Easter Gifts That Aren't Chocolate, Sorted by Who You're Buying For

Easter gifts that aren't chocolate can be just as small and cheerful as an egg: try finger puppets for a child, bath eggs for someone who likes a soak, or a bird box for a gardener. Choose by the person rather than buying everyone the same spring-themed thing. Here are ideas for little ones, older kids, the host, grown-ups and the person who checks the garden before breakfast.

Easter moves each year, falling anywhere from late March to late April, and some years it lands on the weekend the clocks go forward. You may want to sort the presents before the Sunday morning scramble.

For little ones who want something to do

For younger children, a gift they can play with after the wrapping comes off makes more sense than another ornament. Keep the choice simple: a story to act out, a shape to spot or something for bath time.

Two characters and a story to invent

The Bear & Sheep finger puppet pouch holds a bear and a sheep for pretend play. It can become a tiny show after lunch, and the pouch gives both characters somewhere to go when the audience wanders off. If you're putting together an Easter basket, it's a gift with more to do than look at.

A dinosaur for bath time

Not every Easter animal needs long ears. The Dinosaur Bathbomb is dinosaur-shaped, blueberry-scented and made with added foaming solution, so it fizzes into a bubbly bath. It's a small gift for a child who enjoys bath time, rather than another toy to find a shelf for.

Eggs that belong in the bath

The Mixed Bath Eggs in a Tray give you six egg-shaped bath bombs in different colours, with scents mixed from the range. They come gift packaged in a tray, which makes them easy to present as one Easter gift. The mix usually has six different scents, though one may occasionally be repeated. No need to pretend the bath is an egg hunt.

For older kids who have outgrown the obvious Easter basket

Older kids may still like a small Easter present, even if a basket full of chicks is no longer their style. Think about what they'll use or hang up after the weekend.

A pocket-sized cast of characters

The Owl & Pussycat Felt Finger Puppet Pouch pairs an owl and a pussycat, with a pouch to keep them together. It suits a child who still enjoys making up stories, especially one who would rather invent the plot than be handed an activity with instructions. Check that finger puppets still appeal to the child you're buying for; older kids are not a single species.

A dragon to hang up

For the one who likes unusual things in their room, the Natural Coconut Dragon Mobile has coconut-shell wings and body, a carved wood head and a wingspan of about 37cm. Each shell has different markings. It can hang indoors or in the garden, so its eventual home doesn't have to be decided while everyone is opening presents.

For the person hosting Easter lunch

A host gift doesn't need to join the meal. In fact, something they can enjoy once the plates are cleared is often easier to receive than a surprise addition to the menu.

A little colour for a window or garden

The Rainbow Large Leaf Driftwood Chime is made from driftwood and Capiz shell in rainbow tones. The shell pieces give a gentle clink as they move, and the chime can hang indoors or outdoors. It's a spring gift without a use-by date: the host can put it up long after the last Easter napkin has disappeared.

Not sure where they could hang it? Take a pot of spring flowers or offer to bring pudding instead. A host who has just cooked lunch is allowed to want fewer objects in the house. For more ideas that change the feel of a room without filling it, see our spring home refresh.

For a grown-up who still likes an Easter egg

Grown-ups don't necessarily want Easter skipped. They might just prefer the egg to come with a plan for a quiet evening, rather than a second round of chocolate after lunch.

Six banana-scented bath eggs

The Banana Bath Eggs in a Tray are six egg-shaped bath bombs, each about 60g, in a gift-packaged tray. They're banana-scented and come in different colours. Give the whole tray to someone who enjoys baths; it looks like an Easter present without asking them to find room for another mug.

If you don't know whether they have a bath, ask. A card with a specific invitation to meet for tea is a better gift than six bath eggs they can't use. It needn't be elaborate, and you can make the invitation for a day when the bank holiday rush is over.

For the gardener who notices every bird

A garden gift works best when the person has somewhere sensible to put it. Ask about their space before buying anything that needs to hang from a branch or bracket.

A small woven bird box

The Small Round Seagrass Bird Box is about 17 x 17cm, with seagrass woven over a bamboo frame, a thatched roof and an entrance hole for small garden birds. A rope loop at the top lets it hang from a branch or bracket. It's a thoughtful pick for someone who likes watching what's happening outside, though no bird can be expected to move in on cue.

Already bought for the gardener? Offer to help with a small spring job instead: clearing an empty pot, tidying the tools or making the tea while they work. Let them decide what needs doing. Anyone protective of their seedlings will appreciate that part.

How do you do an Easter egg hunt without chocolate?

Use reusable clues or paper tokens in place of edible eggs, then give one suitable gift at the end. That keeps the hunt fun without hiding bath products or small toys where a child might grab them before an adult can check what's what.

• Hide a trail of clues. Use drawings for children who aren't reading yet, or short riddles for those who are.
• Make the final stop count. A finger puppet pouch can be the prize at the last hiding place, ready for a story afterwards.
• Give everyone a different finish. One person can find a note promising their favourite breakfast; another can find a packet of seeds you already have at home.
• Keep the rules gentle. If children of different ages are hunting together, give each a colour of clue or take turns finding them.

A few checks before you wrap anything

For children's gifts, check the product's age guidance and keep small pieces out of reach where appropriate. Supervise children's baths, use bath products as directed and keep them out of mouths. Hang mobiles, chimes and bird boxes securely, away from places where someone could walk into them.

Then think about the recipient's actual day. Do they have a bath? A garden? Somewhere to hang a chime? The most useful Easter question is often less exciting than choosing the wrapping paper.

Choosing yours

Start with what the person would enjoy doing after Easter: playing, taking a bath or spending time in the garden. One well-chosen gift is enough. For smaller extras, browse our gifts under £10, or use a handwritten clue to turn the gift you've chosen into the end of a hunt.