Last Minute Easter Basket Ideas

Easter has never been a particularly big holiday for our family, but we do find it a fun way to celebrate the beginning of spring. It is probably the one holiday where I don’t go crazy planning in advance, but instead realize about a week before that Easter is coming up and then scramble to put something together. If you are like me, below are some simple last minute easter basket ideas and activities to help you.

A Little History

According to some theories, Easter baskets became a tradition from medieval Catholics as a way to celebrate the end of Lent. People would bring baskets of foods and other symbols of fertility (eggs) to be blessed by a priest. Fast forward hundreds of years and that tradition has blossomed into the modern day Easter basket filled with eggs, chocolate, and other small gifts.

No matter your religion and beliefs, Easter baskets can just be a fun tradition for children. For our family, it really represents the beginning of spring when flowers are in full bloom and we can finally get outside after months sheltered from the cold. Easter baskets don’t need to be huge and extravagant; just a few basics will do that you can easily pick up at your local dollar store.

1. Basket

I’ll state the obvious first: every good Easter basket starts with a basket to put stuff in. Don’t feel like you need to go all out and get a personalized one with your child’s name unless you really want to. You likely have a bin or basket lying around the house to put small items in. Get one or two decent quality ones that you can switch out each year. They come in various different sizes, but one that is 10″-12″ in diameter is pretty standard. Just remember that the bigger the basket, the more stuff you need to make it seem full.

2. Filling

You can pick up some pretty cheap filling at your dollar store. This is usually little bits of plastic or paper that somehow manage to get all over your floor that you will be finding for the next few months. But, it does play an important role in making your baskets. It really helps to fill out the space and make your basket look more colorful. Additionally, it can help prop items up to make sure they are on full display. You can easily buy this in bulk and save it for multiple years or even use it for gift wrapping.

3. Chocolate & Candy

As a child, my parents went all out on chocolate for my Easter basket and I loved it. My favorite was the solid block of milk chocolate in the shape of a bunny or a cross. A cannot miss item are little chocolate Easter eggs. If your kid doesn’t like chocolate, go for the classic Peeps. Of course, as a parent, you might not want to overdo it on the sweets. Instead, stock up on your kid’s favorite snacks.

4. Plastic Eggs

Plastic eggs can be so much fun for kids and last a long time! I bought a pack six years ago and we still use them for Easter every year. These are great for stuffing little candies in. They are also perfect for an Easter egg hunt. Kids will love getting these eggs in their baskets and finding a little surprise inside.

5. Stuffed Animals

You can’t go wrong with getting your kids a stuffed animal. If they are anything like my kids, they probably already have at least twenty. I thought this year I could get away without buying another one, but my son so nicely reminded me that I always get them a stuffed animal. It has apparently become something that he looks forward to. Nevertheless, cute, soft farm animals like this adorable little baby chick will always be a hit.

Make the Day Extra Fun

Obviously, for many people, their Easter day starts with going to church. But, your day can even start the night before. Take a nod from Christmas and leave out some carrots for the Easter Bunny when they come to visit. Your kids will be excited to see how the carrots disappeared in the morning.

We like to do an egg scavenger hunt to start our day. Each egg has a clue which leads our kids to the next location in the house. This is probably the only time my kids enjoy working together as it leads them to the end of the trail where their Easter baskets are waiting for them.

While the kids are busy searching for eggs, make some Easter Bunny pancakes! These are super easy to make with pancakes, a few slices of banana, and chocolate chips. After breakfast, if the weather is nice, take the fun outside and enjoy the day drawing with some sidewalk chalk. End your night with a themed movie night watching movies like Peter Rabbit or Hop!

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Let me know of some of your best Easter traditions below in the comments!

Interested in trying out some new spring recipes? Check out my blog post for recipes to things like orange-maple scones, lavender lemonade, fruit salad, and more!