The Easter basket is the quintessential symbol of the religious holiday that takes place two days after Good Friday each year. Well, that and the Easter Bunny. Easter baskets, overflowing with chocolate bunnies, jelly bean-filled plastic eggs and other delightful candy treasures, remain one of the most popular children’s holiday gifts in modern day history, second only to Christmas presents and Halloween candy most likely.
According to the National Confectioners Association (NCA), a survey showed that chocolate bunnies are the most popular Easter basket item for children and adults – some 90 million are produced and sold every year. Jelly beans come in second with around 16 billion being sold annually. These are obvious choices for Easter basket filling, but what else do you include in an Easter basket to make it truly kiddo-approved and thoroughly enjoyable for the little ones?
Here’s a list of the top ten best items for a children’s Easter basket to get you started. You can pick and choose from this list – don’t feel like you have to include them all! Remember to mix it up and make it fun. And don’t forget to hide the Easter basket for the kids to find in the morning!
Jelly Belly® Jelly Beans
A staple in any Easter basket, the “original gourmet jelly beans” are second to none in flavor. Check out the website to see all the variations and flavors (including Sours, Sunkist, Cold Stone Creamery ice cream flavors, sugar-free and more), or go to your local confectioner’s store (there’s a store locator on the website) to assemble a homemade assortment of your child’s most favorite flavors.
Chocolate bunnies
Ah, another staple on any children’s Easter basket, the chocolate bunny. Whether you splurge on bunnies from See’s Candies, or other gourmet chocolatiers, or just pick some up at the local drug store, a chocolate bunny is a necessity for a kid’s Easter basket. Does your child start with the ears or the feet? According to the NCA, 76% of Americans say the ears should be eaten first!
Personalized M&Ms
You pick the colors and you pick the messaging – we recommend putting your child’s name on the candy as there is limited space. Your kids will love how cool these personalized M&Ms are.
Candy-filled eggs
Buy some of those plastic pastel-colored eggs and fill ‘em to the brim with Easter candy. Try using mini-chocolate eggs, jelly beans, mini-varieties of things like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups or candy bars, or you could even stick some dollar bills in there!
Marshmallow Peeps
What would an Easter basket be without Marshmallow Peeps? Put a package in the basket; the little ones love marshmallows, especially colored ones shaped like bunnies and ducks!
Dyed eggs
If your family dyes Easter eggs, don’t forget to include some of the finished product in the child’s Easter basket.
A Stuffed Animal
Don’t forget to include a small Easter stuffed animal, whether it be a stuffed duck or bunny, or a new Beanie Baby. This doesn’t apply to boys of a certain age, so for them, go with some other small gift or token.
A Kids Easter Card
Send a little love their way by including a customized printable kids Easter card in the basket. A little note of love goes a long way…
Coloring Pages, Activity Sheets
This will give them something to do while you’re preparing for the Easter feast or waiting for dinner at Grandma’s house. Easter coloring sheets and activity sheets from AmericanGreetings.com are a perfect way to keep little minds busy. Don’t forget the new crayons or colored pencils!
An Easter craft
Kids love craft-making so why not include a little something in the Easter basket? Don’t make it too complicated. There’s plenty of simple kids Easter crafts at FamilyFun.
Jaime Smith is a writer for American Greetings Interactive brands. AGI brands include American Greetings (ecards,) PhotoWorks (photocards,) Webshots (photosharing,) Blue Mountain (greeting cards,) Egreetings (free ecards) and Kiwee (free html codes.) She writes on family, love, holidays, friendship and more. Her content can be found on brand websites, articles, blogs and press releases.
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