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.
Four suspects were behind bars Friday for allegedly beating a man to death two months ago during a fight at Linda Vista Park.
Arrested Wednesday on suspicion of murder in connection with the violent death of 59-year-old Ruben Rimorin were Juan Garcia Alavez, 21, Juan Manuel Lopez, 26, Brian Reyes, 20, and Franklin Joseph Tuell, 21, according to the San Diego Police Department.
Rimorin was found gravely injured about 3:45 a.m. Oct. 18 on a sidewalk in the 6800 block of Osler Street, just west of the park, SDPD Lt. Chris Tivanian said. Paramedics tried in vain to revive the victim before pronouncing him dead at the scene.
It remains unclear what sparked the deadly fight.
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The suspects were being held at San Diego Central Jail without bail pending arraignment, scheduled for Friday afternoon.
National City’s Pepper Park can soon expand in size by nearly 50%, thanks to a ruling this week by the California Coastal Commission to approve the National City Balanced Plan.
The approval of the plan at the CCC’s Wednesday meeting, developed by the Port of San Diego, means that not only will the popular park have the ability to increase in size, big changes are coming for commercial, recreation and maritime uses on the National City bayfront.
“We are grateful to the California Coastal Commission for its support of the National City Balanced Plan,” said Danielle Moore, chair of the Board of Port Commissioners. “The progress we have made has been anchored in tireless collaboration with the community, business leaders and, of course, the city of National City. It’s about bringing more recreational opportunities to the bayfront while also streamlining and strengthening maritime operations, and we are eager to bring these projects to life.”
Other components of the balanced plan include:
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Realigning Marina Way to serve as the buffer area between commercial recreation and maritime uses
The closure of Tidelands Avenue between Bay Marina Drive and West 32nd Street, and West 28th Street between Tidelands Avenue and Quay Avenue, around six acres, to increase terminal efficiency by eliminating redundancies
The development of a recreational vehicle park, tent sites, cabins and the “ultimate development of up to two hotels with up to 365 rooms, as well as dry boat storage,” a port statement read
A connector rail project to connect the existing rail and loop track located on the National City Marine Terminal to additional rail car storage spots at the existing Burlington Northern Santa Fe National City Yard east of the National Distribution Center
The Board of Port Commissioners must accept the CCC’s certification, then the port and city can begin the process of completing the above projects.
“I am proud of the work we have done to help create a lasting legacy for National City, the Port of San Diego, and the entire region,” said Port Commissioner GilAnthony Ungab. “Nearly a decade in the making, this plan balances the interests of the community and many other stakeholders, addresses public access, maritime, and recreation uses, and expands waterfront access in my community.”
The National City Bayfront is 273 acres of waterfront land and 167 acres of water, and includes the National City Marine Terminal, Pepper Park, Pier 32 Marina, the Aquatic Center and pieces of public art.
Mayor Todd Gloria announced an initiative Wednesday intended to expand housing options in neighborhoods by integrating small-scale residences such as townhomes, rowhomes and cottages into an area’s existing character.
The Neighborhood Homes for All of Us initiative is also intended to support community land trusts — nonprofit organizations that acquire land to create permanent affordable housing.
“Since Day 1 of my administration, I have been focused on building more homes that San Diegans can actually afford — and getting them built faster,” Gloria said at a news conference Wednesday. “‘Neighborhood Homes for All of Us’ is the latest piece of that puzzle. This innovative program will break down the barriers that have gotten in the way of building the type of housing that I believe is ideal for young families and first-time homebuyers for whom the dream of homeownership has long felt out of reach.”
Around 80% of land zoned for housing in the city is restricted to single-family homes, which continue to increase in price, Gloria said. And a significant portion of new housing being built consists of apartment buildings with primarily studio and one-bedroom units, leaving working-class families fewer and fewer options for homes.
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Neighborhood Homes for All of Us is intended to increase the housing supply and allow community land trusts to keep housing affordable in disadvantaged communities for low- to middle-income families.
“San Diego is an incredible place to raise a family, and more families need the opportunity to do that in San Diego’s existing, highly desirable single-family neighborhoods where their kids can learn and play in a great community,” City Planning Director Heidi Vonblum said. “But today, that comes at a price that is out of reach for too many. Integrating more options for families requires careful and thoughtful planning, with input from existing and future community members across the city, to ensure these new home opportunities for San Diego’s families are built in ways that best enhance and benefit San Diego’s amazing neighborhoods.”
The initiative will roll out in two phases. In the first phase, beginning this week and continuing through next summer, San Diegans can help determine what the neighborhoods can look like. The public will be able to see renderings showing small-scale neighborhood homes within San Diego’s existing communities, along with new regulations that “provide a clear pathway for building these homes,” according to a statement from Gloria’s office.
Phase 1 will also include an open house and ways for the community to provide feedback and concerns.
Phase 2, scheduled for the second half of 2026, will be for city staff to develop regulations allowing for the building of more neighborhood homes in a way informed by the public feedback.
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The initiative is partly funded through a Regional Early Action Planning grant from the San Diego Association of Governments.
