Easter Basket Filler Ideas – That Aren’t Sweets!

Easter is coming up and that means egg hunts and Easter baskets. Easter baskets have seen a major upgrade since the old days when they were flimsy, pastel and packed with plastic grass. Walk through a Target these days and you’ll find baskets in the shapes of soccer balls, a Spiderman’s head or something wearing tutus. You’ll also find tags, initials and other add-ons meant to personalize the baskets. Most plastic grass has been replaced by shredded paper, but you can go one further and try growing your own basket grass. 

On to what matters the most

Let’s face it, most kids don’t care about the basket or the grass, they want the goodies. They’re looking for those pastel m&ms, peeps (who eats those?!), and the big guy himself – the chocolate Easter Bunny.

There’s no problem with a small treat, but I can’t get too excited about loading them up with sweets. So why not mix it up and try some candy alternatives? You’re probably already putting sidewalk chalk, coloring books, and bubble wands in their Easter baskets, but this year why not try a theme? Here are a few ideas:

• Small toddlers & babies – soft books, small stuffed animals, a gift card to try a mommy and me class, bibs, baby sunglasses. 
• Toddlers -a book themed basket with bookmarks and stickers.
• An explorer basket with play binoculars, a book about bugs, a magnifying glass and a notebook to record their findings.
• A gardening basket complete with gloves, gardening tools and some seeds to help them grow some flowers or yummy food!
• A bath basket with bath bombs, fun washcloth, bath crayons, rubber ducky, towel and bubble bath. 
• School aged and older – If they love legos, those are always a hit and maybe you can add a lego book.
• A craft themed Easter basket to introduce them to a new hobby would be fun.
• A manicure themed basket could be a hit.
• An artist basket with paints, brushes, and mixed media to play with. 
• Teens -I got some great ideas from my friend and mama to teens KT.
  She suggests a mouse pad and earbuds, a planner and purse, movie tickets or a dvd with a giftcard to grab a bite and even hygiene basics like a toothbrush. Those are great starting points and then you can fill in the basket with similar items. 

Most basket themes can be made for all ages. A sports fan? I’ve seen some parents ditch the basket and add some sports goodies in a new ball cap. 

A foodie? Try some unique snacks; I usually find fun things at Cost Plus. Then there’s my favorite- the beach basket! This is perfect for San Diego! We don’t have to wait for Summer to hit the beach, but if you can put off buying updated beach gear for Easter, I’d recommend making it a tradition. Find some new flip flops, a personalized beach towel, a sand toy and floaties (for the little non swimmers of course).  

What are your favorite basket filler ideas? At around what age do Easter baskets stop making an appearance at your house? 

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