chaos to the joys and rewards. Most importantly, Caitlin strives to encourage moms to create authentic joy and intentional family fun.