You can tell Easter’s coming when the chocolate eggs start showing up in stores, usually accompanied by prepackaged Easter baskets filled with-not to put
too fine a point on it-cheap, easily breakable plastic junk.
This year, why not give your child an Easter basket they’ll remember? Say no to the cheap trinkets, badly-made toys, and abundance of plastic in favor of
more imaginative gifts from the Easter Bunny. Here are some of our favorites.
Spring Activity Baskets
Fill a basket with inexpensive, fun toys to encourage the kids to get outside in the fresh air. Possible toys to include:
- Balls
- Balsa wood airplanes
- Bubble solution and blowing wands.
- Colored chalk
- Frisbees
- Jump ropes
- Kites
- Water pistols
Gardening Baskets
If your child enjoys helping in the garden, set aside a small garden bed or some pots for his or her own use, and create a gardening basket filled with
everything your little green thumb needs. Ideas include:
- Flower and vegetable seeds
- Flowerpots (a big pot can replace the basket)
- Gardening gloves
- Plastic trowels, spades, and hand rakes
- Sun hat
- Watering can
Craft Baskets
If your child has an artistic bent, consider a craft basket. A quick visit to a craft store and dollar store will give you plenty of ideas for basket
contents. The list of options here is huge, but you might want to consider the following, if they’re age appropriate:
- Beading kits
- Construction paper
- Crayons
- Customized coloring books
- Felt shapes
- Glitter glue
- Modeling clay
- Paint sets
- Pipe cleaners
- Sketching pads
- Stickers
Beach Baskets
Spring means summer vacation’s fast approaching. Get ahead of the game with a summertime beach basket. Ideas include:
- Bathing suit
- Beach ball
- Beach towel
- Bucket and sand toys
- Flip flops
- Inflatable toys
- Sunglasses.
Book Baskets
Encourage your little one’s love of reading with a book basket. In addition to books you can add bookmarks, stickers, and coloring books. A customized Easter book makes a great centerpiece for this basket, which lends itself to
adding a cuddly toy or blanket for snuggling with during story time.
Puzzle and Game Baskets
Spring doesn’t always mean blue sky. Sometimes it means cold rain and wind. If this is the kind of weather you can expect in your region, or if your child
loves family game night, a puzzle and game basket is an ideal choice. Age appropriate jigsaw puzzles, board games, and coloring books all have a place in
this basket.
Make-Believe Baskets
Kids love to dress up and pretend, and this basket’s designed from imaginative play. Whether your little one wants to be a knight, a ballerina, a
firefighter, a pirate, or a princess, a basket of dress-up clothes and props provides hours of play.
