Easter basket ideas

**mcphlips** · 03-10-2006, 07:58 PM

I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for Easter baskets? I know Easter is a few weeks away, but I thought I would get a head start, so I didn't have to buy everything all at once and spread out purchases. My kids are 3 and 5 and are more into the thrill of the egg hunt than chocolate. I thought things like bubble bath for the basket, but I was wondering about items for the eggs. I hate buying junk that I'll throw out a week after Easter

thanks

**celina** · 03-10-2006, 08:15 PM

fun erasers...hair bobs...cars, watches, coins...stickers....necklaces made our of froot loops..so its kinda like breakfast even if they dont know it...
toy necklaces, even for the boy...depending on the size of the eggs, some socks (even if one sock in an egg) some fun undies....i only buy socks and undies with characters on them at this and easter and bdays...

lipstuff..like lipsyl...

keychains

that's about it i guess...

**pkellyc** · 03-10-2006, 08:27 PM

Try a party shop for whistles and party type favors.

**McD** · 03-10-2006, 09:06 PM

Are you close to a Target? They have a ton of small but cute things for Easter baskets. Also, have you thought about making the eggs to hide? My mom always did that for us and then she'd make them into deviled eggs for Easter dinner.

I'm making my first Easter basket for my son this year--he's 3 weeks old so far. I've bought him 4 Dr. Suess books, 2 Easter books, 2 stuffed animals that play music, Easter socks, and instead of a basket I'm going to buy a plastic Tonka dump truck and put the stuff in the bin.

But anyways, things to put in eggs--hair pretties, if you have girls, crayons, stickers, matchbox cars, if you have girls the little Kelly dolls (Barbie's lil sister).

**slowtypinwoman** · 03-10-2006, 09:39 PM

The last couple of years Alex was in the hunt, we put coins in the eggs. Nickles , dimes, and quarters are alway popular.

**YankeeMom** · 03-10-2006, 09:47 PM

My kids always look forward to new sidewalk chalk in their Easter baskets

I also do the stickers, hot wheels, Barbie clothes, pencils, funky pens/markers, small notepads, etc. Basically all dollar store stuff.

**suzysaver** · 03-11-2006, 12:08 AM

Might sound strange, but if you don't want to buy easter grass.....
try running the comics from the sunday paper threw the shredder.
Also I agree with the dollar store, as your best bet for low cost fun. That truck idea is great...instead of the basket.

**pita1213** · 03-11-2006, 03:09 PM

for the egg hunt, since they are really just into for teh thirll of the hunt, hide hard boiled eggs. bright colored or all one color. when i was a kids the eggs were always maroon. and my grandmother would take a waxy crayon and write names on the egg and a money amount ranging from 25 cents to a dollar. if you found an egg with 25 cent david on it, uncle david had to give you a quarter. or if it said poppop $1, you went to pop pop and he gave you a dollar. half the fun was seeing who had to give out the most money.

for easter baskets, when my kids were that age, i bought fruit snacks that they liked but didn't get all the time and split a box between them. my kids loved(and still do) blowing bubbles, so i'd get them both a bottle of bubbles. board books are good too.

if you go with the plastic eggs, temporary tattoos are fun and stickers too. mini bottles of bubbles, individual packages of fruit snacks (gerber graduates makes some easy to chew ones) or other snacks. you may have to get the larger eggs for those. little people (fisherprice) and other little toys like that will fit in medium to large eggs.

happy hunting!

**AmyBoz** · 03-11-2006, 04:38 PM

I put stickers in Julia and Patrick's eggs. Actually, Patrick never opened his last year, so he'll be getting the same ones again this year!

**Jellybeanz** · 03-11-2006, 04:44 PM

I made up one for my grandbaby ( 3 year old boy) and put this little pack that had the bottle of bubbles and bubble blowers, cute little playdo containers with a thing that squeezes out different shapes, sidewalk chalk , stickers and peds dispenser. Of course, I did throw in a chocolate bunny and a little candy.

I would rather make up a basket than buy those premade kind that are mostly cardboard and a couple packs of candy .

guest7 · 03-11-2006, 07:23 PM

Jellybeanz- You didn't give jelly beans to grandson? LOL

I like the ideas listed here.

My children always got their spring shoes and socks in their basket. Had to buy them anyway- might as well fill the basket with them!
Also- for whatever reason- my children loved the egg hunt even into high school! I always included the dollar coins. You can go to your bank and get some.

**23daisys** · 03-12-2006, 12:33 AM

My little boy is only 10 weeks old right now, but I still had to make a basket since it is his first Easter. I bought a cute bucket with bunnys on it at Walmart for 97 cents. For inside I got three board books( a kitten one, a sheep one and a bunny one), a mini winnie the pooh soft soccer ball and the colored alphabet magnets for the fridge. Everything was $1.00 or less.

I bought my friends little boy who is 17 months a plastic truck(99 cents) and a wooden Easter puzzle for $1.00 at the Target dollar aisle and at the Dollar General Store a hollow chocolate Care Bear.

Last year I made up baskets for my little cousins with a bunch of stuff I found for cheap at Walmart in various aisles in the toy section. Everything was $2.00 or less. I put bubbles that looked like ice cream cones, sidewalk chalk, silly string, kites, squirt guns, and plastic super balls. Then of course I threw in a chocolate bunny. They loved the silly string and the kites!!!

**mcphlips** · 03-12-2006, 08:31 AM

These are all great ideas! I really want to find things that can be used up... like the bubbles, hair ties, money etc. so I don't have a lot of little things around in the payroom and on the floor. We are getting a GEB puppy to raise about the same time, and I am trying to prevent chewing/swallowing etc.

What I DO have to remember is to get to the store after Easter and pick up the plastic Easter eggs when they are 50% off and store them for next year!!

**sunshine** · 03-12-2006, 01:37 PM

This is from an old yahoo groups message-- I didn't save the original poster (sorry) , but good information.

Egg Carton Baskets

One plastic foam egg carton will make three baskets. Cut off top of
carton. Cut the carton into three sections, each containing four cups.
One section makes a basket. Make small holes on 2 opposite sides of each
basket. Twist 2 pipe cleaners together to form a handle. Push the ends
of the handle into holes. Fill basket with cellophane grass. Decorate
handle with ribbons.

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Egg Basket

Have children cut strips of colored paper and weave them in and out of
tomato or strawberry basket. (the small, green ones) Fill with Easter
grass and put in cady or a couple eggs. Use pipe cleaners for handle and
decorate with ribbons.

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Cone Basket

1. Fill an empty ice-cream cone with assorted candies.

2. Cut a circle from plastic food wrap, and lay it over the top of the
cone. Tie 2 ribbons around the top rim of the cone, and knot at the
opposite sides.

3. Bring the 4 ends of the ribbons up, and tie them in a bow to make the
handle. Hang the cone basket on someones doorknob.

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Baskets

Take two sheets of large construction paper and cut in circles the size
of a large record or dinner plate. Take a paintbrush and paint liquid
starch generously on one of the circles. Take the other circle and place
neatly on top of the starched circle. Then center the stuck-together
circles over a mayonnaise jar with the lid on and pull down the sides
and put a rubber band around the lid and the circles. Flare out the
edges of the circles and leave them on the jars over night. They will
look like lampshades. After the night, take them off and turn them over.
You will have a frilly-looking basket, and it is sturdy too. Then the
children can decorate it. You can use wadded up pieces of tissue paper
that they dip in glue and stick to their baskets. You can make the
baskets two tone by using two colors of paper. You can also use large
drinking glasses for a mold. The handle can be a long pipe cleaner.

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Woven Baskets

Pastel colored construction paper two colors
Scissors
Glue or stapler
Directions:

Using one piece of paper cut horizontal straight lines about one inch in
from side to side across paper, about 1/2 inch a part from each other.
The paper should be covered from top to bottom with these slits. Next
take the other color of paper and cut 1/2 strips. Weave these strips in
and out of the slits in the first paper. When completed with all the
strips glue the ends of the strips to the first paper to hold in place.
Next fold up the sides to make a basket shape. Staple or glue in place.
With a contrasting color make a handle on your basket and staple or
glue. Basket can then be filled with shredded paper to make a nest in
the bottom.

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Easter Grass Baskets

Plant grass seed in saran wrap lined berry baskets.

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Another Easter Grass Basket

You can use the bottom of 1/2 gallon milk jugs-cut them off 3 or 4
inches from the bottom, line with colored saran wrap, and plant as you
were going to- a little more sturdy.

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Paper Bag Bunny Basket

At open end of bag, draw bunny ears along outside edges and cut.
Decorate bag on one side with face of bunny. Staple ears together at
top. Stand bag up and open. Fill bottom with cellophane grass and fill!

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Paper Mache Easter Basket

Blow up a large balloon - cover with paper mache - when dry pop the
balloon and cut a handle into the paper mache to form a basket - paint
and fill with grass and goodies!!!!

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Bunny Baskets

Supplies:

Empty, Clean Small Milk Carton
Construction Paper
Glue
Crayons or Markers

Cut off the top 1/3 of the milk carton. Staple a 1" strip of paper
across the top for a handle. Cut out bunny shapes; sitting up bunny -
ears on top, round head and fat body. Make sure it is the width of the
milk carton (a bit like the traditional cat drawing). Decorate the
basket with paper chips (small pieces of paper cut or torn) and draw on
bunny's face. You can also paint the basket with glue and dip it into a
container of confetti. Glue on a cotton ball on the opposite side of
basket for bunny's tail.

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Bunny Pop Basket

Supplies:

2 Lt. Pop Bottle
Felt
Wiggle Eyes
Glue
Pom-pom or cotton ball

Take a clear 2 lt. pop bottle take off the bottom support if there is
one. Cut the bottle in half so you remove the opening. Next cut down on
the bottle till there is about 3-4" left which will be the body. Move
left or right about 4-5" and cut down the same distance. Remove this
section that is loose. Go to the opposite side and diagonally cut two
pointed ears (don't cut them off). Cut out pink felt and glue on to the
plastic ears. Glue on eyes (wiggle or paper), pink triangle felt nose
(or paper) with little strips of white paper to resemble wiskers. Don't
forget the cotton ball or white pompom for the tail! Fill with easter
grass.

**Jerseygirl** · 03-30-2006, 01:50 PM

Instead of baskets I buy each a new sand bucket and shovel, the girls get it filled with sandals, spring tights, hair barretts etc, the boys get new sneakers, matchbox cars and everyone gets new spring weight pajamas. I fill the eggs with MnMs one bag fill all of them.