Looking for Easter Basket Ideas...

[happybratpack]

Hi Everyone

I'm doing Easter Baskets for the first time for my step-kids...boy (2.5), girl (6). I'm trying not to do much candy except the mandatory chocolate bunny and a couple other small pieces, but when I went to Target last night it seemed everything I found was $5, $10 a pop. I really didn't want to end up spending $50 on a basket if possible. Any ideas? The one thing I did splurge on was the Donald & Chip/Dale DVD's that are out...they already have the Goofy & Mickey and love them.

(and what do you put in the little plastic eggs besides candy?!)

Sorry, I'm not very kid-experienced and I feel like it really shows sometimes.

 

[MichaelsMickey]

I have 2 nieces 5 and 8 I usually look for little hair things at the drugstore and then split them up. Also princess lipbalm or little note pads that usually go for a dollar. For the boy it is harder--usually try to get a ball or bubbles I was at Walmart and saw a Stich bubble machine for $9.99--Usually One big item around $10.00 and then little thing--even crayons--I usually but jellybeans in some eggs--and then a little money in some (where I work we have the Gold dollars so I usually give each child two of those in the eggs) Seems to be a neat item--they like them more then the paper dollars. Usually want to save them. Just a few ideas

 

[christinadei]

Hit the dollar tree, they have lots of fun stuff and also easter baskets, grass, etc. They also have little toys that you can put in the eggs, like easter erasers, small bouncy balls both are a pack of 12 for $1. things like that. Do you have a dollar tree?

 

[Mac and Us]

We have a DD(3.5). We don't like her to have a lot of candy either. Last year I bought a bunch of plastic eggs and filled them with things from the $ store and Walmart.

Take a walk through the party isle in Walmart. I got a package of 6 necklaces (cheapy) for something like $1.88. I put 1 in each egg. I also found some rubber lizards in a package of 4-5 and put 1 in each egg. That was last year and I think she enjoyed the hunt more than the treasures she found inside.

This year I'm doing the same thing. I'm trying to make it mostly Disney themed because we will be leaving for Disney on 4/1.

Walmart has some cheap items in the easter isle. One of the items is a package of bunny stamps. Our DD loves the rubber stamps. I give her a bunch of scrap paper and she stamps all over it. In the same isle at Walmart I found a package of 6 rubber easter bunnies. They are stretchy. I'll put 1 in each egg. I found more items like a small bottle of bubbles but can't seem to recall the rest of it.

For her basket I found a Disney Princess metal pail. It's painted in bright colors and she can use it later for crayons or whatever. I will fill it with easter grass and put a few treasures I found that won't fit in the plastic eggs. Some of the items include: a plastic egg with a small stuffed Carebear in it, a couple of plastic eggs with chocolates in them, a Princess nightlight I found at the dollar store and a new color wonder book. I have a few other items I will put on the grass surrounding the pail like a Princess Kite I found at the dollar store.

All total I spent less than $20. She's still small and doesn't seem to care what she gets. We also refuse to turn Easter into Christmas so we're trying to keep it simple.

 

[mamalle]

for our eggs I buy little toys at the party store for the kids egg hunt. For their baskets I bought some items at the dollar store and each a DVD. I hate to buy alot of candy and give them just a few chocolate items..

 

[preb]

I went to Chucke Cheese and bought their tokens with a coupon of buy $5 worth get $5 free. That gives me 40 tokens to put in DD eggs...much better then candy!

 

[becky7953]

Good idea about the chuck e cheese tokens! I am using legos as the "grass" and I picked up sticker books, easter books, a little candy. Then I hit the dollar stores to finish it off. I did get a little candy and I will also be putting money in it (of course this will end up in their banks which is saving for souvieners for WDW

 

[christinadei]

Great idea to use legos as grass!!!!! I like the CC tokens idea too!

 

[Southern4sure]

My boys are older so it is hard to keep the cost down. My youngest is getting the Incredibles DVD, Disney dollars, few odds and ins found at the Disney store and some pre-filled eggs (reeses, M&M's and etc). My oldest is also getting a DVD..(he picked it out... ), Disney Dollars, some sunglasses and necklaces (beach style) he has been eyeing and some pre-filled chocolate eggs (reeses, M&M's and etc).

I still have an egg hunt with my boys...I fill plastic eggs with assorted change which included half dollars, gold dollars and a prize egg has a $20.

Southern4sure

 

[Nicolepa]

Hi Everyone

I'm doing Easter Baskets for the first time for my step-kids...boy (2.5), girl (6).

(and what do you put in the little plastic eggs besides candy?!)

My little boy is the same age. This year he is getting a crayola basket. I got a bunch of crayola stuff at Rite Aid that was on double rebate making it all free. He is getting Color Wonder finger paints, crayons, & chalk. I am also putting in a candybar, a cheap Easter egg kalidascope (sp?) & a $4.99 stuffed bunny. (You could also do coloring books, I just saw some at the birthday store for $99.)

My girl is 4 and loves to read so she is getting a book basket. I went to the half price book store and got her $18 in books (about 15 books), she is also getting a candy bar and the easter egg & bunny above.

I had the eggs and bunnies left over from a previous event, so total I spent $20 for the books and candy. (I saved their Easter baskets and reuse them.)

Personally I try to stay away from holiday specific items, and get them things that they would want otherwise. That said Walmart tends to have great prices and cool Easter stuff. This is the first time in 3 years that I haven't gone to Walmart and it's a 40 minute drive for me. That's how much I love the Easter stuff there, and it's cheap!

For the little eggs you could put money, erasers, jewlery or hair clips for the girl, stickers. The medium eggs will hold matchbox cars for the boy (I think).

 

[mum of two pirates]

I always include new toothbrushs. (even in thier stockings) I use chucky cheese tokens also. when they were younger (now 5&7) I used to buy the small animals in packages at the $1 store or walmart for $1.88. and put one in each. I use change instead of candy in the eggs. Now we are more into the hunt as in I am very hot and go round and round- dryer then the hint in the dryer egg would be the coldest place in the house-frezzer. They like that much better then picking up eggs off the ground. at the end the find there presant. This year new bathrobes and .88 kick balls from walmart. If you make it more about fun than candy the day is better for you no sugar high. You could end the riddles with grab your coats were going to the park.

 

[vhoffman]

Just a suggestion about the Easter basket grass--I stuff the basket with green tissue paper instead. Beats picking up that grass from the carpet for weeks afterwards. Its too late now, but last month McDonalds was giving My little Ponys with their kids meal. They are a smaller version and I collected about 8. They just fit inside a jumbo size egg. You might see if McDonalds have any left or some similar small toy.

 

[happybratpack]

You guys are great!!! I've made a list of suggestions for shopping tonight from this thread.

I know it sounds silly but it's hard to go from thinking like a single childless person to having a two and six year old. (if that makes sense)

 

[brittsmum1998]

for our DD7 I would fill the eggs w/ kelly dolls (the miniture barbies) along w/ clothes and accessories. she would be so excited. You can even find the "pets" and they are the perfect size too.

 

[newtowdw1]

I pick up off season items and fill a large drawer in my dresser. Then I have treats all year round. I also direct VBS for my church and help out with our youngest choir (K-2), so I always need little treats. DH picks up books very cheap at flea markets (Even Mulan!) that look brand new. When DD8 brings home her Scholastic book papers I buy cheap classics. I buy stickers from Oriental Trading (build a race car, build a mermaid, build a haunted house, etc), 6 doz boxes of crayons, bubbles and glow sticks in bulk, Magnetic playsets (farm, house, paper dolls, race track). Everything goes into the present drawer.

It supplies last minute birthday presents, going to the Emergency room activities, car activities (I have a bag for this), you're a great kid toys, etc.
Sorry this got so long.


We don't do candy either. We're doing books, garden tools (little, wee ones), wildflower seeds, and disney $.

 

[billwendy]

Hi,

Here is a fun one,,,,in the kids nestles magazine this month they have a great idea,,,put clues to a treasure hunt inside each egg,,,some tell you where to go next, some tell you to do something funny,,,,kinda keeps them going and lets them find a lot more eggs but not as much candy,,,,,

i put stickers in eggs, gum, bouncy balls, animal crackers, goldfish, dollar store party items, you could get disney kites for .88 at walmart that are fun,,also at walmart they had disney easter basket stuffers,,,,,paddle ball sets, airplanes, jumpropes, stuff like that that was all under $5.

a treasure i found last year that the kids went gaga over was those little capsules that you soak in water and a little sponge animal comes out!! they have them in the .88 stuff at walmart right now, and you can also get them at the dollar tree.

have fun!!!

 

[LauraAnn630]

Im going to fill our boys baskets with:

swimsuits
sunglasses
beach/pool towels
sandles
necklace battery operated fans (Rite Aid)
some candy
chocolate bunnies
jellybeans
toothbrushes
eggs filled with Disney dollars....hope they have them! I head they were out.
Last time they only had fives.

Still looking for ideas.

 

[MEM]

As my kids get older (DS10 DD8) I tend to buy Easter presents to supplement a small basket of candy. DS is getting the Incredibles DVD with the free inflatable ball, DD is getting a soccer uniform for her AG doll and both are getting a new spring jacket from L.L.Bean. DearDachshund gets her own basket with a variety of Old Mother Hubbard natural treats.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

I have four boys and one girl, but I always try to keep a theme so they get about the same thing (except age appropriate). They always each get a book and I like to do Spring toys to get them in the mood to be outside. I'll get jumpropes, sidewalk chalk, yo-yo's, bubbles, balls, sunglasses, check the summer toy aisles at Wal-mart, they have a lot of little plastic boats and stuff for outside. One year I got them all new bike helmets and horns for their bikes. This year they're each getting a raincoat and umbrella. It's a little expensive to buy four of them, but I'm going to get them a Nickelodean arcade gift card at Target so they can each download a game from there.

Coloring books and crayons are good, too, and play-doh. I like to get things that they'll use up, not toys that'll just get played with for a minute and end up at the bottom of a toybox.

 

[maggiew]

This idea won't help you this time, but maybe in the future. When Target had their after Christmas clearance I purchased A LOT of stuff and intended to use them for their Easter basket. I picked all stuff that wasn't "Christmassy". I got little miniature play-doh packs, card games, a squooshy/squeezy thing, Mighty Beans, socks for my older DD (not Christmassy), Bratz tin with hard candy, Barbie purse tin w/ hard candy, Bake It suncatcher thing, etc. I got all of these for much less than $1 each (some were .29, some .69) I will supplement these with a chocolate bunny and some Russell Stover filled eggs.

For the Easter egg hunt, we ususally put change in the eggs. Pennies, nickels, etc. One of the eggs has a $1!! Not much, but they enjoy mostly the hunt.

Maggie