Easter/Spring Baskets.. what do you put in them?

[WindyCityMom]

If you do an Easter or Spring basket, what are you putting in it this year?  How old are your children?

I don't want to put in candy or anything edible.. I'm not really sure what to add in!  The girls are good with toys (my head may actually explode if there are any more toys added to the living room floor), and I just can't think of much.

I wanted to do some seed packets but it will be April and a little on the later side for seed-starting.  I'll do sidewalk chalk and crayons because they burn through those really fast.  DD1 wants stickers, I'll oblige... but I really don't know.  Neither kid like bubbles, so that's out.  

So.. what are you doing this year?  Maybe I'll snag an idea or two :)

ETA:  Oooh, I found some Dover coloring books on Amazon.. I had no idea they still made those!  My DD loves the ones we got from the thrift store.  And Dover makes "vintage" bunny sticker books too.  

Edited by WindyCityMom - 3/10/12 at 12:32pm

[*LoveBugMama*]

Here in Norway we don`t do easterbaskets. We do eastereggs.

Like this one:

You can get them i different sizes, from tiny ones (as small as a tennisball)  and up to eggs bigger than basketballs. We do something in between. I usually fill it with candy (mostly chocolate, becauset thats what my son likes) , but you can ofcourse fill it with something else, too. What about a magazine? Books? Tennisballs? Something to use outdoors might be good this time of year?

I hope you get answers you can use.

[4evermom]

You could buy things like beads and cord and make up little jewelry stringing kits.

Do your girls wear hair things like barrettes or headbands?

If you don't do candy, you could do some other special non candy edibles. Once I put a juicebox in ds's basket because that was something we didn't ordinarily buy so it was a treat to him.

Rubber stamps are fun, not only with ink on paper but for playing with playdough, too. You can usually find some inexpensive seasonal ones in the $1 bins at Michaels Craft Store.

Post-it notes. Fun for little ones to just peel them and stick them places with or without "writing" notes.

Character bandaids, a treat since we usually get plain ones.

[WindyCityMom]

Those are awesome ideas!  DD has been asking for more "stickies" (post-it notes).. she has a shoebox full of them.  She draws on them and sticks them all over her wall like a mosaic.  Once they lose their "stick", into the shoe box they go.  And great idea about the rubber stamps for playdoh!  DD is getting burnt out on playdoh and I'm sure she'd love that.

She has also requested a heart shaped box.  Not sure where I can get one!  We have a science/army surplus store near here, and when I was 16 I bought a little wooden heart box.  DD took over when she was like 2, but soon the hinge broke and I think DH threw it away.  Maybe Michaels will have one of those...

[rubidoux]

I think I'll be using ideas from this thread this year!  In years past, I've done random trinkets, seeds, sand toys, crayons/art stuff.  One year I used a new lunch box (star wars!) instead of a basket and generally I try to use something that will have other uses.  

[zebra15]

In the past I have used 'Easter' as a time to get all the summer things DS would need. So bathing suit, flipflops, beach towel, sunblock, goggles etc and that was what the easter bunny would leave.  Summer comes early in AZ.  Now that he is on swim team and older, 'Easter baskets' are still practical but contain things like art supplies, books, puzzles, etc.  Basically a hot survival kit.  Think snowstorm survival kit because when its 110 degrees you can NOT play outside.   

He will also get some non-chocolate candy- because DS does not like chocolate.  I found 'fun dip', jelly bellies, and a couple other things to add to the mix.

[zebra15]

I've also done things like memberships to the zoo, movie tickets, lesson that he wanted, etc.

We are not religious so its not as much 'easter' as it is the 'basket' and a day a fun IMO.  

[4evermom]

Now what I'm actually putting in my 10 yo ds's basket this year is a few lego minifigs. I'm really good at feeling the individual opaque "surprise" packages and finding the specific ones he wants from the latest series. He is also getting a much desired mp3 player. If I can swing another pricier thing (the mp3 player was $18), I'd like to get him a used game for his nintendo ds. I'll get him a few trinkets/novelties and candy, too. He does enjoy bubbles so I got him an egg shaped bubble container on a cord so it can be worn as a necklace (from Five Below, 2 pack for $1). He likes the gags and prank toys (fake spills, fake nail through finger, fake poop) Five Below sells, too, so maybe something like that. Oh, he likes the little eraser he got in a birthday goody bag, those ones kids collect that come in different shapes like food, and come apart like a mini puzzle. I was thinking of getting him some of those (again from Five Below).  The only thing I won't do is anything war/military themed. I remember putting army stickers back on the shelf one year after considering them. We aren't very religious but I discovered I have a little line right there, lol.

[Jen Muise]

I often do cute socks, rain coat/boots/ umbrella,or other summery clothes; tickets to a show or museum; playmobil's cute bunny or fairy sets (http://www.flickr.com/photos/dididumm/4493506622/ not sure what they have this year) ; craft supplies; jewelry and hair stuff; "fancy" bath products; a trip to their favorite pay-to-play place; videos; books, especially activity books; or makeup (lip balm etc).  Kiddos are 6 & 9, both girls

ETA: one year I did some baking things too, that was popular - cute sprinkles and cupcake toppers I wouldn't usually buy, cute cupcake liners and confetti cupcake mix.  Generally I use special occasions like easter to buy the 'fancy' version of stuff we generally would buy anyways as much as possible.

[muldey]

Ds is 10,he's on the autism spectrum and is in a breaking everything stage,and I really don't want him to have much candy,so I'm not sure what I'll do for him.He wants the Transformers Prime season 1 on dvd,so maybe that and I'm not sure what else.Oh I just thought of something,a Tails stuffed toy from Sonic the Hedgehog.Dd,13,is fairly easy.She's collecting the South Park seasons on dvd,so I just have to find out what she doesn't already have.If not that,probably a Living Dead doll.Some of those Japenese sodas five below sells,some turtles candy,or I'll order her one of the tshirts she's been wanting online.I also make a basket for my niece,she's 7,so probably something LaLa Loopsey,maybe a Webkinz,she loves Green Day(thanks to me lol) so maybe a cd or dvd of them(her mom doesn't mind swearing,so that's ok lol).My dad helps me pay for everything,so it's from me and him(Easter bunny for my niece).I usually get my dad some sugar free chocolate(he's borderline diabetic),my mom a Webkinz,and my step dad something little with the Yankees on it.Even the kitties and gerbils get treats.I'll get myself a book or something.Since we're not very religious,it's just a day of fun.We'll probably go to our favorite chicken family style restaurant(platters of chicken,salad,shells with sauce,french fries(best I've ever had) and rolls.YUM!!), which reminds me,I better make reservations.

[AbbyGrant]

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Edited by AbbyGrant - 6/23/12 at 10:53am

[WindyCityMom]

Ok, figured out what I'm doing.

4yo dd will get a Dover fairy coloring book and some vintage Dover bunny stickers, also in a book., and a decorated altoids tin I found on etsy filled with random trinkets and treasures.

2yo dd will get a Dover farm coloring book and a similar sticker book. I found some Russian nesting dolls for cheap and I'll put those in there too.. She seems to be obsessed with containerizing things, haha.

And yeah, I'm going to toss in some candy, maybe suglasses because they have been bugging the heck out of me for them.


Great ideas everyone! My mom used to put a toothbrush, toothpaste, and Chapstick in mine in addition to the trinkets. I thought that was cool because it wasn't just a generic toothbrush like I had the rest of the year. OH, and dr pepper lip balm.

[mtiger]

My guys are (mch) older, so it may not help many of you, but might help some. Oldest is 20 and has an apartment, so he will be getting some kitchen gadgets that I know he needs, staff paper for his m usic, the pens he likes to use when composing, some candy, a gift card or two (probably for a local grocery and maybe a local pizza joint or other restaurant). Youngest will be 18 (Saturday!), and she will get some things for going off to college, some stuff for this summer, and also a couple of gift cards (probably iTunes and Sonic or WaWa).

[OkiMom]

Mine will be getting some outside toys.. We don't have many (lived in a high rise apartment building for 4 years then an apartment place that didn't allow us to have anything outside, now we live in a house!) and they LOVE being outside. Also, it gets HOT here during the summer so we need something to cool down in

[Subhuti]

I got, free with coupons, mini ll bean boat bags with their nicknames monogrammed in script ... Those are the baskets. Then I got two ravensburger board games ... Laberynth for my seven year old and Enchanted Forest for my five year old. I will put in a bunch of chocolates, too.

I may add something they need ... Maybe sun hats?? Socks??

[Subhuti]

Oh, I forgot ... The bank teller gave me some gold one dollar coins .... I'll out those in too, I think I have five for each. That's enough .... I won't add anything else.

[CherryBombMama]

I haven't made their baskets yet, but it will most likely consist of thrift store toy finds and necessities.  Probably some bunny crackers (what brand is that? Amy's? something like that.) and some homemade play dough.

Last year their basket was AMAZING.Tons of wooden, handmade toys found at the thrift store. I even knitted a little bunny!

[dbsam]

I usually do a 'theme' type basket.

Looking back, I see how many of our Easter baskets were filled via MDC co-ops (or the spin off of an MDC co-op) - I miss those!

I cannot remember every year or all the items but for example...

When they were really young they had a basket full of wooden animals and wooden stacking puzzles. (all MDC co-ops)

One year it was gardening stuff - gloves, hand shovel, hand rake, seed packets, kneeling pad, garden stone kit, etc.

Another year it was explorer stuff - compass, magnifying glasses in various sizes, prism, journal, small messenger to hold found items, etc.

Another year it was outdoor fun - chalk, jump rope, hula hoop (which didn't fit in the basket our course), kite, bubbles, etc.

I think one year was instruments (but that c/h/b a Xmas stocking) - tambourine, harmonica, mini cymbals, bells, etc  (Grotro co-op)

One year was art supplies - (Selecta/Mercurious co-op)

Last year I didn't do a theme...they each rec'd a Thames and Kosmos physics set and a puzzle.  We filled the eggs for the backyard hunt with Lego figurines.

I usually include one piece of chocolate.  This year I found really cute chocolate "gift box bunnies" one with a carrot and one w/a rabbit. http://www.confiserie-weibler.de/en/produkte_ostern6.html

I am not sure what I am going to put in the baskets this year.  I am enjoying reading all the ideas.  They want a spin art machine so I was thinking about giving that with paper and paints.

[dbsam]

Originally Posted by CherryBombMama 

Probably some bunny crackers (what brand is that? Amy's? something like that.)

Annies?
 

[birchleafdesigns]

We make playsilks, so we use those in our baskets (or little wooden toolboxes) as the "grass". We try not to put a lot of edibles in there, but a few from our local co-op - healthy snacks plus a sweet treat or two. I like to have things in there that will "go away" rather than having them stick around the house. Little emergen-C packets are fun, same with sidewalk chalk, or playdough. If your kids need new biking helmets for the season, they could be used as the "basket".