While grocery shopping a few weeks ago I perused the Easter aisles, with the vague notion that maybe I should start preparing some ideas for Easter baskets.
Now, I admit that I don’t get insanely excited about making Easter baskets. To me, Easter is more of a religious holiday. I dread seeing it become as commercialized as Christmas, and the endless displays of plastic chicks and bunnies make me cringe just a little. But, I have five children, and even the older ones still love a good Easter egg hunt, so I play along.
As I walked by little plastic pinball games and stuffed bunnies and different colored eggs filled with tattoos and egg-shaped yo-yos that don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of ever working properly, I had just one overwhelming thought…
I don’t want this junk in my house.
In fact, if I came across most of this stuff right now, I’d pitch it right into the garbage. I’ve been decluttering for the past few weeks, so I’m determined to take a firm stand against all the carrot-shaped whistles and pom-pom duckies out there just waiting to sabotage all of my efforts.
As a result, I’ve been thinking of ways to let the kids have their Easter morning fun and while keeping the clutter out of my house. I could just go heavy on the candy, but I always end up eating as much of it as they do. I’d rather not disclose just how much that is. Let’s just say they get their sweet tooth (sweet teeth?) from their mama.
The best ideas I’ve come across involve items that the kids will actually use for more than a day, bonus for things they will use up. Here are some ideas for those who want to move beyond the clutter and the cavities:
Gardening Tools
- Kid-sized gloves
- Seed packets
- Pots with soil
- Potted flowers or seedlings
Outside or Active Toys
- Bubbles
- Sidewalk chalk
- Balls
- Jump ropes
- Hula hoops
- Water balloons
Consumables (because stuff that gets used up is always good)
- Stickers
- Markers or crayons
- Coloring Books
- Craft kits
Gift Cards or Coupons
- Ice cream or yogurt
- A trip to the museum or zoo
- A movie and popcorn
- A special day to go strawberry-picking
Cooking/Baking Supplies
- Apron
- Whisk or measuring spoons
- Fun muffin pan or liners
- Colorful mixing bowls (bonus if you use it as a basket!)
- Printouts of easy recipes to do together (Easter-themed or not)
Summer Items
- New bathing suit
- Flip-flops
- Sunglasses
- Beach towels
- Bucket with sand toys (bonus if you use it as a basket!)
Practical Items
- Toothbrushes (I know this sounds lame, but my kids get strangely excited about new toothbrushes)
- New pajamas
- Fun socks
- Hair accessories
- Hat or baseball cap (use it as a basket!)
Toys to Add to a Collection (you already know what your kid loves)
- Trains or cars
- Doll clothes or accessories
- Small Lego sets
- Plastic dinosaurs or other animals
Books
Books are always great, including a book about Easter, a children’s Bible, or prayer book. These are great ways to focus on the meaning of the holiday.
Candy (yes, I said it)
And of course, there should always be some candy. Just stick a big pack of sugar-free gum in there too. That’s always as big a hit as the chocolate around here.
Whether you fill the baskets with bendable, pose-able bunnies or cutie oranges and new underwear, I hope you have a beautiful Easter.
What great ideas! Totally hear ya on the no junk, not too much candy way of doing Easter. I already started prepping for my kids with flip flops and an outfit but I will use you ideas to add a few more things! Thanks!
This is not a new dilemma. I’m in the ‘hoping for grandchildren soon’ phase of life, and I remember it well. All of those little pieces of essentially disposable cutesy were expensive and well, a waste of money. The solution that I settled upon was a large family Easter basket. Eggs with candy, and a couple of age appropriate small toys the boys would share or maybe 3 of the same things that I knew wouldn’t last long but were fun for a bit, and then, a gift for each child. Not something super expensive, but something individually picked for them that wasn’t a throw away item. This proved to be more meaningful to my boys, and it was easier in preparation and on the family finances.