20 ideas to help build a healthier Easter basket for kids, teens
By Brittany Anas
On Easter morning, do your kids try to trick you into believing the Cadbury Cream Egg they discovered in their basket suffices as breakfast because, well, it is an egg? Thought so. But we’ve come up with several ways you and the Easter Bunny can outsmart them this year — while still giving them a basket they’ll love.
Easter basket traditions date all the way back to 18th century German settlers who spread folklore of a white hare that would leave brightly colored eggs for good children on Easter morning. Nowadays, baskets are filled with candy. Lots and lots of candy. In fact, 16 billion jelly beans and 90 million chocolate bunnies will be churned out for Easter, which is the second top-selling confectionery holiday behind only Halloween, according to the National Confectioner’s Association.
This year, help the Easter bunny personalize a basket for your kids — one that is mixed with candy, games and other items that will inspire your kids to get outside and play in the spring weather.
The night before Easter, set out carrots and bunny feed (i.e. trail mix) for the Easter Bunny and use the opportunity to teach your kids about healthy snacks.
Here are 20 ideas for Easter baskets — with gift ideas for everybody.
- For teens and pre-teens, buy some iTunes gift cards from Sam’s Club and leave a note that says they can spend it on some “hippity-hop” songs or for other music of their liking.
- Jump ropes.
- Movie tickets. For younger kids, buy a DVD copy of their favorite movie. Wreck it Ralph is at Best Buy and is a fun movie for the whole family.
- Sunglasses.
- Sidewalk chalk. Set up a game of bunny hopscotch outside so your kids can burn some energy. You can even get egg and chick shaped chalk from Crayola.
- A 24-pack of Play-Doh from Target.
- Pastel nail polish. We like “play date,” a soft lavender from Essie that can be purchased at Walgreens.
- Crazy-patterned fun socks, like these colorful knee-highs from QVC.
- Frisbee.
- Baseball hat from Lids.
- Scented lotions or body wash. Bath and Body Works has a new Beautiful Day spring collection that smells like apples, daisies and pink peonies.
- Coloring books. Add in a 24-pack of Crayola colored pencils from Staples.
- Flavored chapstick. Get an 8-pack of Skittles-flavored lip balms at Target.
- Headbands.
- Hair ties from Etsy. These ties are a cute twist on the classic elastic bands.
- Toy cars. Here’s a pack of 20 Matchbox cars from ToysRUs that can be divvied up in baskets.
- Dried fruit medley from Puritan’s Pride.
- Tickets to the zoo or a favorite museum.
- Blush, in a sweet, heart-shaped tin from HSN, is perfect for a high-schooler or college student.
- Peg puzzles or other learning games from PBS.
Cooking an Easter dinner? Click here for free grocery coupons from ShopAtHome.com.
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• 10 easy ways to trick yourself into eating better, losing weight
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