Easter Basket question

[ProudGrandma]

What do you guys put in your children's Easter Baskets? Also, what do you put in the pastic eggs for the Easter Egg hunt...or do you use real eggs??

[Mom2boys]

We put candy (jelly beans, nerds, chocolate eggs) in plastic eggs for an egg hunt in our yard. And I usually put outdoor toys or sports equipment in their baskets - foam rockets, frisbees, balls that bounce really high, small nerf guns, etc. Sometimes they get a book or a DVD.

Edited April 11, 2011 by Mom2boys

[Matryoshka]

I put a chocolate bunny, jelly beans, and other assorted Easter chocolates in the Easter Basket.

 

We hunt for real eggs.

[AK_Mom4]

According to DS15: "the perfect basket has a chocolate bunny, jellybeans, and salt water taffy". His sisters agree, though they would trade the taffy for more chocolate. I just sent a care package off to DS19 in college for Easter with jellybeans, chocolate eggs, and marshmellow peeps.

 

When we had littles hunting eggs, we used plastic eggs. We used real ones the first year and the dog found and ate 2/3rds of them before the kids could locate them. After that, it was always plastic.

[suzybluecheese]

I try to take it easy on the candy and I'm not crazy about cheap little toys - they just get thrown away. I have 2 daughters and 1 son, they all get a pair of flip-flops or sandals, sunglasses (my son has albinism so there is always a pair of sunglasses for him.) Sometimes they get things such as chalk, colors, little blank books or bubble bath. I always throw in a new toothbrush.

 

cat

[Dmmetler]

I'm breaking up a Lego set and putting a couple of pieces in each plastic egg for DD-she's not a candy-type of kid, and I'll eat it if it's around. I've got some books on order from Scholastic Book Clubs (our homeschool group has a teacher willing to let us order with her class), but I don't know if we'll get them in time.

[5solasmama]

We are trying to cut down on refined sugar in our diet. We will focus more on things like bubbles, toy cars, airplane gliders, play doh, etc. We use plastic eggs for little trinkets. Had a bad experience with hiding real eggs in the house one year. Found one a year later hidden in a cabinet, ugh!

[MinivanMom]

I usually put a chocolate bunny, other assorted candy, a book, and a few small toys in the Easter baskets. In the past the little toys have included bubbles, art supplies, small stuffed bunnies, jump ropes, and gardening tools. I'm burnt out on having so many cheap little toys cluttering the house, so this year they're each getting one nicer toy rather than several less expensive toys.

 

We use a combination of real and plastic eggs for our Easter egg hunt. I fill half the plastic eggs with jelly beans and the other half with peeps (as in one peep per egg, just squished in there).

[Anita in NC]

Okay, you all will think I'm a kill joy but we don't do Easter baskets.

 

I get my kids treats when we go grocery shopping, usually a good bar of chocolate.

 

We tried the Easter Egg hunts at various places when they were young (at the YMCA, local parks, DH work) and I was so disgusted with the whole thing we just quit going to them.

 

Basically, I taught my kids manners but apparently other parents don't. There was lots of pushing and shoving and invariably kids with more Easter eggs than they know what to do with and then other kids that didn't get any. :glare:

[Spryte]

Thank you for this thread! I have been pondering the question of what to put in the basket this year, too. We don't do much candy due to allergies, and are not fans of filling the landfill with trinkets once the novelty has worn off.

 

We are putting in seeds and kid-sized gardening supplies this year, since the 7 yr old is very interested in gardening. I found a cute lightning bug lantern, and have a few playmobil eggs tucked away from a sale last year. There will be a book, a chocolate bunny, and peeps. And the Whoppers that look like robins' eggs... because I have a serious weakness for them! A Jim Weiss CD is a great idea, too. I am fighting the urge not to go overboard, but there will probably be more as more ideas pour in. :)

 

We hunt for plastic eggs - I recycle them year to year. I've filled them with playmobil pieces (splitting up a kit, like the PP who splits up Lego kits), dice (my guy loves dice), erasers, small art supplies... But now I am thinking that filling them with clues is a good plan for this year.

[blessdmommy]

Always a new toothbrush (something "cool") plus the regular candy, bubbles, action figures, etc.

 

We use plastic eggs for hunts outside and inside.

[Baseball mom]

Chocolate bunny, various other chocolate candy, peeps, jelly beans always.

 

When the kiddos were younger they got bubbles, hot wheels, sand box toys, outdoor toys etc.

 

As they got older things changed to whiffle balls and bats, frisbee, movie (to share), video game (to share), stuff for bikes.

 

ETA: Use plastic eggs for hiding. We do color eggs but those are eaten over the next day or 2. Plastic eggs used to fill in the Easter baskets. Put candy and small stuff in them.

Edited April 11, 2011 by Baseball mom

[ProudGrandma]

thanks for all of the great ideas....I really like the broken up set of legos..will have to try that...I dislike all of the candy too...trying to stay clear of that as much as possible.

[Jenny in Florida]

We're vegans, so real eggs do not play a part in our Easter celebrations.

 

We also don't usually like to put in a lot of candy. So, at some point in time, the whole basket thing got kind of out of hand. (The same thing happened with Christmas stockings, although there I blame my husband.)

 

Anyway, our kids' baskets usually include(d) things like:

 

- Books, especially for my son

- DVDs of movies they want

- Plastic eggs stuffed with some combination of small candies and money

- Tickets to a movie in a theatre or gift certificates for stores they like

- Some toy or goodie they've been wanting

 

For the last few years, our daughter has been receiving her basket by mail at college. The stuffers for that have tended to get smaller and lighter and yet somehow more expensive.

 

We don't do an egg hunt at home, but I organize the Easter event at our church. We encourage but do not require families to stuff the plastic eggs with non-food items, since we have a number of kids who are on restricted diets for health/allergy/ethical reasons.

[theYoungerMrsWarde]

Every year I have bought my boys a stuffed lamb. Last year I added a christian book for one and a verse picture frame for the other. My mil hides eggs at her place, and it usually has the usual Easter candy.

[Lara in Colo]

We put in a small amount of candy. I fill the plastic eggs with candy and they hide both the real and candy eggs (then we have deviled eggs)

 

I put in their new easter clothes (for church), Usually a new shorts set (because all my children get used clothes-so here is their only new outfit)

flip flops,

 

Then I put in the cheap stuff, mainly stuff to use up within a day

 

silly string (we have a HUGE silly string fight)

the rubber balloons with the rubber bands that you punch

bubbles

sidewalk chalk

 

Things I steer clear of:

 

stuffed animals

marshmallow chicks (Yuck!!)

lip gloss (too much mess)

cheap toys that break and I have to clean up

candy I don't like :D

 

 

The most fun is Sat night, when me make Easter story cookies and talk about Jesus and how and why he died.

 

Lara

[Tiffnkids]

This might be a good time to dig up the "stocking stuffer" threads from Christmas!

 

We try to limit candy and cheap, junky toys that will break and be thrown away within a few days.

 

So, usually, a small chocolate bunny, and a couple of small eggs or bags of other candy.

 

Plus (possibilities):

 

New markers/crayons/pencils/paint/chalk (last year we found egg shaped sidewalk chalk)

 

Socks (boring, but always needed)

 

Stickers

 

Small playdough/silly putty, bubbles, sand toys

 

Hair accessories (barrettes, pony-tail holders, headbands), lip gloss, small lotions/body washes, nail polish

 

Small amount giftcards (itunes or movie ticket, for example), money (plastic eggs filled with change)

 

Books, journals, diaries

 

Card games

[clarkacademy]

Okay, you all will think I'm a kill joy but we don't do Easter baskets.

 

I get my kids treats when we go grocery shopping, usually a good bar of chocolate.

 

We tried the Easter Egg hunts at various places when they were young (at the YMCA, local parks, DH work) and I was so disgusted with the whole thing we just quit going to them.

 

Basically, I taught my kids manners but apparently other parents don't. There was lots of pushing and shoving and invariably kids with more Easter eggs than they know what to do with and then other kids that didn't get any. :glare:

 

 

Hate when kids are not fair to others! Had that happen at a Y egg hunt one year too

[jujsky]

Peeps, a chocolate bunny, Cadbury eggs, Cadbury mini eggs, Jelly-Belly jellybeans, and a couple of small toys/movies.

[Nakia]

This year I am making them Easter beach bags instead of baskets. We are going to the beach in mid-May, so they are getting a new bathing suit, beach toys, a beach towel, sunglasses, flip-flops, sunscreen, hair bands, toenail polish, and a couple of pieces of costume jewelry I got on the Claire's clearance rack. We do very little candy. They will probably get a chocolate bunny and some jelly beans. We will dye eggs and hide them in our yard. We don't go to any of the big Easter egg hunts.

[ProudGrandma]

swimming suits...that is a great idea...they all need new ones this year!! thanks for all of the different ideas...that helps me out a ton!!!

[Bambam]

When the kids were younger, I put money in the little plastic eggs. Not much - maybe a few pennies, or a nickel, or a dime, sometimes a few quarters. They loved finding the money.

 

Then, we play store. I had poured various candy in little bowls and made signs about how much for each candy (1 cent for 3 jellybeans, five cents for a Reeses Peanut Butter cup, etc). So then they would shop with their egg money. They had a blast.

 

My kids are older now, but they still request this.

Edited April 11, 2011 by Bambam
for clarification

[ChristusG]

I probably spend too much on Easter baskets, but I just don't do cheap toys that will be discarded and thrown away. We've went through that for several years and I decided I'd rather spend a little more than deal with junk. And I also don't do a lot of candy since I don't like us to eat a lot of junk.

 

I think I'm finished with my kids baskets since I started early this year. Each of my girls are getting:

 

a medium sized chocolate bunny

a duck shaped egg with Reese cups in it

iTunes gift card

$5 Target gift card

a few American Girl sized outfits I got on Etsy.com

a few Chuggington trains each (my kids are crazy about these)

an Angelina Ballerina book

a My Little Pony

Crayola Twister crayons

a card game (DD6 is getting Slamwich...not sure for DD4 yet)

a DVD (Scooby Doo for DD6, Minnie Mouse for DD4)

a few Playmobil figures (Ghost Pirates for DD6, unsure for DD4)

 

The only thing I'd like to pick up is a small stuffed animal for each of their baskets.

[In the Rain]

My girls get chocolate bunnies and a few gifts (like a book or a DVD). I put hair things and Annie's bunny crackers in the eggs. Annie's has lots of flavors, and my kids consider these a real treat!

[SailorMom]

We use real eggs (the kids used to love coloring them,,,,, not so much as teens). In the baskets I put a whole lot of candy and things like new swim goggles, water guns, sunglasses, etc (we live near the beach in FL and have a pool).

[Dawn in OH]

We do a very limited amount of candy, but the Easter Basket has to have a chocolate rabbit. I hate junk trinket toys, they end up being more headache than they are worth.

Things I've put in the baskets over the years:

side-walk chalk

bubbles

sunglasses

silly putty

silly bands

stickers dollar coins

coloring books

crayons

markers

watercolors

jump ropes

Matchbox cars

My Little Pony

Mini Lego sets

small stuffed animal (I am so sick of stuffed animals in my house!) small puzzles

[ChristusG]

Oh, I forgot to add that for egg hunts we use plastic eggs. The Friday before Easter I have DH go to the bank and get a roll of quarters. I put one or two quarters in each egg. In a couple of them I put a dollar bill. Again, I don't really do candy or trinkets.

[2_girls_mommy]

I hate junky cheap toys too. And I don't want it to turn into another Christmas so we don't do gifts like movies or games or bigger toys either. I also think my kids get enough candy at the church Easter egg hunt directly after Easter service, so ours has evolved into:

 

eggs filled with Fruit Loops cereal. The "Easter Bunny" leaves the rest of the box on the table too, so they can eat it for breakfast with their boiled eggs. I started this when they were little with plain Cheerios because they were too young IMO for a lot of candy. It turned into Fruit loops because we don't usually do colorful, sugary cereal. So it is now a tradition they look forward to. I figured it was better than more candy.

 

I do get a few special candies: got to have some peeps, a choc. bunny or cross, and some few jelly beans.

 

And as for other stuff I put in a couple of things that will get used up quickly like art supplies or bubble bath. Last year one dd got a new box of sidewalk chalk w/her candy, and the other dd got a box of dry erase crayons (very cool, btw.)

 

This year I am getting some bubbles for each and a Color Wonder travel set I got with a coupon recently. That and their sweets and fruit loops will be it. It makes it a special, but not a big "gimme" kind of day.

 

I also hide the real eggs they decorated with the plastic eggs.

 

P.S. I like the idea of the new clothes in the basket. My kids rarely get new clothes either. That is a nice idea.

[Tabrett]

I made colored pencil rolls with new colored pencils for the 3 younger ones.

Boys got one small Lego toy.

Youngest dd got pocket fairies.

 

Each dc got:

 

New pair of PJ's.

Peeps on a stick

Cadbury Eggs

Bunny pops

Reese pb cup egg

Some sort of plastic carrot that has flavored sugar inside

Gum

Little chick and bunny sweat-tart like candies

Very small chocolate bunny

 

I have already assembled the baskets! I am very excited!

[redsquirrel]

we celebrate for cultural reasons, not religious ones. I keep it really small and just enough that they don't feel left out. I am just as likely to call it the Spring Bunny as the Easter Bunny.

 

I have very small baskets. Each child gets a small amount of candy, a little chocolate bunny, a few jelly beans, and PEEPS. Gotta have the peeps, lol.

 

We dye real eggs the day before. My husband hides them that morning and the kids look for them.

 

The whole thing is done in about 20 mins. We don't do anything else to celebrate. Well, once my mom was in town and she took us out for fancy brunch. She is not one to pass up any excuse for a mimosa. :001_smile:

[laughing lioness]

We have an egg hunt each year. It's kind of like an I.Q. test:001_smile: We use real, which we dye, and plastic eggs. We do chocolate and candy in the plastic eggs (we don't buy candy throughout the rest of the year except for the annual gingerbread house). If it's nice outside we'll have the hunt outside. the younger kids get a head start. We count eggs as we hide and make it difficult :001_smile:

Baskets consist of things like a CD or book. I try to focus on things that will contribute to the kids spiritual growth instead of just another holiday that demands money being spent.

[skimerinkydo]

Thanks for the ideas. I've been re-thinking our easter basket now that most of the kids have hit their teens. I'm putting in a tie and some presidential coins for 13 my son.

 

Every year (on Saturday before Easter) we go on a hike, pick a spot, then the kids hike a little further while I hide the eggs and the "big" easter basket with the toys/goodies in it. Then we have a picnic lunch which includes eating the real eggs (we do both real and plastic). Each year we pick a different place to hike. It's a great family day together.

[ScoutTN]

Chocolate bunny and some jellybeans in their baskets. Also a book or CD and some small toys - matchbox cars, bubbles, hairbows, sunglasses, water guns.

 

Jellybeans or something similar in the plastic eggs for the EEH. Real eggs inside for eating.

[LBS]

We sort of have had a theme: one year everybody got kayaking stuff (special paddle, lifejacket, river shoes), one year it was gift certificates to favorite places, cycling stuff (new seat, cycling gloves, used bike, etc.), camping stuff one year. Not sure why it seems like it is mostly outdoor stuff. Always chocolate, jelly beans of some special flavor. There's a Russell Stover outlet nearby, so sometimes its chocolate overload from there.

 

Every year there is a new container, baskets, plastic containers, wire baskets, even plastic paint buckets to use as canoe bails. Just for fun. I love plastic eggs, weird shapes, and such, and reuse them every few years.

 

Happy Easter Egg!

[KristinaBreece]

This year, each basket will have:

*1 chocolate bunny

*1 DVD

*small assortment of Cadbury Eggs/Reese's eggs

*the dreaded Peeps (invariably more mess than they're worth at this stage)

*1 book

*seed paper instead of icky grass or paper that will invariably just get thrown away

*1 springy play outfit

 

And they'll get new lighter pajamas the night before. I do new PJs the night before every holiday that will require pictures the next morning.

 

ETA: Easter Egg Hunt @ Home will be plastic eggs with jelly beans (the only distribution of jelly beans in our house-- I hate those d*mn things) and coins. We'll color 2 dozen eggs, and they will be in their baskets & consumed as breakfast/egg salad over the course of a week or so. For the EEH at DH's grandma's, she has a bunny costume for EACH of the DC (grand total of 9 Easter bunnies finding things in her front year on Easter-- she reuses the costumes, and just keeps buying the oldest kids new ones each year...) & she hides things like bags of animal cookies and plastic eggs with real dollars in them. The older cousins are very good about helping the littlest ones find their share of eggs.

Edited April 17, 2011 by KristinaBreece