27 Egg-citing Easter Basket Ideas for Kids

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Ready to branch out from boring Easter baskets?

It can be fun to create Easter traditions for your family, but where do you start?

Why not keep things simple with an Easter basket of treats?

Whether you’ve never heard of Easter baskets before or you’re looking to pass on an egg-quisite tradition from your childhood, we’ve got all the inspiration you’ll need.

Just hop on down and take a look. 🐇

Happy (s)hopping!

In this article: 📝

What is an Easter basket?

Easter is a Christian holiday, but the tradition of making and giving Easter baskets has deeper roots as well.

🧺 In ancient European cultures, there was a springtime festival to celebrate Eostre, the goddess of fertility. She was often shown holding a woven basket.

🐰 At the same time, hares and eggs were seen as symbols of fertility and abundance. When these two symbols combined, the legend of the bunny leaving brightly colored eggs for children was born. 🐣 Eventually, these two traditions came together to give us Easter baskets. And although the first baskets contained chicken eggs and not much else, there’s no limit to what you can put in an Easter basket today.

What do you put in an Easter basket?

It’s easy to buy Easter baskets pre-made and ready to gift.

This one is full of snacks, and this plush basket is a cute gift for little kids.

But if you want to put one together yourself and you’re looking for DIY Easter basket ideas, you've come to the right place.

You can theme your basket around the holiday itself, your loved one’s personality, or a certain aesthetic like “rose gold” or “wooden toys.”

How do you make a beautiful Easter basket?

Are you going for bright colors?

Pastels?

Beiges and browns?

You don’t have to be matchy-matchy, but having a central idea will pull everything together.

Once you have your theme, our best tip is to make sure you choose a basket that’s the right size for the things you have so it doesn’t look too sparse or too clumsy.

How much should you spend on Easter baskets?

There can be a lot of pressure to put together the perfect Easter aesthetic, but the bottom line is that you decide your budget.

You can spend a lot to have a fancy basket made to order, or you can craft one yourself from items you already have at home.

It’s entirely up to you.

With that in mind, let's look at some items you might want to put inside your basket.

What are the top 5 most popular Easter basket items?

1. Candy: We’re thinking chocolate eggs, chocolate bunnies, chocolate chickens, chocolate lambs, and anything else that takes your fancy.
2. Other edible treats: Go for marshmallows, sweets, and cookies. You can even take a healthier snack (like raisins) and call it “Easter rabbit food.”
3. Small gifts: Think candles, soaps, stuffed animals, and Easter trinkets.
4. Decorations: Most Easter baskets include something decorative like ribbons, fabric ruffles, or shredded paper filler.
5. Religious items: If the religious meaning of Easter is important to your family, you might want to add items such as a Bible, an Easter card, or an ornament with a Bible verse.

What can you put in an Easter basket that isn't candy?

Whether you're looking for healthy Easter basket ideas or Easter basket filler ideas, we've got you covered for every member of your family.

For babies

Even after starting solids, babies should probably wait a while before they try their first nibble of chocolate.

But that doesn’t mean they have to miss out on the fun.

6. Seasonal accessories: This stuffed bunny that doubles as a pacifier clip. 7. An Easter-themed teether: This one is shaped like a carrot. 8. A bib: Keep their Easter outfit clean(er) with this quirky Easter sloth bib. 9. A food pouch treat: Once Upon a Farm make organic pouches in a range of flavors and textures.

For toddlers

Since no one wants to be dealing with a two-year-old having a sugar crash, here are four creative Easter basket ideas for toddlers that don’t include sweet treats.

10. Carrot utensils: These are perfect for a toddler Easter basket. 11. Non-chocolate eggs: These color- and shape-matching eggs from Kwelda come in their own cute carton. 12. A new game: This gives them something to do during long family gatherings. These beautiful wooden stacking animals are perfect for little hands. 13. Refillable eggs: These let you decide exactly what Easter treats your toddler gets. You can fill them with dried fruit, Annie's Cheddar Snacks, or kid-friendly graham crackers. They're also great to hide in the garden for your tot to find.

For preschool children

It gets a little easier to find Easter basket ideas for kids once their baby days are behind them. A little chocolate and some extra fun is a recipe for success.

14. Bunny ears: Great for kids who like to dress up. Or if they’d rather craft their own, these pipe cleaners make it easy. 15. Egg bath bombs: These fit the theme and give them something to look forward to when the Easter fun is over, and they’re ready to unwind before bed. These bath bombs for kids won’t stain your tub, and they have a hidden animal toy inside. 16. Activity books: For preschoolers, this Happy Easter Dot Markers Activity Book is a hit and children from 6-9 will love this Highlights Hidden Pictures puzzle book. Older kids might like the Try Not to Laugh Challenge Easter joke book or to try their hand at the ever-popular Mad Libs Easter edition.

Older children and teens

For the big kids, you may have a mutiny on your hands if you exclude the candy altogether. 😂

But here are some ideas for themed boxes that aren't too heavy on the sugar.

17.Pampering basket: Add nail polishes, mani/pedi sets, sheet masks, hand and foot wraps and let the pampering begin. 18. Movie madness: Assemble a healthy snack pack like this care package from The Snack Bar or make your own. Add in a pair of fluffy non-slip socks and your teen will be all set for a cozy film night. 19. Pick and choose: If you're just looking for the Easter equivalent of a stocking stuffer, how about a game like Kids Against Maturity, some fidget rings, or a personalized piece of jewelry. 20. Gift cards: When in doubt, there’s always a gift card. 😉

How do you make a unique Easter basket for parents?

This is where the fun can really start!

The key to unique Easter basket ideas is to think outside the box and let your imagination run wild.

A personalized basket can be a great way to make the basket unique, whether it's assembling trinkets you know the receiver will enjoy or incorporating their name into the basket.

A personalized Easter mug, a basket that includes their name, or an Easter egg tag are all great ways to make it their own.

And if you get your kids to help put everything together, it’s sure to go down a treat.

Here are some alternative Easter basket ideas that go beyond the obvious.

21. A Gardener's Dream: Buy a lovely pot plant and nestle some eggs or ornaments around the stems. Pop it into a hanging basket and it'll be the gift that keeps on giving as they look after it with the kids throughout the summer. 21. A Spa Experience: Bath bombs, bubble bath, shower gel, body lotion, a cosmetic headband, and a cooling eye mask will make whoever receives this basket melt. Plus these little bunny soaps are just too cute. For lots of mamas, this is a great way to claim back some much-needed alone time. 22. Something a little less frilly: Don’t forget about dad! We love this cool bunny T-shirt and — paired with some beef jerky, roasted nuts, and protein bars — it makes an ideal gift. 23. Mediterranean Mezze: Make up a basket of olives, sun-dried tomatoes, marinated artichokes, and a collection of little bowls to serve them in. Add in a set of gorgeous spring-themed serviettes and presto! You're sorted for a top-notch family picnic as soon as the springtime weather plays ball. 24. Baker’s Basket: Track down some Easter sprinkles and combine them in a beautiful mixing bowl with a box of cupcake mix, some Easter cookie cutters, and cookie dough to make baking with kids a little bit easier. 25. Coffee Celebration: If someone you know is coffee crazy (or if they’re going through a lot of sleepless nights right now), make a basket that ticks all their boxes. A French press, a bag of delicious beans, some Easter cookies, and a fun coffee spoon is a great combo. 26. Chocoholics Delight: Really lean in here and fill the basket with all things chocolate. Chocolate eggs, hot chocolate powder, individually wrapped chocolate pralines, chocolate spread, and even chocolate bath products.

Is an Easter basket from the Easter Bunny or the parents?

This one depends on your family, what you believe, and how old your children are.

For some families, the Easter Bunny is just as real as Santa Claus, and they try to keep the magic alive each year.

Others see it as a fun game to play together, but the kids are in on the secret.

Think about what you’ll tell your kids, and then decide how and when you’ll present them with their basket.

Will you hand it over pre-filled?

Or will you give them the empty basket and let them find their surprises on their own because the Easter Bunny came while they weren’t looking and hid the treats outside?

And when it comes to inspiration for your egg hunts, we've got lots of fun Easter-themed activities for kids here.

Be sure to share your Easter basket tips and tricks with the Peanut community.

We’re egg-cited to hear all about your egg-cellent Easter and egg-xactly what you got up to. 🥚