12 Creative Easter Baskets With No Candy in Sight

Easter is almost here, falling on April 16^th this year. The stores stock their shelves full of every candy and chocolate known to man. While we might be used to Easter baskets filled with giant chocolate rabbits and jelly beans, there are plenty of options out there for creating the perfect basket without overloading your kids with chocolate and sugar. Here are 12 creative Easter baskets to help you get started!

Get Artsy

Art supplies can be a great basket stuffer for kids of any age. You’ll want to customize the supplies for your child’s interests and abilities, but you might include:

• Easter-themed craft kits — either make your own or purchase some pre-made kits to stick in the baskets.
• Sketchbooks, coloring books or activity books.
• Pencils, pens, crayons, colored pencils, etc.
• Paints, canvas, etc.

The possibilities are endless.

Bubbles Galore

Everyone loves bubbles, and they’re a great excuse to get outside, too. Big bubble jugs can be awkward for little hands, though — instead pick up a big jar of bubbles to keep under the sink and also get some small, easily refillable bubble containers to go in the baskets. To keep with the bubble theme, you could also add things like bath bombs or bubble soap to clean up after an afternoon of bubble fun.

Subscription Boxes

This might take a bit of planning, depending on when the subscription boxes ship each month, but they can be a great option for Easter baskets. Subscription boxes have become so popular that you can easily find one to cater to nearly any activity or interest! Just plan to order the box the month before Easter, so it shows up in time.

Swim Stuff

Is the weather warm enough to swim yet? Maybe not, but it’s coming! Consider stuffing those Easter baskets with swimming stuff — swimsuits, floats, sunscreen and goggles can be a great candy-free alternative for Easter baskets. If you’re feeling super crafty, you can even make your basket out of a kiddy pool and a couple of pool noodles!

Personalize It

Everyone loves getting stuff with their name on it. While it might seem a bit cheesy as an adult, there’s nothing quite like the smile on a child’s face when they realize their new toy or hat or jacket has their name emblazoned on it. Look for places that do custom work, especially if your child has an unusual name. That way, you can be sure the spelling is correct.

Start Reading

Books, books and more books — if you have a voracious reader or even someone you want to see read a little more, consider stuffing their baskets with books. Easter books always come out right around the holiday, but that doesn’t mean they all need to be Easter themed. To go along with the books, you could add bookmarks, clip-on lights, activity books or notebooks as well.

Astronomy Class

Stargazing can be an awesome way to spend time together as a family, so consider some space-themed baskets to get that rocket flying. Everything from books and toys to telescopes and star maps are perfect basket stuffers. This is one of the themes you could even choose to include DVDs like “Cosmos” or “Apollo 13” as well.

Bake It

While this doesn’t get you entirely away from the sweets, if you have an aspiring baker in the house, try filling their basket with cookbooks, brownie and cake mixes, or even beloved family recipes to get them started. Dollar stores often have basic bakeware as well, if your kiddo is interested in having their own cake pan or muffin tins.

Rabbit Food

No, we’re not suggesting that you stuff the Easter baskets with salad — unless your kid is really into eating their veggies. Springtime is the perfect time of year to learn how to plant and grow your own fruits and vegetables, so fill the basket with things like pots, seeds, gardening gloves and kid-sized gardening tools — feel free to leave the potting soil in the garage. You can even bypass the basket completely and use a planting pot to put everything in!

Get Outside

The snow is melting, and the sun is getting warmer. We can finally get the kids out of the house again! Take advantage of this by filling their Easter baskets with outdoor toys. Things like baseballs and bats, Frisbees and badminton kits will keep them outside. To gear up for the warmer days ahead, water toys like squirt guns and slip-n-slides can also be good options.

Bug Out

Did you ever find a caterpillar when you were a kid? Did you keep it until it turned into a butterfly?  You likely had a very awesome experience, and you can replicate it for your kids interested in insects. A butterfly garden kit might include live caterpillars, food, feeding tools and a safe place for the caterpillars to live while they make their way through the life cycle. Your kids can watch the entire process from start to finish.

Customize Your Creative Easter Baskets

When it comes right down to it, you know your child best. Instead of going straight for the candy — though it’s totally okay to horde some of those Cadbury Crème Eggs for yourself — customize your child’s basket to include things they are interested in. Anything from gaming to makeup to art — and everything in between — can be used to make an exciting and memorable Easter basket. Did we miss any candy-free creative Easter baskets? Let us know!