AIBU to consider not giving out Easter eggs at toddler group this year?

[BelfastSmile]

I run a toddler group (once a week, in a church hall, costs £1.50 per morning - just to give you an idea of how we operate, budget etc). At Easter we usually give all the children (aged 1-3, with an occasional 4-year-old) an Easter egg (babies get a small stuffed toy or something like that). We give them the smallest eggs we can get - usually Buttons or Smarties, but they're still fairly big for a small child. In the past a few parents have said things like "Oh, chocolate - well, you can have a little bit, since it's Easter" to their children - basically giving the impression that they don't really want their child to have that much chocolate.

No one has ever complained, though. However, I'm wondering whether it would be better to give out something else, like an Easter activity book or something. A single egg is probably OK, but most go to a different group every day, so are potentially getting 5 eggs just from toddler groups.

On the other hand, some people would feel they'd missed out if they didn't get an Easter egg from us.

What does everyone reckon? If you go to a toddler group, what would you prefer - an egg, or something else, like a book or toy? Would you feel you'd been hard done by if your child didn't get an Easter egg? Or would you be glad to have less chocolate in the house?

I think even most people who are happy for their toddler to have chocolate would give them one egg themselves and that will be plenty. A colouring book is a good idea, or some stickers or something.

It might be a faff but could you get enough bits for a choice? Ask the parent - little egg or a cheap toy? I recon most would chose the choc, (i would) but it would be nice to offer a choice maybe?

When my kids where of that age, they liked getting their wee egg from toddler group. I have no issue with them getting chocolate to start with. I am a bit eyerollery over the giving of books over something the child actually wants - an activity book maybe, but then you might get the "oh are they safe for under 3s", would it not be dearer for the group to pick up activity books. Even if you're getting the books from Poundland I think the eggs will still work out cheaper.

Easter eggs are huge though. What about a bag of those little foil covered chocolate eggs that they can share round during the group then the parents can decide how much their kid is allowed.

People say that about chocolate because they think it's what they should say, in front of other parents. It's an affectation.

You're doing a nice deed and I'm sure it's appreciated, even if they guilelessly say the wrong thing.

I'd stick with the egg. I bet a lot of them are doing the comments for the benefit of other parents when really they'll let the kid Hoover up the egg

I've never been given Easter eggs at any playgroup I've ever been to with either of my 3. I can imagine I'd probably have a similar reaction in that it seems unnecessary. I'd have no problem with something small like one of those treasure hunt size eggs or a mini rabbit.

Wow I never thought you'd get given an Easter egg at a toddler group! Seems very generous.

I'd accept the egg, then eat it myself just like I did with the Xmas chocolate given to my 8 month baby.

Should have said, we usually do an Easter egg hunt on the final day, where they find all the eggs hidden in the church. Those are shared among them at the end. So they would still be getting those (usually works out as a small egg each (the size of a Kinder egg) and a couple of the tiny Creme eggs). So they would get some chocolate.

Giving a choice isn't practical, as we'd have to have enough of each thing for everybody to chose the same. I guess we could ask the week before, but then we'd have to keep track, and it's generally mayhem after the egg hunt.

Don't mind too much about the expense, as long as we can do it for about £1 - £1.50 per child.

At groups I've been to there would be an easter themed craft activity, make a chick, make a nest, etc, then a little chocolate egg to go with the craft.

Anyone not wanting their child to have chocolate, could do the craft as a gift for a relative. In reality most of the kids got their chocolates!

If you're doing an egg hunt then I don't think there's really any need for anything extra, that's generous enough for a toddler group

Bah, stick with the eggs in the main, just make an exception for any dairy / chocolate intolerances or allergies.

My kids loved getting theirs, we just kept them until Easter Sunday with all their others before they started eating them, and when they were that young we could eke them out so they lasted ages. :)

Leave the books to the parents and grandparents who can tailor them to the age / interests of the children more easily than you can.

I wouldn't have expected to get any Easter presents from a toddler group tbh but it's a nice gesture! My kids didn't eat chocolate at that age as they didn't know what it was and highly suspicious of anything to eat at all ;-)

Graceful, that's a good idea... Make a craft and they can take that home. We did Easter baskets a few years ago, so we could maybe do that again, and then they can put their eggs from the egg hunt in and take them home.

Why not just get the tiny eggs, like the nets that M&S (I think Aldi do some too) do, and break those open to give one to each child.

But also spend some money on some Easter craft things, suited to their age, and let them, maybe
Potato stamp a card (have the stamp made beforehand) or use "real" stamps (trying to think of budget with potato first)
Colour a paper plate (cut into an egg shape in advance) and add stickers
Glue a bunny picture or chicken picture with coloured paper bits
Colour in free printable pictures from Activity Village or similar websites (there's LOADS available, and you could get a nice mix of spring and easter pictures)

Lots of the same websites that have pictures (Activity Village, DLTK etc) also have loads of ideas for crafts to do too - I am just thinking off the top of my head what is easy to organize, cheap enough to organize and not dreadful to supervise a group of toddlers (so not suggesting that they cut the shapes themselves, or paint - but if your group would be ok with those, go for it!).

Can they find something other than eggs in the treasure hunt - those tiny little fluffy chicks were really popular here - and either let them exchange for a kinder egg sized Easter egg, or keep the things they have found, and give them the egg?

At this age my DD loved getting one of those tiny yellow chicks. (They sell them in packs at the supermarket),

I think a buttons or smarties eggs is a bit big for a toddler group gift to small children. How about one of the smaller eggs. They're just hollow eggs foil wrapped, no box or anything. We use them for our NCT Easter Eggs hunt. They're about 2 or 3 inches high, would probbaly fit in an egg cup, so much smaller than a 'proper' easter egg. I noticed last week Aldi had an easter egg hunt pack containing 20 of said eggs for about £4.

What about doing a craft where they make a little basket with that shredded paper nest stuff in it and then you pop one of those tiny yellow chicks plus a tiny egg inside it.

I would carry on with the egg. The parents can eat it themselves or donate it to me the food bank if they want. The ones who protest most will likely be the ones whose children eat it in the 4X4 car on the way home.

I was going to say about the chicks. I'd rather they did some Easter craft.

at a toddler group I went to they gave out little cream eggs in a gift box that the child decorated, could that be an idea?

Ds got a selection box from his group at Christmas, I was happy to receive it but didn't want ds eating any of it right then. Maybe that's what the parents are thinking?

You could have a look on Book People - they often collections of easter/nature/animal books (such as Beatrix Potter) for around £1 a book (sometimes less).