I've been collecting a few things here and there to put in them, but when my friend asked me last week what I'm putting in baskets, I realized I better get it all out and see if I have enough, or - more likely - too much stuff.So in those same Target aisles I was happily surprised to see some toy-filled egg packs in addition to candy eggs. I know it's a marketing racket but I'm the target demographic and I liked them. They had Hot Wheels, Monster Trucks, My Little Pony, and Little People eggs to name a few. We love Little People at our house, so I got a pack of those:
For Christmas stockings last year each girl got a pack of Crayola twisty crayons and they really liked them, even used them up. And all our markers have been dried up for ages, so a couple of new packs of art supplies are always popular. Check out the flip-top markers - perfect for our "I-don't-know-what-happened-to-the-lid" family:
And no Easter is complete without little battery-operated light spinner things. We get them every year and they last a few months and then get broken and thrown away:
Now that we're starting to move out of tights season, the girls need dressy church socks - a perfect Easter basket filler:
And of course no Easter basket is complete without a pointless impulse buy from CVS. I opened it up and tested one - these Bunny Blasters can really shoot far! Guaranteed to get the pieces lost the same day, especially if you take them outside!
And while I don't favor the idea of loading my kids to the brim with sugar, a chocolate bunny is traditional. And if they're getting chocolate, it might as well be the good stuff. Train their palates early. I ordered a couple of these 3-inch dark chocolate "place setting" bunnies from Lake Champlain Chocolates in Vermont.
As I laid it all out and put it all together, everything fit perfectly. I'll probably also throw in an egg or two of jelly beans or maybe a Peep. I think they're nasty but the girls like them and we love Kevin Henkes' book, Owen's Marshmallow Chick, so maybe just for that.
Ed will just get a little bunny. It only hurts my feelings when I make him a basket that goes neglected, so we're all happier this way. And of course I've insured my own excellent basket via the exchange. It arrived yesterday but I'm waiting to open it until Sunday.So I know this is probably too late to really help any of us, but maybe it can be a resource for next year. Other potential ideas of things that could go in a kid's basket:
- bubbles
- sunglasses
- small toys like Ponies/cars
- small bag snacks like goldfish/fruit snacks
- could line it with a new shirt or washcloth instead of plastic grass - I SO don't do plastic grass
- new toothbrush/toothpaste
- small bath toys (like duckies from World Market)
- packets of seeds with mini garden gloves/spade/watering can
- framed picture to put on their wall/dresser
- books
- sidewalk chalk/watercolors/art supplies
- a new special "quiet" toy for church (we have some of these Magnetic Fun sets and they are gems at church or on plane rides)
- videos (we are on a Dragon Tales kick here, and also love The Bedbug Bible Gang)
- music (love Justin Roberts)
- socks of course (little ones fit in eggs)
- band aids
- chapstick/lip balm
What other ideas do you have? What's going in your kids' and spouse's baskets this year?
7 comments:
i LOVE the flip-top markers. those are genius. i would also like to know your secret for making those battery=operated spinning deals last more than a week. ours always break almost on the day of purchase - but still fun while they last!
Duh, the reason they last more than a week is because they get LOST for days and weeks at at time and are only found for a few hours in between. So total hours played with before broken is definitely under a week.
Although I am NOT a stuffed animal loving mom, my kids LOVE stuffed animals. They recently fell in love with Webkinz. I have to say, after investigating them a little, they do have a lot of educational potential. Kaylee, who was 3 at the time she received her 1st Webkinz quickly learned how to use a mouse, type her name, etc... So, to answer your question, we got a chick and bunny Webkinz to include in our children's baskets this year. One other hot item: new chapter books!
I decided to be unconventional and trade in baskets, small toys, and candy for riding toys this year. A scooter for Lily and a trike for Peter (Amos still uses me for all his rides). They don't need the candy.
Also, we do easter basket stuff on Saturday. That way, real Easter gets a whole day without distraction and the kids get the loot without having to just take a peek before going to Church. Just in case anyone likes that idea.
I have a friend who did the Saturday basket/egg hunt thing growing up - his family called it "Bunny Day" or "Spring Day" or something so it wasn't the same as Easter. I like it, I think we'll start doing that too.
One of the things I am putting in my teenagers' baskets are gift cards for music downloads. For my teenage daughter: makeup stuff. For my teenage son: well...I haven't figured that out yet.
We did our stuff last weekend and had "Spring Day" on Saturday before conference. Everyone got a new Folkmanis puppet (little hummingbird, big llama, and baby dutch rabbit) plus a hollow chocolate bunny, cheap sunglasses, a packet of flower seeds, a reece's pb egg, a few jelly beans and books. (Island of the Blue Dolphins, Miss Rumphius, Each Peach Pear Plum.) This year we hid the baskets and made them run all over the house searching. (They were on the front porch.) We also hid dyed eggs and some plastic ones. Always fun.
Sunday night we did our Easter FHE with the egg tray of 12 plastic eggs each containing something about the scripture account. I'll do a blog post in case you are unfamiliar. This weekend, half the fam is at the wedding, so it's good we are done.
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