Six Local Businesses to Fill Your Kids’ Easter Baskets

It’s hard to believe that spring is already upon us, bringing with it bluebonnets, Spring Break, and the beginning of splash pad and pool season. It’s also the time to start thinking about planning an egg hunt and filling your kids’ baskets, if you celebrate Easter.

Here at ACM, we love our city, and we love our city’s small businesses. We are blessed with a large number of hugely talented makers in our community, many of whom are moms! With that in mind, I’d love to encourage you to fill your kids’ Easter baskets with treats from some of San Antonio’s best small makers and shops.

From cuddly bunnies to sweet treats, sensory play, and the softest pajamas, we’ve got something for every basket.

Image courtesy of Pops of Whimsy

1. Pops of Whimsy

Every Easter basket needs a bunny, and the very best bunnies in San Antonio are made with love by Erica, the hugely talented mom-maker behind Pops of Whimsy. If you’ve been to an ACM Bloom event, there’s a good chance you’ve met Erica; or you may have seen her beautiful dolls and blankets pop up at one of the local markets across SA, Boerne, and beyond.

Each Pops of Whimsy bunny has a name and character all its own, as well as a sweet face, adorable outfit, and the softest ears. Choose from one of Erica’s ready-to-ship bunnies, or let your little one’s imagination run wild with her custom doll service. Bunnies—and custom spots—are limited, because each bunny takes a great deal of time and love to produce.

Image courtesy of Pops of Whimsy

If bunnies aren’t your thing, you’ll find a whole host of other adorable Pops of Whimsy friends. Want to theme your kid’s basket? Choose from one of the HERstory dolls (from Amelia Earhart to Rosa Parks, Frida Kahlo, and even local favorite Selena Quintanilla) and pair them with a book about the inspiring woman herself; a Disney leading lady and her movie or soundtrack; or an adorable dinosaur, book, and mini digging kit for your budding paleontologist.

Follow Erica on Instagram and keep an eye on her stories for flash sales, discount codes, and local drop-off days so you can snag a cutie for your Easter basket before the big day.

Image courtesy of Narwhal Sensory Box

2. Narwhal Sensory Box

NSB is another mom-owned, local small business with a singular mission: to promote and encourage creativity, imagination, and exploration in your little one. Social worker Sofia Garza learned all about the benefits of sensory play when she became a stay-at-home mom, and now she’s sharing her tips and tricks with other moms in the Alamo City.

Each Narwhal Sensory Box contains homemade, non-toxic play dough, scented with all-natural essential oils; as well as an array of other materials, textures, colors, and shapes. Available in large and mini sizes, the original sensory boxes are themed to help your child’s imagination run wild. From construction to cupcakes; dinosaurs, gardens, and science, there is a sensory box to delight your little one and offer long-lasting fun!

Image courtesy of Narwhal Sensory Box

The Bunny Collection includes Easter baskets loaded with goodies for sensory play, dyed rice kits, and smaller play dough jars (containing a single dough and other items), and will be available from NSB this spring! These are perfect additions to an Easter basket for little ones ages three and up.

Sofia’s play doughs and sensory kits can be purchased (or pre-ordered and collected) from the Handmade on Main store in Boerne. Follow Sofia on Instagram for information about other pop ups!

Image courtesy of Bexar Cub

3. Bexar Cub

Bexar Cub is the brainchild of Desi, a mom, school counselor, and bracelet maker here in San Antonio. Her colorful creations are the perfect addition to baskets for all ages—including moms! (Moms deserve Easter baskets too!) As well as ready-to-ship bracelets, she also offers DIY kits, which contain everything your kiddos need to get creative: five feet of stretch cord and enough colored beads, focal beads, charms, and alphabet letters to make six to seven bracelets.

This spring she’ll have personalized bracelets for your little’s basket, as well as a special Easter-themed DIY kit. Don’t snooze on these self-contained kits: they are the perfect long weekend activity, especially if you’re getting the whole family together for brunch.

Image courtesy of Bexar Cub

4. The Twig Book Store

Not a local maker but a venerable San Antonio institution nonetheless, The Twig is the ideal place to fill your baskets. Currently located in the former Pearl Brewery, this book store has made a name for itself by providing a fantastic selection of newly-released books for children and adults, as well as award-winning classics and a huge section of books about Texas, since 1972.

There are plenty of Easter-themed titles for young readers on the shelves, whether they are interested in touch and feel, lift-the-flap board books, activity books, collections of cartoons, or coloring books. With their huge selection of books for children and young readers, you’ll find the perfect book for any child’s Easter basket.

Image courtesy of Charity Teague Confections

5. Charity Teague Confections

Every Easter basket needs something sweet! Skip the standard Robin’s Eggs and Reese’s carrot (though, don’t get me wrong, I do love Reese’s Pieces) and treat them to one of local chocolatier Charity Teague’s sweet treats.

As beautiful to look at as they are delicious to eat, Charity’s chocolates are made in small batches from the finest quality ingredients. The ideal centerpiece for your family get-together this Easter? A smashable golden egg (with mallet included!) stuffed full of chocolate bunnies and ducks, a chocolate-dipped orange, Jordan almonds, pastel sixlets, jelly beans, and sprinkles.

Image courtesy of Charity Teague Confections

Smaller, more basket-sized treats include adorable hand-painted chocolate bunnies; chocolate caramel pecan turtles; bars of white, dark, milk, and Ruby chocolate with your choice of locally-sourced add-ins; and beautifully packaged cartons of chocolate-covered blueberries, almonds, lemon shortbread, cherries, salted caramels, and orange peel.

Whatever treats you choose, these are sure to be a huge hit with kids of all ages.

Image courtesy of Macaron + Me

6. Macaron + Me

Load up their Easter baskets with adorable bamboo sleepwear and play clothing from Macaron + Me. Mom of three Ashley came up with the concept for her business in the long nights she spent nursing and rocking her children to sleep: creating the very softest, most comfortable and long-lasting sleepwear in the cutest prints.

Her Easter collection features only the sweetest prints and patterns: brightly colored eggs on a jade green background, jelly beans, and candy stripes; as well as candy inspired bunnies on pink. With footies, rompers, two-piece PJs, bows, headbands, underwear, twirl dresses, stroller blankets, and more, you’re sure to find the right basket filler for kids of any age.

Image courtesy of Macaron + Me

My son’s Easter basket will definitely feature a couple of items from the Western collection, which are adorably strewn with horses and stars. Rainbow hearts, diggers, candy hearts, planes, neutral rainbows, stripes, and bright solids are among Ashley’s other adorable creations, and they make wonderful gifts for new moms, baby showers, birthdays, and more.

Order directly from the Macaron + Me site, or find these adorable sleepies and bows at local boutiques like Bambinos (and stock up on new swimwear for the coming season while you’re there!).

Image courtesy of Macaron + Me

I hope a couple of items from these local businesses might find their way into your kids’ Easter baskets this year. Whatever occasion you’re celebrating, let’s help keep the vibrant community of makers and sellers we have in the Alamo City in business! 

Natalie
Natalie is a proud Brit, but moved to Texas at the end of 2017 to be with her husband, a native San Antonian. Their son was born in late October 2020, so her entire experience of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum has been under the cloud of Covid-19. She spent the frivolous years of her early 20s pursuing a PhD in Renaissance history, living in Venice, Italy, and teaching students. She pivoted into editing when she moved to the US, but currently has her academic pursuits on hold while she focuses on her son. Despite being in San Antonio for a few years now, she still considers herself a newbie. She loves to find out more about the history and culture of the city, explore new places, and find local businesses to support. A fastidious researcher and lover of lists, she’s always excited to share her finds and experiences with others. Favorite Restaurant: Dough Favorite Landmark: World’s Largest Cowboy Boots Favorite San Antonio Tradition: Riverwalk Christmas Lights