50 Best Non-Candy Easter Basket Ideas to Avoid the Sugar Rush

Families love playing this game: Say the words, flip over the cards, and if the words and picture on the card happen to coincide, players race to slap the pile first and collect the tiles. This version gives the game an Easter twist, with cards that make players make bunny ears, flap wings and play Easter eggs before they can slap the pile. Ages 7+

This fiery dragon egg is impressive enough on its own, but open it and you'll find 12" articulated dragon inside. You can get them in several different colors, too, including gold, blue, rainbow and pastel candy colors. Ages 6+

Good Housekeeping Institute testers were mesmerized by the way the concentric rings of these puzzles twist and flip until they form a two-sided picture. Multiple testers said they were passed around the whole family, and often families would get two and try to do head-to-head speed competitions. Ages 8+

Give your little Picasso a mess-free activity: Here, they can bring 10 Easter scenes to life with an assortment of mosaic-like colored stickers. Ages 5+

These eggs come pre-filled with all the pieces they'll need to build some kind of creature, which will give them something to do after they've found all the Easter Bunny's hiding spots. You can find unicorns, rabbits, dinosaurs and a variety of other animals, or get a similar set with construction vehicles. Ages 3+

Kids of all ages enjoy the sensory experience of pushing patterns into the colored gel with these boards. There's a stylus they can use, though some think it's more fun to just use your fingers. It also comes in five different gel colors. Ages 3+

One of the things that kids like most about Squishmallows is that they're vaguely Easter egg-shaped. If you don't want to fill the basket with one big Squishmallows, you can go for this pack of six, two-inch versions. They're the perfect size to squeeze into a plastic egg. Ages 3+

Crack these eggs open to find sand that feels like the perfect moisture for shaping and molding. This comes in a whopping pack of 20 eggs, making them great giveaways, and each one has either red, yellow or blue sand inside. Ages 3+

Forget your old bunny slippers; these rabbit socks are ultra-toasty. Plus, they come in several colors. No age recommendation given

LEGO fans will thrill to have this spring-themed set in their collection. It's just 52 pieces, which means it's the perfect thing to put together after their egg hunts are over. Ages 6+

The perfect diversion! Kids can squeeze and push the filling in the bag around while looking for the objects listed on the tag. It's an "I Spy" game and a fidget toy in one! Ages 3+

For 30 days straight, they can pick a card from this deck and read their daily intention over breakfast. Then they can recite their intention throughout the day when they need a mood boost. No age recommendation given

No, the squishy trend still isn't over — in fact, it's gotten even more creative. These cream-scented squishies come blank, so kids can use their own art supplies to color and decorate them. You get 30 pieces in this set. Ages 3+

When your kiddo gives these painted wooden eggs a shake, they'll discover their own sense of rhythm. Cue to the post-brunch dance parties. Ages 3+

Kids will love hatching the pair of included eggs by removing the pacifiers, filling the bottles with water, and "feeding" them to life. After the two characters are hatched, they can be wheeled around in the included stroller. There's also a play set with a high chair instead of stroller, or a big carton of five hatching eggs ($20) if you need to rally fill a basket. Ages 3+

The pastel, macaron-shaped erasers will be a sweet upgrade to their school bags — they even smell like vanilla! They also pull-apart, so kids can mix and match the tops and bottoms. No age recommendation given

The decisions kids make in this book will take them on different paths through the story, all focused on looking for the great giant squid (and learning about the ocean along the way). “Every time I tried to stop, they wanted to start over on a different adventure!” one parent tester said. Ages 6+

RELATED: The Good Housekeeping Best Kids' Book Awards

Great for waiting rooms, the car or at restaurants, these spiral books contain pictures that color in like magic: Just fill the included paintbrush with water, and kids can use it to reveal colors and hidden pictures. there are many themes to choose from, and you can also buy them in three-pack bundles for $16.

In a way, aren't geodes like Easter eggs? You open them up to find beautiful surprises inside. This set comes with four geodes to break open, so kids can see the variety of crystals inside, along with safety goggles and an activity guide that teaches kids more about rocks and minerals. Ages 8+

Good Housekeeping testers couldn't get enough of the touch-and-feel element of this book: the puppet arms, which get long each time you turn the page. The board book, a previous Good Housekeeping Kids' Book Award winner, features different animal parents sending their babies off to bed, so it's a good one to read after all the Easter excitement has died down.