If you’re filling a baby’s Easter Basket, there is no shortage of great board books to choose from. However, in the sea of choice, there is a lot of garbage out there, so I took myself down to the bookstore to see which ones were just mass-printed bunny and egg books and which ones were actually worthwhile.
I also made a point of finding books that were spring-themed but not necessarily Easter.
Board books tend to have a shorter shelf life before kids move up to picture books, so I wanted to find books that would make the reading time rotation long past Easter. Here are the 21 board books that I think are perfect for a baby’s Easter basket:
1. I Am a Bunny
Okay, let’s get this one out of the way. I love this book, and I would die for this bunny. Not only is it a sweet story with gorgeous illustrations, but the book is a nice size and height for an Easter Basket and kids love it. I will never shutup about it so you may as well buy a copy and join my “I Am a Bunny” cult. Find it on Amazon and Target.
2. Peter Rabbit Little Library
This set comes with four little books – colors, numbers, animals and opposites – that are illustrated with lovely little watercolors. Find it on Amazon.
3. Peter Rabbit Easter Fun
It’s Easter, and Peter and his sisters are hiding Easter eggs for all their forest friends to find. I like this book because there is a lot to look at on each page, and the flaps are sturdy. I prefer it to the traditional original story in Peter Rabbit Touch and Feel Board Book which is equally beautiful but might be a little longwinded for younger readers. Find it on Amazon.
4. Easter Bunny, Where Are You?
This little adventure of finding where the Easter Bunny is hiding has a variety of animals (and the noises they make) behind sturdy flaps. Find it on Amazon and Target.
5. That’s not my bunny…
That’s not my… books are a timeless staple that kids love, so the bunny version is perfect for Easter. Not only does each page have a different texture, but there’s a mouse to spot on every page. Find it on Amazon.
6. Teeny Tiny Bunny
This springtime read-aloud has vibrant illustrations and bouncy rhymes. A teeny bunny plants a garden only to have a storm wash all the seeds away. (Bummer.) Thankfully, all its little farm friends help the bunny re-plant everything—including slugs with shovels, which cracked me up. Find it on Amazon and Target.
7. One Hot Chick
This hot little chick just wants to find a place on the farm to cool off. As she searches, she’s joined by more hot chicks with the same mission. The illustrations are adorable and the double meaning brought a smile to my face which is helpful for any board book that I’m going to have to read 8 zillion times. It’s absolutely delightful. Find it on Amazon and Target.
8. Scrambled Eggs
This board books has split pages so you can create fun egg combinations like A pirate egg! Doing the moonwalk or A disco egg! Sailing the seven seas. It’s fun and I spent way too much time making egg combos in the bookstore. Find it on Amazon and Target.
9. We’re Going on an Egg Hunt
This family of bunnies set off on an exciting lift-the-flap Easter egg hunt. It’s well illustrated, the story is sweet and it’s a nice introduction to counting. Find it on Amazon and Target.
10. Where’s the Bunny?
I love the graphic illustrations in this book and the flaps are all felt instead of paper which adds to the texture and fun of it. You could turn this into a fun memory game and it even has a little mirror in the back. Find it on Amazon and Target.
11. Calm Bunny
This is a surprisingly cool book that has step-by-step instructions to guide kids through a soothing series of basic yoga poses where they pretend to be a bunny and then a snake, etc. I feel like it would be a fantastic wind-down book for kids who need to move a bit before they go to bed. Find it on Amazon.
12. Yoga Bunny
This sweet book is a fun way to introduce kids to child’s pose and other basic moves. Bunny is practicing his poses and wishes his friends would do yoga with him, but Lizard is too tired, Fox is in a rush, and Bird has the hiccups. (And I would be too busy watching a murder documentary, namaste.) It’s very calm and a great book for kids to move without going bonkers. Find it on Amazon and Target.
13. Peek-A-Boo Haiku
This lift-the-flap book has gorgeous illustrations where you guess what animal is being described. I found it lyrical and engaging even though I still don’t understand what a haiku is. Find it on Amazon and Target.
14. I’ll Hold Your Hand
This book is all about a parent supporting and loving a child through life’s milestones, from learning to walk to the first day of school and all the highs and lows in between. I may or may not have cried in the bookstore reading this one. Find it on Amazon and Target.
15. Pop Up Peekaboo Frog
I love books that are fun to read with a sprinkle of education. This is a journey from tadpole to frog, where you explore all the pop-ups and flaps along the way. It’s not an Easter book but has a spring vibe for any kid fascinated by nature and the outdoors. Find it on Amazon and Target.
16. My First 100 Animal Words
I was first drawn to this book by the bright cover and perfect basket size but it’s also a great book. Each spread focuses on 8 to 12 animal words—from axolotl (I had to google it) to armadillo, from cassowary to krill, from tardigrade to tadpole and more! It goes way beyond cat and dog so I think it would interest a kid for a while. Find it on Amazon and Target.
17. Under the Ground
Lift flaps and peep into holes to find ants and bunnies, pipes and trains, fossils, and even lava! This book’s concept would appeal to kids who love science, nature, and dirt. It’s a cool book that isn’t too ‘fluffy’ or ‘sweet’ for kids who aren’t into that. Find it on Amazon.
18. Who Laid These Eggs
Kids can lift the flaps to discover all of the different animal nests and eggs—and learn a simple fact about each species. Featured creatures include robins, alligators, ostriches, salmon, butterflies, seagulls, snakes, and chickens, plus the kids who gather the eggs from the coop. Find it on Amazon.
19. Bee: A Peek-Through Board Book
Fly along with Bee on her very busy day and peek through the holes to discover the bustling life of this helpful insect. It’s a great book to teach kids how bees pollinate plants to help them grow and work together on their important tasks. Find it on Amazon.
20. Plant the Tiny Seed
This clever book follows the seed through its entire life cycle. Kids engage with the book as they wiggle their fingers to water the seeds, clap to make the sun shine after rain, and shoo away a hungry snail. I LOVE that this book nails the interactive aspect without any tabs, flaps or doors. Find it on Amazon and Target.
21. The Great Easter Egg Hunt
Children will delight in searching for hidden eggs as they follow Bear and his friends on an egg hunt through the woodland, along the river, and even into Rabbit’s home. It’s like a smaller version of Where’s Waldo with lovey woodland pictures. The cover doesn’t do this book justice. Find it on Amazon and Target.
Easter Board Books Can Go Beyond Easter
While many of these books focus on the theme of Easter, many of them feature nature, spring and animals that will be read long after the Easter Bunny has hopped away. Let me know if there are any other favorites that you’d add!
Also check out: 30+ First Easter Basket Ideas for a Baby
