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San Diego Moms:  Easter Gift Guide 2025

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San Diego Moms:  Easter Gift Guide 2025


Overview:

Scrambling to find unique and fun Easter basket gifts for your little one? Check out our annual guide.

Photo courtesy of Bonkers Toys

Easter is a few weeks away and you may be thinking about how to fill your kids’ baskets with unique and fun items. Check out our annual guide for affordable gift options that will keep your little ones smiling and busy. 

For the littlest bunnies

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For the youngest Easter fans, we love the offerings from GUND. The brand offers snuggly cuddle toys that are also fun to engage with! Check out the  Peek-a-Boo Flappy the Elephant, an animated plush elephant, with floppy limbs for on-the-go fun, the Oh So Snuggly Cow, a premium-soft plush with a quilted security blanket and the Disney Knit Collection that are perfect for any fans. We also love GUND’s Sustainably Soft Ring Rattles. 

Bring warmth to your little one this Easter with Warm Pals. These clever plushies feature internal packs that can be either warmed or chilled to provide soothing comfort for achy days. Simply snuggle up with a refreshingly cool Warm Pal to instantly calm bumps, bruises, fevers, and insect bites on summer days.

For the school-aged bunnies

Hop into spring with the new Littlest Pet Shop Springtime Fun. Choose between the sweet Bunny or the charming Rooster, or collect both for double the fun! Each set includes one adorable pet with their signature bobblin’ head. If your little one loves the “surprise fun” trend, check out the Mini Surprise Plush Pets. Open up to reveal one of 12 snuggly pets, including a Panda, Cat, Pig, Cow, Bunny, and more. 

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A Moriah Elizabeth fan? Check out the Limited-Edition Easter Plush Collection. There are 6 different characters to collect, including Easter Pickle, Easter Derp, Easter Cathy, Easter Lemon, Easter Chicken Chicken, Easter Poopy! Each plushie comes in a blind box for surprise unboxing fun.

Get interactive with the Knotz Animal DIY kids’ toys. Unwind the yarn-ball blind capsule to find everything needed to create 1 of 12 soft pals with lots of personality. Follow the included step-by-step instructions to knot, twist, and style a cute animal out of bendable faux fur stems and accessories.

The endless fidgety fun Lite-Brite Touch Mini is a portable twist to last year’s award-winning Touch! This compact Lite-Brite lets you light up your imagination with just a simple touch – featuring 25 light-up buttons in seven different colors.

The new Bluey Hide and Seek Game makes finding lovable Bluey a challenge and that’s all the fun. Start a lively game by hiding Bluey anywhere inside and starting the “Hide and Seek” timer. Every few seconds, kids hear Bluey’s voice giving them clues and giggles as they race to reveal her hiding place. 

Get up and be active with Skip It. This revamp of the 90s toy has all the fun of the original – but with the addition of sounds, lights, and a digital counter! Slip the padded ring around the ankle. Flip the on switch and press the button to start a new game.

Encourage imagination with SpinMaster’s new CrystaLynx Dragons. Inside each crystal mystery egg is an articulated dragon with stunning colors & highly flexible joints that make it easy to twist, bend and pose it in various shapes like a fun fidget toy. Plus, you can mix & match joints from other dragons to create your very own unique creature.

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Get those young brains moving and grooving with a quality puzzle! Mudpuppy offers an assortment of fun puzzles to engage little minds. We love the Springtime Puzzle To Go, Bunny Bouquet 48 Piece Scratch & Sniff Shaped Mini Puzzle and Garden Bunnies 25 Piece Floor Puzzle with Shaped Pieces. Also, check out Mudpuppy’s Bow-Wow Bunny Board Book.

The Master of Disguise Kit is your passport to a world of secret identities and endless fun. With over 40 accessories, you can create countless unique disguises and let your creativity soar.

Inspired by latte art and designer cookies made in stylish coffee shops and social media videos, Art Café introduces this pour & pull paint technique to arts and crafts. Beautiful designs emerge in magical transformations with this simple pour and pull technique. 

Embark on a delightful bidding adventure with Strawberry Shortcake, a lively card game filled with charm and excitement. Engage in fun bids for cards featuring beloved characters and items, and use straightforward placement rules to craft lucrative collections! Fun for the whole family!

The Rainbow Mini Pack from CONNETIX introduces STEAM learning through a vibrant selection of magnetic tiles in various shapes and colors. This pack enhances creativity and building potential, allowing users to create a wide range of designs, from rockets to mandalas, while benefiting from stronger magnets and a signature bevel design.

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For the tween and teen bunnies

Flipslide is a fast-moving, electronic handheld matching game! Master the moves to beat the blocks in this addictive, fast paced puzzle game of skill. Flip to find the color and slide to match the lights. 

Based on The New York Times bestselling Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook, the Worst-Case Scenario Card Game is perfect for a game night among family or friends. Players must ask themselves how they would compare living through a pandemic to being chased by a gorilla, losing your memory, or being lost at sea.

Bring some affordable adventure to your kid’s world with Sky Viper drones. The Sky Viper Dash Nano Drone is a 2-inch compact sized drone that is great for flying indoors. This ultra-durable drone features auto launch and land, and one-touch stunts. Or, light up the room with the Sky Viper Aura Drone, which features eight pulsating LEDs on its spinning frame to project kaleidoscopic light patterns on the ceiling and the floor at the same time. 

Have an artist? The Buddha Board is a long-lasting gift that will inspire creativity. Or bring some more color to your artist’s world with the POSCA markers and Uniball pens. 

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Snag some great puzzles for your tween or teen with Galison. The brand offers an assortment of quality, engaging and truly beautiful puzzles. We love the Michael Storrings Easter Candy Shop 500 Piece Puzzle, Michael Storrings Easter Egg Hunt 1000 Piece Puzzle and Michael Storrings Easter Parade 500 Piece Puzzle.

Do you have a content creator? Check out the Podcast & Vlog Kit from Studio Creator, which brings your video and audio quality to the next level. The kit includes everything you need: a fold-up tabletop tripod with a smartphone holder, LED light, and microphone. The compact design makes it so easy to record digital content at home and on the go!

Finally, welcome Spring with Everyday California’s collection of vibrant outdoor essentials! The local brand offers the perfect Sundaze Towel for beachside picnics or poolside gatherings and other springtime adventures. 

Have a suggestion for the Easter Gift Guide? Tell us about it in the comments section.

​___

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San Diego Moms is published on Saturdays. Have a story idea? Email hoaq@timesofsandiego.com and follow her on Instagram at @hoawritessd.



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San Diego, CA

Francis Parker captures Open Division girls basketball title

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Francis Parker captures Open Division girls basketball title


OCEANSIDE — The Frontwave Arena scoreboard showed 23 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Up 16, Francis Parker’s win over Westview High School for the CIF San Diego Section Open Division girls basketball championship was secure.

“No, no, no!” Parker head coach Courtney Clements screamed to freshman guard Jordan Brown, telling her there was no need to score.

So Brown walked the ball up the floor, from the backcourt, across midcourt, a 1,000-watt smile etched across her face.

With no Wolverines defending her, Brown dribbled from side to side across the logo. Then, a fraction of a moment before the final buzzer sounded, Brown flung the basketball high toward the rafters, then was engulfed by teammates.

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The job was complete. Parker’s first Open Division title in program history was secure, the final reading 66-50 on Saturday night.

Of those final seconds, said Brown, who scored 23 points. “It was a surreal moment, knowing we worked for this all year long. It’s amazing.”

One reason it was amazing was because the top-seeded Lancers (21-7) were a decided favorite, but were stressed by the sixth-seeded Wolverines (20-9). Led by UC Santa Barbara-bound senior guard Sarah Heyn (18 points in the first half), Westview led 35-28 early in the third quarter.

“I just knew I had to do whatever it took to win,” said Brown. “Whether that was defense or offense. I just wanted to win, period.”

Sparked by its defense, Parker closed the quarter on a 14-0 run.  Westview’s final 11 possessions of the quarter ended with five missed shots and six turnovers.

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Still, the game wasn’t over. Heyn cut the deficit to 48-44 with just over six minutes to play on a bucket. But with 5:47 to play, Heyn was whistled for her fifth foul on a reach-in.

“Knowing their best player fouled out, we sealed the win,” said Brown.

As for Heyn, who finished with 23 points, she sat on the bench and pulled her jersey over her eyes, hiding tears.

Clements’ thoughts when Heyn fouled out? “I hope we can put this game away now.”

Francis Parker High’s Jordan Brown shoots against Westview High during the CIF Open Division championship at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. Francis Parker defeated Westview 66-50. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

That the Lancers did, outscoring Westview 18-6 down the stretch.

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The Lancers’ players and coach were effusive in their praise for Heyn, a four-year starter.

“She’s a great player,” said Brown.

“She played phenomenally,” said Clements. “She played the way you would think a senior would play in a championship game. She played desperately. She played every possession like it was the last 20 seconds of the game. She was extremely impressive. (Heyn buried five 3s, missing only once from deep.) She should be proud of herself.”

Clements was proud of her team for another reason. After blowing out two-time reigning Open Division champion Mission Hills by 26 in the semis, some thought Parker might cruise in the title game.

“I figured it was going to be a fight, and it was,” said Clements. “It was good that our girls had to come together, had to stick together. That’s what this is all about, developing character via the sport of basketball. When the kids face adversity, they have to make a decision. Who do they want to be? They showed the best version of themselves. That’s what I want to remember from a game like this.”

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Francis Parker’s primary color is brown, which is fitting for the girls basketball team. They are led not only by the freshman Jordan Brown, but also junior Brieana Brown, a strong, aggressive and athletic 5-foot-11 wing.

Brieana Brown scored 25 points and yanked down a team-best eight rebounds.

About the team in brown being led by the Browns (who are not related), Jordan Brown said: “It’s super cool. I love Bri and our story. So many people think we’re related, that we’re siblings. In reality, we’re not, but we play like it.”

Francis Parker High's Brieana Brown shoots against Westview during the CIF Open Division championship at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. Francis Parker defeated Westview 66-50. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Francis Parker High’s Brieana Brown shoots against Westview during the CIF Open Division championship at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. Francis Parker defeated Westview 66-50. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Francis Parker and Westview both will advance to the Southern California Regionals.

Earlier in the season, Clements — who was dressed in all black for the championship game — confessed she wasn’t crazy about Parker’s primary color. Her mood shifted Saturday night.

“Brown’s doing well for me now,” she said.

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Asked if Lancers’ Brown squared tandem represents the best one-two girls basketball punch in the San Diego Section, Clements gave the questioner a “What do you think?” smirk.

“That,” said the coach of the Open Division champions, “is a no-brainer.”



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5 things to know about Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei

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5 things to know about Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei



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San Diego, CA

Joan Endres – San Diego Union-Tribune

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Joan Endres – San Diego Union-Tribune



Joan Endres


OBITUARY

Born January 1939 in Cincinnati Ohio. Died February 14, 2026, in San Diego, California, with her sons at her side. Her beloved husband Dean passed away in 2010.

Joan was the only child of Thomas and Edna Palmer. In 1943, the family moved to San Diego, where Joan graduated from Helix High School in 1956.

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In 1957 Joan married Dean Endres of San Diego, where they raised two sons. Joan followed her two great passions outside the home, the Arts, and Gardening. Both activities being a way to bring beauty to others and to the community.

Joan received a degree in Environmental Design from San Diego State University, and afterwords worked at UCSD, for the Campus Architect.

As an artist, Joan worked in various media, especially ceramics. She was active in many cultural and arts organizations, eventually becoming President of the Combined Organization for the Visual Arts (COVA). Later she turned to gardening, with the Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca Community College and the Master Gardener Association of San Diego County.

Joan is survived by her son Jeff and wife Katrin, grandson Jackson, and son Todd Endres, all of La Mesa, and sisters Alice Buck of Phoenix, Elaine Kennedy of San Diego, Nancy and husband Don Jones of Vista, Eva Budzinski of Cloudcroft, New Mexico, and their children and grandchildren.

There will be a Celebration of Life for Joan in the near future. Those who wish to attend should contact celebratejoanuvart@gmail.com to receive details when they are confirmed. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully suggests a donation to the Water Conservation Garden or the Diego Visual Arts Network (SDVAN).

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