Easter Basket Stuffers
What does the Easter Bunny bring to your children? Santa Claus pretty much universally brings toys, but Easter Bunny gifts tend to be somewhat more varied. In some homes he may bring chocolates or other candy, in other homes toys, in still others the Easter Bunny may simply hide colored eggs around the house. There doesn’t seem to be much of a consensus on what the Easter Bunny should bring. The good news is that you can have the Easter Bunny bring anything that you want to your kids. Maybe you don’t have any ideas this year, or maybe you want to try something different. Here are a few ideas for stuffing Easter Baskets with something new this year.
- Skip the chocolate bunnies. And the Cadbury eggs, the jellybeans, and the marshmallow peeps. Try loading the baskets up with fruit instead. Substitute the bunnies for bananas, the chocolates for cherries, the jellybeans for berries, and the marshmallows for mangoes. You could throw in some other sweet but healthy treats as well: cereal bars, oatmeal cookies, or cartons of yogurt are good options. You could still include a chocolate bunny or some jelly beans if you want to, but there’s no need to supply a whole basket of sweets. Fruit provides just as much of a sweet treat, with much less damage to your child’s teeth.
- Fill a basket with books. Any teacher will tell you how important it is for kids of all ages to read, read, read. If your children’s toy boxes are still overflowing from Christmas and their bookshelves are looking a little bare, have the Easter Bunny bring them the gift of literature this spring. You can make it fun: Buy comic books that your child is interested in, or look for coloring books or sticker books with a story for young children. For older children, try surprising them with a series they’ve been wanting; Harry Potter is still a favorite, as is The Hunger Games, the 39 Clues books, or the Percy Jackson series. Add in a diary or journal, and your child can hone their writing skills along with their reading skills.
- Themed baskets. Instead of treats or bunny themed toys, try making a basket that fits your child’s specific interests. Is he a soccer player? Is she a ballet dancer? Do you have a budding artist or musician in the house? Fill their basket with things that relate to their particular interest, preferably things that they can use. So if your child is interested in art, fill his basket with sketch pads and pencils, paint brushes and watercolors, modeling clay and pastel crayons.
One thing that you should not do is buy a pet, like a rabbit or a fluffy yellow chick, on impulse. This is something that happens every year, and it’s nearly always a bad idea. There’s nothing wrong with getting a pet, but buying one on impulse because it’s cute and fluffy and matches a holiday theme rarely ends well for the animal. Remember that sweet, fuzzy chicks grow into full-size chickens! Skip the bunnies and chickens and go with something that requires a little less commitment, unless you’ve already been preparing yourself and your kids for the realities of pet ownership.
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I plan on substituting yogurt and fruit for all of the candy. My son will be over the moon if there are cuties in his basket 🙂
I’m glad I came across this post.My son will be 2 this year,and these are all good ideas that I plan to do,so thanks for the post.
Great ideas! Thank you for sharing 🙂
I can’t believe its already that time of year – we just had snow again!
Those are great ideas! And fruit is a way better snack than candy!
Our easter bunny has filled my daughters eggs and basket with underwear (after potty training success) cute socks. cute little mini animals (25 cents a piece) and since we do love candy she gets a toothbrush and tooth paste almost every year too! Nail polish, barrettes, stickers have also all been found in eggs! I love trying to find new different things to fill her basket with every year!
When did Easter become give the kids stuff as in toys? I dunno, I would just give a smaller basket with candy unlike when I was a kid my mom gave my sister and me big candy filled baskets
I remember just searching for eggs and having chocolate bunnies. Now kids expect much more in their baskets and I must admit I buy stuff for my granddaughter that I never bought for my kids. It is a sign of the times I guess.
Easter baskets can be what you make of them. I agree there are so many healthy and non-toxic products out there today that you can fill baskets for kids and they will enjoy them just as much.
Love this always looking for easter basket ideas 🙂
Great ideas! Thank you for sharing
I think I might do the theme idea this year. Thanks!
I have done themes since my kids were younger. It is actually much easier to fill the basket since hou can concentrate on that one idea, and don;t have to buy all that candy.
These are great ideas. Thanks for sharing.
Great ideas! Thanks for sharing.
When I think of childrens Easter baskets, I think of chocolate rabbits, eggs and jelly beans. I do think that your ideas are good ones, as our children really do not need so much candy!
I used to love making up Easter baskets.And coloring the eggs with the kids.Lots of candy,Jelly Belly jelly beans and of course the egg hunt.
Themed baskets is a great idea. It could be really fun to make and there can be so many different items that one could put in the basket for each specific child. I am also in support of having an at home egg hunt. It can be exciting and fun family experience. And eggs can be hidden wherever you choose as long as you tell the kids before hand where the boundaries are. As for what’s inside the eggs, the candy substitute ideas can work as well.
I celebrate Easter for my Risen Lord Jesus but I still enjoy the new birth of spring colors, eggs, easter baskets…there’s just something about those little baskets of joy regardless what is inside. 🙂
Thanks for the tips and ideas for a healthier easter basket. Books are a great idea.
LOL…my kids are all in college so if I gave them fruit they would wanna know what’s up and am I feeling OK and then they would demand the CANDY!
Thanks for the awesome tips! It’s great to give something more nutritious, instead of junk food!
Thanks for sharing healthy tips for Easter baskets, but candy is still wanted, lol!
Thank you for the suggestions. This will be my first year trying to figure out what to put in my daughter’s basket.