Creating Easter Baskets on a Budget
If you are like me, you love the look of a full and colourful Easter basket, but would rarely pay the price for one made up in the store. Here are some tips to Make Your Own Easter Basket on a budget!
Not only can you save money, but you can also include the items your family members will actually eat/use. No trinkets used as filler to throw out in the end.
The Basket itself:
- Wicker baskets are a great investment and come in all shapes, sizes and colours. The best part is, you can reuse it each year. (check out Dollar stores, or Michael’s [with a coupon])
- Sand Pails are a fabulous alternative. They come in various bright colours and often with a shovel and maybe a mold attached for future summer fun.
- Do you buy a new hat for your daughter (her Easter bonnet)? If so, use the bonnet as the “basket” to hold her treats and toys.
- Get the kids involved…decorate a paper bag. Use markers, stickers, decals, etc. Many dollar stores have a great selection of craft supplies with themes. The kids will love decorating their bags to get ready for the hunt for goodies!
- If your children are a little older, decorate clay pots, then as part of their basket include seeds for some fast-growing plants. They can start a spring garden and watch it grow. Here is one site with ideas for pots: Hostess with the Mostess
- Wrap a Beach Towel around the filler and tie it with a ribbon. It’s pretty, it’s practical and it’s eco-friendly.
- Plastic Flower Pot or tin can decorated with popsicle sticks. This is another craft for the kids and it’s not expensive. Check out how to make this on Frugal Upstate. CLICK HERE for instructions and photos.
- Decorate a Photo Box. Some great fillers would be a mini photo album, memory card or film for a camera, gift card for photo processing/printing. These are great for teenagers or tweens.
Now, you have a basket, what do you put in it? I try to keep the candy to the Easter Bunny and fill the basket with other gifts from Mom and Dad. Here are some great options for Candy Free basket additions.
Basket Fillers:
- Colourful chalk (DIY Chalk Recipe)
- Crayons
- Colouring books
- Markers
- Stickers
- Playing cards
- Sports cards (or Pokemon or other game)
- Skipping Rope
- Puzzle books
- Paint by number kit
- Small craft kit (at dollarstore)
- Dinky cars
- Lego mini-figures (or small building set)
- Beach ball
- Tub toys
- Play dough (make your own, CLICK HERE for recipe)
- Blowing Bubbles
- Foam Airplanes
- Kite
- Jewellery making kit (beads and string work great too!)
I hope this inspires you to have fun, save some money and be creative all at the same time!
Do you have any other ideas for frugal or DIY Easter Baskets, please share.
This may also come in useful: NON Candy Plastic Easter Egg Fillers
