Easter Basket Ideas - Havertown,PA

I have a one year old and a 3-year old. I did a princess basket theme and got Disney princess items from the dollar store - puzzle, frizbee, books, jump rope, etc. and filled plastic eggs with toddler treats - puffs, animal crackers, etc. Didn't spend much and I know they will love it! Have fun and Happy Easter!

I just did baskets with crackers, cheeses, granola bars, popcorn, stuffed animals, educational toy, books, videos, crafts, silly putty eggs, easter grass & a great big bow. they'll love it because it lasts for a long time afterwards.

Books, Crayons, jacks, jump rope-coloring books, puzzles. I chocolate bunny. I think that we have to work on their creativity and dreams. this is the most important time to help them have fun and to learn the values that are importnant to you as a parent!

My son is 2 and for his Easter basket this year I have a woden stamp set, Play-Doh and related tools, and a Veggie Tales DVD. When I was young we always got bubbles, sidewalk chalk, art supplies, hair accessories, costume jewlery, books, etc. in our Easter baskets.

DS (21 months) is getting bubbles, one outfit (tho we intended just one item of clothing), an egg, one good piece of chocolate (that mommy will enjoy sharing a bit ;) ) and possibly a book, coloring book, or a puzzle.

For my girls I used to do alot of outdoor toys... (some of these are not appropriate for a 2 yo)

beach ball
sidewalk chalk
jump rope
bubbles
pail and shovel
other sand toys for sandbox or the beach

Other ideas...
hair accessories - hair brush/comb
books
beach towel
flip flops
sunglasses
rubber ball
card game or deck of cards for 4yo
summer pajamas
swim suit

and no Easter basket is complete without a small chocolate bunny.

I just have one son, so I've done dvd's, books, crayons, Thomas the Train engines, sidewalk chalk.

I always gave my kids a new bathing suit and some swim toys---when they were young. Now I give them a towel or swim bag. A chocolate bunny and thats it....the rest of the family has always had alot of candy at functions and they didnt need any more. Now my kids cant wait until Easter to get the new swimsuit for the season!!

I too try to keep candy to a minimum, my kids are 5, 4, and 22 mos.... I got books, sidewalk chalk, those silly bracelets that are all the rage, water squirters for the pool, my son is very into Star Wars so I got him a figurine. I may even go to build a bear and get them each a gift card... they love that place!

i have 3 kids 6, 4, and 19 months and i hear you i dont do candy either! my daughter is 4 and this year in her basket she is getting all princess and the frog movie, fruit snacks, chapstick, and then i put a pair of crocs, that i got for really cheap, etc. my son is getting a movie, fruit snacks, croc charm, tshirt, etc. my youngest son is getting a stuffed toy, thomas tshirts, and fruit snacks, hope this helps

Michael's craft store has TONS wonderful little inexpensive ($1, $2, $3) craft ideas that I've used with my 4 year old, wooden toys to paint, beads to string on necklaces, gosh, just too many to mention. Bubbles, stickers, sunglasses, flip flops, hair accessories, play-doh, band-aids (my son LOVES band-aids with the pictures on them - lol), fruit snacks.

Depending on how much you want to spend, some other things I've done is get things my son will need for summer, since his birthday is in January, so we only ever get wintertime gifts. LOL For instance, a swim suit, beach towel, maybe a couple summer outfits, sandals, swim floaties, pool toys, outdoor toys (balls, butterfly nets, sports equipment), gardening tools and seeds to plant flowers or vegetables - kids love to plant and see things grow, sand toys if they have a sandbox or will be going to the beach in the summer, etc.

And instead of a basket, we usually get a large plastic outdoor tub (got it for $5.99 at Target) to then use outside to hold outdoor toys through the summer! You could use a laundry basket or storage bin, if that works better for your needs after the Easter stuff is put away!

Hope this helps!

We like to find new games, card games, like memory, or a fun active game for little ones like Elefun. Something they can put away and play any time they want, lasts much longer than candy!

Put coloring books, or movies, or little toys to play with, or little necklaces or bracelets. The dollar store is a great place to splurge on little things. I am sure they would have Easter things you can find as well! Maybe put little girly things inside eggs so they can have surprises as well!

Bubbles; sunglasses; gardening tools; seeds; books...

For my little girl, I put a pretend cell phone and pretend camera - she's 1 1/2. There is a stuffed animal in there. She is obsessed with baby dolls and I found a small Easter themed one at Walmart for $5. I also got her some pretend gardening tools (her brother got real ones), so she can help in our garden, which is a big family hobby. Instead of an Easter basket, my kids are getting sand buckets, so they can use them in our sandbox after the holiday. For the eggs I looked at the party section of walmart. They had things meant for goody bags and I used those things to put in the eggs...little rings, stretchy men, stickers and cars. We will put coins in there too for piggy banks. I also found some egg shaped sidewalk chalk that perfectly fits in a an egg. She has an older brother so some of the egg goodies are more gender neutral in our house.

Lip balms,pony tail holders,barretts,ribbons. Coloring books,crayons,books.
small stuffed animal,may be a dvd that they like. A zsu zsu pet. You can buy them from different places including build a bear. Another thing you could do is have an advertisement in there for build a bear. You could also do one of those for them unless this is something you have already done. You are right everyone else will buy them candy that is why i will not buy a lot for my almost three year old son. happy easter

I try to pay attention to what my girls are making a fuss about on toy commercials. If I find there's something that's affordable and allows all 3 of them to enjoy it, I will get it. The girls never get candy. 1) They don't need it. 2) It will sit in the baskets and go to waste. If I can't do the toy bit, then I will go for a DVD that they'll all enjoy. Then I sneek over to the Dollar Tree and get a few bottle of bubbles, some sidewalk chalk, a couple jump ropes, and a few coloring books and new packets of crayons. I spend no more than $50 total on everyone. Good luck!

If you don't want to give them candy, another option is books,stickers,art supplies(pencil etc.)

I have always done dried fruit & yogurt covered pretzels, though your kids may still be a bit young for that. As they got older I added nuts too (Wegman's bulk food is a great place to shop).

You can also do a book or playdough (in addition to all the other great suggestions).

My son is 2 1/2 i am also not a big fan of lots of candy. I got him sidewalk chalk and some beanie stuffed animals (backyardagains.) Both of those would work for girls. Maybe some bubbles to blow now that it is spring.

I got each of my kids a new movie and like three or four things $.99 candy.

I know what you mean! This year, my almost 3-year-old is getting 1 Disney DVD (Tinkerbell and the Lost Treasure), glitter glue pens, bubbles, stickers, and Disney Princess Shrinky Dinks that I found at the grocery store. In past years, I included small (but not dangerously small) plush finger puppets, sidewalk chalk, new crayons (because ours are always strewn hither and yon and half are broken).

I was in JC Penney's last night and in the little girls section they had small purses with Disney and Dora characters that would fit in a basket nicely.

My daughter is also very into play jewelry, so that might be an option for the older one.

Good luck and happy Easter!

C.

This year my 2 yr old son & 5 yr old daughter are getting the same basic things. Each will get a pair of flip flops, a new spring/summer outfit, a kite, bubbles, and both getting a new dvd... her-Princess in the Frog, him- Thomas the Train.

I always do bubbles, buckets, shovels, sunglasses... We don't do any candy. The dollar tree always has a lot of neat little stuff. Michael's is also a great place. You can find a lot of neat things in the dollar bins. Oh and don't forget the one spot at Target! You'll find lots of things once you start looking. I always find a ton of stuff and never spend over $10 a basket. My girls are 4 and 2 also.

J. G. here's some ideas I used when my children were young. coloring books, crayons, books, childrens nail polish, crayola has all different kinds of coloring pens and markers, we also gave them a stuffed animal, if you go to any dollar store you can find all kinds of little things like bunny erasers, pencils. Good luck and Happy Easter

I always like the mini bottles of shampoo, conditioner, lotion, toothbrushes, toothpaste. On the food side, my son gets slim jims and nuts, raisins, string cheese. I've also gotten him the Dole fruit cups which he loves, but I normally insist on fresh fruit. So... to him it's a treat.
S.