If you're planning on making an Easter basket for the children you look after, you may want to stay away for high-caloric candy. According to the National Confectioners Association, Americans will spend $2.26 billion on Easter candy this year! However, it's a known fact that childhood obesity has more than doubled within the past 30 years. Additionally, an excess of sugar can make the little ones off–the-wall, which is a nightmare for a nanny. Instead of loading up Easter baskets with marshmallow Peeps and jelly beans, take a look at some healthier alternatives:
- Apple-sauce packets: If you nanny for young kids, they probably love applesauce. This mom-approved snack is both sweet and healthy. Instead of filling a basket with candy, opt to place packets of apple-sauce into the container instead.
- Freeze-dried fruit: "Freeze-dried fruits are becoming easier to find in grocery stores and are a great treat for toddler Easter baskets. Strawberries, blueberries, and other fruits are a colorful, sweet, and crunchy treat when freeze-dried," writes Emily Harmon of Yahoo! Voices. "[Just] make sure you read the label to avoid products with added sugar."
- Sidewalk chalk: Who says you only have to fill Easter basket with food? Chances are that the little ones you watch over love to draw. Now that the weather is warm, it's the perfect time to play outside with sidewalk chalk. Many stores sell egg-shaped chalk which is perfect for Easter! Go outside and play hopscotch or take turns drawing on the driveway to foster kids' creativity.
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