With Easter around the corner (this Sunday!!!), I’m thinking about how I’m going to fill three Easter baskets and dozens of plastic eggs before this holiday hops onto the scene. Instead of running all over the place, hitting the drugstore before Easter Sunday will be a smart way to get it all done easily and affordably.
First off though, we love ordering Easter gifts from Etsy that helps support small businesses. So there’s still time to do that if you hurry (and pay for expedited shipping if necessary)! But for the little Easter Basket gifts and egg-fillers that you’d normally pick up around your neighborhood, your best best is to find things while you’re already at your local supermarket or drug store.
(And as someone just recovering from Covid, I’ll be wearing a face mask and practicing safe distancing, of course!)
So to help me — and you! – I’ve put together a BIG shopping list of more than 50 creative Easter Basket gift ideas for kids of all ages, that you can pick up at your neighborhood drugstore the next time you run in to pick up a prescription or a carton of milk.
Or, if your drugstore offers curbside pickup or delivery, save yourself a trip inside the store by ordering online — we’ve included links here to Target, CVS, Amazon and more, should you want to order online and have your purchases ready for pickup, but whoever is local to you is good. Including truly local mom-and-pop chemists and drugstores.
You can also use Instacart for stores like CVS. Be sure to tip really really well!
This post contains affiliate links, and purchases may generate a small commission that helps support our work at no additional cost to you.
– This post has been updated for 2022 –
50 Creative Easter Basket Gift Ideas from the Drug Store
Easter Basket Gift Ideas from the Drugstore Beauty Aisle
1. Lip balm For both girls and boys, EOS lip balms are perfect for this holiday because they look so much like Easter eggs! But if you can find a lip balm with a sweet scent, like Vanilla Burt’s Bees, you’re in good shape too. Also check Aquaphor lip repair: It’s no frills but works really well.
Related: 5 of our favorite drugstore lip balms that work as well as the pricey stuff
2. Colorful hair elastics or scrunchies Keep their hair tamed in between haircuts. We also love the pretty butterfly hair clips in our post 23 cool, creative Easter basket ideas for kids all under $20. (Seriously, so cool!)
3. Drugstore makeup Even though some teens aren’t wearing much makeup, some fun new colors or products would be a treat. And a single lip gloss or inexpensive tube of mascara will make a new-to-makeup tween or teen swoon for days.
4. New makeup tools Freshen up their stash with some new makeup brushes, cosmetic sponges, an eyebrow pencil sharpener, or new tweezers.
5. Spring-hued nail polishes Love these new spring colors from Essie! Add some nail polish remover wipes, too, so they can change their polish as often as they want.
6. Mani/Pedi supplies like files, cotton and orange sticks. Maybe even enough to play “do mom’s nails at the bathroom salon?”
7. Body sprays or perfume Do a sniff test in the store to make sure it’s not too strong.
8. Temporary hair color/ hair chalk It’s a perfect time boys and girls try out a new temporary hair color. Hey, why not!
Related: Coloring your child’s hair at home: Tips to make it hella easy.
Easter Basket Gifts Ideas from the Drugstore Personal Care Aisles
9. Hand soaps Always be washing! But for an Easter Basket gift, make it a hand soap that feels a little special; ideally something that smells great and is gentle on their skin. (I like Tom’s Orange Blossom Natural Beauty Bar, above.)
10. Dry Shampoo Hey, older kids still want to look good for their TikToks, video chats, and Zoom calls, right?
11. Travel-size hand sanitizer Don’t leave home without it! Love that Olika’s little clip-on versions look like baby chicks too.
12. A cool new toothbrush Younger kids love fun new toothbrushes! Older kids may not be as amused.
13. A good hand cream. After so much hand washing, a nice hand lotion is another fun but practical Easter Basket gift idea. Check the travel size section for smaller versions.
14. Shower gels Pick out scents they’ll love, even if cotton candy or honey-mango aren’t your top choices.
15. Face masks You’ll find fun, safe, gentle options for both boys and girls from YesTo Tomatoes.
16. Bubble baths, bath salts, bath bombs It’s so fun to take long baths, so make them special.
17. A massage ball or roller Great for older kids or uh, evening massages for Mommy after dinner.
Easter Basket Gifts Ideas from the Drugstore Health & Medicine Aisles
18. Essential oils for better sleep Give them sweet-smelling dreams with something like Oilogic’s natural essential oil for kids or a small 3-pack of essential oil roll-ons.
19. Gummy vitamins Yummy and good for you!
20. Cough drops If you can find the ones that taste like caramel apple or yummy fruits that your kids will love you.
21. Cold (or hot) soother A fun soother like the Therapearl’s Children’s Pal or similar, would look super cute peaking out of an Easter basket; and it’ll make any bumps and bruises feel better too.
22. Cool Band-Aids Spiderman, Hello Kitty, and Peppa Pig Band-Aids can make every boo-boo heal faster.
23. Cotton balls & Q-tips Fill a baggie with cotton balls, Q-tips, along with a couple of craft supplies, so your kids can craft these adorable DIY Cotton Ball Bunnies from Paging Fun Mums. Perfect Easter craft!
Easter Basket Gift Ideas from the Drugstore Office/School Supply Aisle
24. Colorful markers, Sharpies, or crayons If your kids haven’t hit “Sharpie” age yet, definitely stick with the washable markers! As for crayons, you can give the big box — or break open the pack and tie up little bundles of crayons by color with a ribbon to fill up the Easter Basket, if you’re feeling moderately crafty.
25. Watercolor paints, papers and brushes Easy to use and easy to clean up
26. Clip-on LED reading light Since they’re staying up late already. they might as well be reading.
27. Colorful rubber bands Or, if you’re extra lucky to find it, a rubber band ball!
28. Activity books, sketch pad, or blank journals A word search or cross word book can keep the kids busy long after the egg hunt. Sketch books always come in handy. And journaling is such a great activity right now — whether they’re Easter themed or not.
29. Safety scissors Liz still talks about how it was her then four-year-old’s favorite stocking stuffer, even more than the chocolates and toys.
30. Highlighters, new pens, mechanical pencils Think of them as “Back to (Home) School Supplies”
31. Paperback novels and chapter books Of course we love supporting indie bookstores, but you may luck out here with an affordable bestseller they haven’t read.
32. Magazines Celebrity news, cooking, outdoors, or sports — .there’s bound to be a topic perfect for your older kids’ Easter Baskets.
Related: 21 cool Easter basket ideas under $20 for kids of all ages
33. Phone charging cables and phone accessories You may find a portable battery pack, or a big score:An ELF selfie light
34. A new phone case or easy-to-hold Popsocket. Anything to keep those gadgets protected a little longer!
35. A mini Bluetooth speaker So they can take their music everywhere with them.
36. Inexpensive earbuds These are a great Easter Basket gift idea for kids of all ages. Because when they just can’t find their ear buds in the house, a backup will be a lifesaver.
Easter Basket Gift ideas from the Drugstore Toy Aisle
37. Sidewalk chalk For hopscotch, driveway murals, or sweet notes on the sidewalk for your neighbors to see as they pass. This was a hot ticket last summer too! Stock up.
38. Old-fashioned toys Jacks, dice, Yo-Yos, Magic 8 Balls, a deck of cards are all generally available in drugstores. Introduce the kids to your childhood (or their grandparents’) favorites.
39. Bath toys A rubber ducky, perhaps?
40. Mini race cars or toy figurines You may be able to find Hot Wheels, Minecraft figures, and other small items at the drugstore.
41. Trading cards decks like Pokemon, Magic, Yu-Gi-Oh If your kids are into them, this may be the most perfect Easter Basket gift filler you can get from a drugstore.
42. Bubbles A classic that has been amusing children — and dogs — for eons.
43. Tennis Balls Not just for tennis! There are so many fun tennis ball games from our own childhoods. Remember how to play 7-Up against your garage door? In fact, any balls would be great right now, especially if you’ve got a backyard.
44. Stickers and sticker books Great fun for little fingers, though even my teens would love this sticker book from Fashion Angels.
45. Jump rope Helping them burn off some of that jellybean-fueled energy with a new jump rope is a great idea.
46. A cute stuffed animal A little extra bedtime comfort may be the perfect gift. Steiff stuffed animals are always a great bet for quality that won’t cost a fortune.
Drugstore Easter Basket Gift Ideas from the Drugstore Candy and Snack Aisles
47. Good Chocolates I mean, obviously, right? But I suggest you opt for something you would like to sneak after the kids go to bed. I’m partial to anything from Lindt and their high-quality chocolate bunnies are under $5.
48. Snack bags Grab your kids’ favorite lunch-bag sized bags of pretzels, chips, jelly beans, candy. If you’ve got multiple kids, write their name in it with a Sharpie so there’s no squabbling about whose gummy bears are whose.
49. Cookies Those mini boxes of cookies make a great treat in an Easter basket. Animal crackers are still a hit with kids, too.
50. Fun Easter candy, of course! Get as theme-y as you can with Cadbury Creme Eggs, Marshmallow Peeps, fruity jelly beans — the sweeter, the better. (or “the more sour the better” with my teens. . .don’t forget the Sour Patch Bunnies!)
Easter Basket Gift Ideas from the Drugstore Gift Card Display
51. Gaming gift cards Look for cards for STEAM, Playstation, Roblox or Xbox. Because gaming is a great way to pass the time with socially distant friends, and we’re still easing up on screen time limits these days.
52. Retail store gift cards Kids will enjoy shopping online for fun new clothes, toys, books or accessories from their favorites.
53. Restaurant or cafe gift cards Choose their favorite, especially if it’s not one you tend to frequent much as a family. You’ll be grateful to have a take-out option one of these days. And of course the tweens and teens are all Starbucks obsessed.
54. VISA or American Express gift cards No kid of any age will say no to spending “cash” online.
This is a great idea! With Amazon prioritizing needed products, it’s harder to get items in time for Easter. I like the idea of these simple but useful products.
Fun ideas! Thanks for this. I really like the back to “home” school supplies idea. And the hair dye! Why not, right? I’m thinking I may also buy some gift cards to our local pizza place that still delivers, so my boys can choose to “treat” the family for a pizza night.