Easter Baskets

I look at making Easter baskets for the kids a lot like filling stockings. A little fun stuff, a little practical stuff, and a little candy - perfect! Last year I gave them tiny felt bags big enough to hold about 2-3 plastic eggs, and that was it. But this year I got sucked into the Easter aisles at Target and got them real baskets:
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?