Oh my word…can you believe it’s already Easter!? I feel like we just had Christmas and already I’m having to get baskets together for these kids who don’t need anything else!
My husband HATES all things baskets and stockings. He says we’re just buying the kids more crap that causes us more headaches (i.e. more to clean up). He’s right…I don’t want to add to the heaping pile of toys that get left all over the house, whose sole purpose is to get dumped out on the floor but never actually played with.
Seeing as it’s spring, my kids NEED new things such as clothes, shoes, cups, etc. Instead of just giving them the things they need, I’ve decided to incorporate them into their baskets. My 9 month old needs new head bands as her wardrobe colors change and she’s grown, my 2 year old needs to start learning how to drink out of a cup without a lid, and my 4 year old has officially used up all the band-aids in the house for his 2 reoccurring boo boos. Creating a basket can be a lot of fun, and easy on the budget as well. My budget this year was $40 a basket.
I’ve incorporated GREAT finds from the Target dollar bin, the dollar store, Amazon, Old Navy, and Carter’s. Mind you we hardly ever let our kids have candy, so I’ve only given my 4 year old 2 candy items, which we all know will become mommy and daddy’s treat once the kids have gone to bed. My 2 year old will get 2 Yum Earth Organic Suckers, which we already have stashed in the pantry as rewards. Try giving your kids snacks in lieu of candy. Annie’s has great graham crackers or Pamela’s Figgies & Jammies are some of my kids favorites.
We are leaving on a family vacation this summer and some of the things I planned on taking with us, like water shoes and pail/shovel sets, I’ve included in the baskets. This will get the kids excited to pack for our trip and use their new toys, and it keeps me from having to buy things at the hotel. I found the pail/shovel set and sand molds at the dollar store. My kids are going to go crazy over Minnie, Spiderman and Ariel!
Below are a couple of my favorite things in the baskets:
- Cups– I snatched up this two pack in pink and orange and was able to separate them between 2 baskets! The CamelBak kids cups are some of our favorites as well.
- Fun Pj’s– I got pj’s on clearance from Carter’s and also Old Navy. Sometimes you can find a good deal at Costco, but that’s rare. Many times you can find a coupon AND use a money back reward site like Ebates, making the purchase a steal.
- Band-aids– I found character ones in the $1 bin at Target but Amazon also has some great assortment packs for a much better value
- Melissa & Doug Puzzles
- Hot Movies today:
Moana
Sing
Pete’s Dragon
Life of Pets - Kinetic Sand– if you haven’t tried this stuff, you need to! It doesn’t make a mess, it’s easy clean up, AND it doesn’t dry out!
- Water Shoes– these are great for the pool, splash pads and beach. It gets blistering hot in Arizona, so it’s nice to take the kids to the splash pad and know they can run around without slipping or burning their feet. If you have an infant that is walking, try these water socks instead. They worked great for my boys when their feet were too small for shoes.
- Swim Attire
Sunglasses
Hair accessories
Some other great ideas include Character kites, Baby toys, Easter Books, Coloring Books, Water/Outdoor toys, Blankets, Step Stools and Plates/Bowls.
Oh and don’t forget to add eggs! I found these eggs for $2 (set of 4) at Target and the best part is they’re filled with Play-Doh, not candy! Silly putty is also a great substitute for candy filled eggs.
Happy Easter everyone!
