How can I make Easter a healthier holiday?

One way to make Easter healthier is to skip the chocolate and fill up your child’s Easter basket with some non-sugary treats. Books make great gifts at any time of the year, including Easter. Three of my favorite Easter themed books are “Marshmallow” by Clare Turlay Newberry, “The Easter Egg” by Jan Brett, and “The Story of the Easter Bunny” by Katherine Tegen. There are also some fun “carrot themed” toys such as Playme Pluck Carrot memory game, Kikkerland’s Stack the Carrot Game, and Haba’s Carrot Jump Rope. My favorite Easter gift idea to promote healthy eating is Super Sprowtz’s Colby Carrot Plush Puppet, which comes with a free seed pack of carrots so children can grow their own carrots at home.

Jennie Ito, Ph.D.

Child Development Expert

Jennie Ito is a mother of two and a child development consultant who specializes in children’s play and toys. Before becoming a consultant for LeapFrog, she was an intern at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, and later worked as a content expert for the Association of Children’s Museum’s “Playing for Keeps” Play Initiative. Jennie earned her doctorate degree in developmental psychology at Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada.