Easter Baskets for Every Bunny

Spring is right around the corner and that means the Easter Bunny will be hopping into town! Take a look at my VTech Easter Gift Guide for kids to find tons of fun Easter basket ideas and inspiration.

It is almost time for one of my favorite holiday traditions: filling my kids’ Easter baskets! Along with some colorful eggs full of sweets and other treats, this year I will also be putting together some egg-stra special baskets for my kids to share with you in this Easter Gift Guide!

I always build my kids’ Easter baskets around a theme whether it is based on a current interest, favorite activity, or just something I know they will love. VTech offers a wide variety of products so I know I will be able to find just the right thing for each of my kids that will provide them with endless fun while simultaneously giving them the opportunity to learn and excel at new skills!

I start filling each Easter basket by choosing an item to be the main gift. This Easter Gift Guide will include baskets featuring the following VTech products: the Write & Learn Creative Center™️, Sort & Recycle Ride-On Truck™️, Drop & Go Dump Truck™️, Drill & Learn Toolbox™️, and Stroll & Discover Activity Walker™️.

I continue to incorporate the theme when filling the rest of the basket through my choices of fillers like books, art supplies, stuffed animals, candy, or other small toys.

Let’s hop to it and check out the Easter Gift Guide and inspiration baskets I put together below!

For the Little Artist

My oldest daughter is my little artist, and her creative juices are always flowing. As soon as I saw the VTech® Write & Learn Creative Center™️, an interactive toy with a screen for animated demonstrations, I knew it would be perfect to add to her Easter basket!

The creative center’s activities will help her learn drawing skills that progress from simple lines and shapes to 26 different objects. She can practice proper stroke order for uppercase and lowercase letters. I am even able to customize it to help her practice writing her own name with step-by-step on-screen directions.

To continue the theme of art and creativity, I am also planning to add some chalk eggs, a wooden spring craft, spring stickers, colorful candy, and a paint set to this basket. I am adding it all to a decor basket so that she can later reuse to store her art supplies along with her creative center.

For the Little Engineer

Whether he is stacking blocks or standing by to assist with a DIY project, my middle child is always building something! I will be adding the toddler friendly VTech® Drill & Learn Toolbox™️ to his Easter basket. The toolbox includes a variety of tools like a working toy drill, hammer, wrench, nails, and screws to use with the electronic fix-it tray. The engaging instruction cards will guide him through making pretend repairs while learning about colors and numbers! I know he’ll be so excited to help with our next home project!

Along with the toolbox, his basket will include neutral ABC building blocks and I even found some building block candy- so fun!

For the Little One on the Go

I will be filling another basket with “Things that Go” for vehicle lovers! All of my children love to run to the window and watch the trash and recycling trucks go down our street. Now they can hop on their own VTech® Sort & Recycle Ride-On Truck™️ and drive it around while learning about recycling! Just like sorting recyclables at home, kids can sort shapes representing plastic, metal and paper into the correct bins on the truck.

How cool is it that the truck is an eco-friendly product made from 90% reclaimed plastic?

You can learn more about VTech’s eco-friendly products here: https://www.vtechkids.com/cares

The VTech® Drop & Go Dump Truck™️ is another fun basket filler that will bring joy to any vehicle lover! Whether he or she is filling it with Easter eggs or adding colorful rocks to its bucket, they will be practicing counting and learning colors. Pushing and pulling the truck as well as lifting the bucket to unload rocks is a great exercise in developing the motor skills that they will need for the Easter Egg Hunt and beyond!

Pair this gift with basket fillers like a spring truck book, toy cars, and road tape. My favorite find to go along with these fun trucks is the wooden Easter Bunny Stop Here sign!

For the Animal Lover

My toddler is always bouncing along to her own beat and giggling as she hears new sounds in the world around her, especially when they come from cute little animals! The VTech® Stroll & Discover Activity Walker™️ introduces new ways for her to explore animal sounds and fun melodies. Along with different animal sounds and voices, she can learn colors and numbers by pressing the light-up piano keys to create her own music! Once she is done playing with it on the floor, we will attach the learning panel to the adjustable two-speed walker so she can join her big siblings during the egg hunt!

She will also find plastic eggs filled with animal finger puppets and animal cracker treats in her basket so that she can practice all of the engaging sounds she learns from the friendly animals on the activity panel!

I hope that this Easter Gift Guide provides you with plenty of egg-citing inspiration as well as fun and engaging ideas to fill your little one’s Easter basket! Whether you are building a creative basket featuring the VTech® Write & Learn Creative Center™️, a vehicle basket that includes the VTech® Sort & Recycle Ride-On Truck™️ and Drop & Go Dump Truck™️, a little builder basket with the VTech® Drill & Learn Toolbox™️, or putting the VTech® Stroll & Discover Activity Walker™️ in your little music lover’s basket. I am sure you will find a VTech® product that is just right for your little one this Easter!

Jessica Grant highlights a joyful and creative childhood, motherhood, and home through her social media and blog, JessicaEtCetera.com. With a background in preschool education and now a mom to 3 young kids, Jessica enjoys sharing all kinds of fun including crafts, DIY, and learning through play with the goal of creating a magical and memorable childhood!

How to Throw an Awesome Kids Truck Party

Caution. Party Ahead! Truck themed parties are ideal for little ones who enjoy playing outdoors and getting their hands dirty with sand, rocks, dirt and even mud. When planning a kids vehicle party, the toys your child enjoys the most can be a great source of inspiration for the event from beginning to end.

Consider these easy, fun and festive truck party ideas, especially if you have a toddler at home. We promise everybody will dump everything to attend.

Dump Truck Invitation

Set the tone for the occasion with a dump truck invitation. The invitation should reflect the style of your party, so be sure to use it as inspiration to develop a unique party concept with a playful table for the kids, eye-catching decor ideas and a creative food menu for your guests.

Colorful Balloon Backdrop

Creating a balloon backdrop will instantly transform your space into a party zone. Incorporating solid and polka dot balloons in different colors can be a great departure from the usual yellow and black color palette that you may see at truck parties. A Party Ahead banner, as well as truck and caution sign decorations that can be hung from the balloon garland are great additions to establish the theme.

Kids Tablescape

Mix and match colorful tableware to create a festive table for the kids. To bring the theme to life, layer themed party supplies in different sizes and colors such as fun napkins and straws, decorative caution tape, and more.

Birthday Cake

Spruce up a store bought cake using rock candies (pebbles), cookie crumbs (dirt) and cereal balls (boulders) to recreate a construction site. Add fun printable toppers to complete the look.

Dig In Snack Station

Display chocolate donuts (spare tires), pretzel sticks (nails), Whoppers (boulders), Cheerios (nuts and bolts), wafers (timber), and potato chips (wood chips) in separate bowls to create a “dig in” snack station for your little truck lovers.

Temporary Tattoos

Assign an adult to be in charge of a Tattoo Station and treat the kids to truck inspired temporary tattoos. All you need to do is add water. Don’t forget to add a few extra tattoos to their goodie bags for them to take home too.

Construction Dirt Cups

Turn ordinary snack pudding cups into something more appealing. Simply top pudding cups with cookie crumbs, chocolate covered raisins and colorful chocolate coated pieces for an effortless dessert idea.

Toy Truck Play Time

Keep the little guests entertained by inviting them to an interactive toy truck play time. The VTech® Drop & Go Dump Truck™ and the VTech® Sort & Recycle Ride-On Truck™ will keep the fun going as the kids practice their numbers, colors, and shapes, and even learn how to become community helpers with the Ride-On Truck’s recycle and reuse play modes, all while improving their motor skills in a fun way.

Safety Hat Popcorn Bowl

Take your popcorn to the next level by serving it in plastic safety hats. Before serving, make sure the hats have been washed with soap and hot water, and make snack cups, napkins and scoops available for easy serving.

DIY Traffic Cone Party Hats

Create traffic cone party hats the kids will love.

Supplies Needed:

• Orange cardstock

• Party hat template

• Hot glue or tape

• Elastic or cord

• Scissors

Instructions:

1. Trace the party hat template onto orange cardstock. Cut out the hat template.

2. Glue the party hat ends using the hot glue or tape to form a cone.

3. Cut cardstock in to a 6x6 square. Attach the square to the party hat using the hot glue.

4. Punch a hole on each side of the 6x6 square. Insert the elastic and tie a knot on both ends of the elastic.

Truck Tire Tracks Craft

Attach small rectangular pieces of adhesive foam paper to a lint roller. Have a “tire” made out of black cardstock for the kids to create truck tracks using washable paint. It’s the perfect easy craft for active toddlers who could use some quiet time.

Loads of Fun Party Favors

Send the special guests home with sweet party favors. Simply print this truck thank you card, attach two mini chocolate donuts to the tires using decorating icing, allow the icing to dry, and then place the cards into a clear goodie bag.

I hope you enjoyed these vehicle party ideas!

Happy Planning!

Concept and Styling: Andressa Hara of Twinkle Twinkle Little Party

Andressa is the founder and creative force behind Twinkle Twinkle Little Party, a place for all things DIY and party related. Andressa loves inspiring other moms to celebrate at home and create special memories with their kids through crafting, baking and planning the sweetest parties. Connect with Andressa on Instagram.

VALENTINE’S DAY Gifts for Kids

If you’re shopping for some little Valentines this year, check out this educational, yet playful, gift guide! I pulled together 5 really cool VTech toy ideas to make this Valentine’s Day extra special.

For us, Valentine’s Day is celebrated by the whole family! We typically start off the day with a Valentine’s themed breakfast and present the kids with a “Love Gift” to enjoy! These VTech® toy ideas also serve as fun winter boredom busters and will help to entertain the kiddos through the next few months of winter (I need all the advantages I can get living in Wisconsin where the winters are long). VTech® is a world leader in age-appropriate and developmental stage-based electronic learning products for kiddos. I love toys that are both educational and fun! Let’s check out these VDay gift ideas.

VALENTINE’S DAY GIFTS FOR KIDS

These 5 VTech® gift ideas will make your little one smile this Valentine’s Day (Levi couldn’t wait for me to get his VTech® Drill & Learn Toolbox™ out of the package!). Go ahead and check off “entertainment for the kids” from your holiday to-do list.

Bonus: you’ll now have time to double check those dinner reservations or order that heart-shaped pizza for you and your significant other – because let’s be real, Valentine’s Day isn’t allll about the kiddos ;)

1. VTech® Sort & Recycle Ride-On Truck™ (ages 1.5 – 3 years old) – My favorite thing about this toy is that it’s made using 90% reclaimed plastic. Yay, for our landfills! Of course, I also love that it teaches the importance of recycling while reinforcing shape recognition, sorting, and clean-up! The kids can even practice the concept of recycling by inserting a block into a bin to add different sound effects that make the included melodies sound new! How creative is that?

2. VTech® Stroll & Discover Activity Walker™ (ages 9 - 36 months) – With a baby on the way, I’m tucking away this activity walker for my little love bug. As a mama of two, I know how fast those first few months fly by! The easy-to-remove activity panel will be great for floor play. There are light-up piano keys that introduce colors and numbers, spinning gears, friendly animals, and shape sorting pieces. As she grows, I can attach the activity panel to the 2-speed walker… She’ll be cruising before I know it. For now though, I’m soaking in all the baby kicks inside my growing belly.

3. VTech® Drill & Learn Toolbox™ (ages 2 - 5 years old) – Levi couldn’t wait to get his hands on this learning toolbox! I added some ribbon and a Valentine’s name tag to make it extra special for his Valentine’s Day gift. This toddler-friendly toolbox is perfect for role-play fun with the included electronic fix-it tray, working toy drill (his favorite part), hammer, wrench, nails and screws. He loves watching his daddy fix things around the house, and now he can “help” too. With cheerful songs, light-up buttons, and real tool sounds this toy is a winner!

4. VTech® Write & Learn Creative Center™ (ages 3- 6 years old) – Both my kids have been enjoying this super cool VTech® Write & Learn Creative Center™. Upon turning it on, it prompts parents to enter the child’s name. It then goes on to show your kiddo how to write their name on the board! The animated demonstrations shown on the screen help preschoolers follow along to learn how to write uppercase and lowercase letters. There are even drawing activities, cheerful music, and stencils and stamps for extra creativity! Highly recommend this one as a Love Gift for your little Valentine.

5. VTech® Drop & Go Dump Truck™ - (ages 6 - 36 months) – The final educational Valentine’s Day gift for kids I want to highlight is this interactive VTech® Drop & Go Dump Truck™. It includes three special buttons that play melodies, phrases and teach tools and colors. I love that the truck counts the rocks as your kiddo drops each one into the dump bucket. Learning numbers and counting from the very beginning is an awesome way to play.

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! I hope you were inspired by this VTech® educational gift guide for kids. For other motherhood ideas follow along at SUGAR MAPLE notes or on Instagram @SUGARMAPLEnotes. Let’s be friends! - xoxo Sarah

Sarah is the creator behind SUGAR MAPLE notes – a lifestyle blog about home, family and motherhood. She’s a mom of two imaginative kiddos, Levi and Evelyn (And a baby girl on the way!). Grab a cup of coffee because Sarah is sure to have one in her hands and come feel at home with her and her family as they make everyday moments into something special!