If you have multiple Easter baskets to fill, you'll appreciate this thrifty list. I have verified that all of these items can be purchased at two of my local Dollar Tree stores, so I would think that they would be available at your local dollar store or at the dollar section of your local Target or craft store.
And, although I'm writing this post at Easter time, I'm also tagging it for Christmas, because hardly any of these items are seasonal, which also makes them suitable for Christmas stockings.
Some of them are boy-specific, and some are girl specific. But most are gender neutral, which will give you the most bang for your buck. Sorry, I just couldn't resist. :-)
- Whoopie Cushions
- Silly Putty
- Big League Chew
- Baseball Cards
- Stickers
- Bubbles
- Sidewalk Chalk
- Glow Sticks
- Jump Ropes
- Koosh Balls
- Silly String
- Play Dough
- Army Men
- Piggy Banks
- Yo-Yos
- Grow Capsules (These are capsules with sponge characters in them that "grow" when placed in water.)
- Matchbox Cars
- Playing Cards
- Coloring Books and Crayons
- Activity Books (Handwriting Practice, Numbers and Counting, Etc.)
- Puzzle Books (Crossword Puzzles, Word Search, Sudoku)
- Small Boxed Puzzles
- Flash Cards
- Storybooks
- Pencils and Erasers
- Markers
- Finger Paint Sets
- Colored Pencils
- Small Notepads
- Hair Bows
- Character Shampoo
- Bubble Bath
- Character Hand Soap
- Character Hand Sanitizer in Mini Bottles/Carrying Cases
- Bath Poufs
- Magic Wash Cloths (These are the ones that are shrunken to a small size and then turn full size when exposed to water – they usually have cartoon characters on them.)
- Character Toothbrushes
- Toothpaste
- Character Floss Picks
- Lip Balm or Lip Gloss
- Character Bandages
- Eye Masks
- Nail Polish
- Manicure Kits
- Sunglasses
- Latex Punch Balls
- Small Stuffed Animals
- Paddle Balls
- Brightly Colored or Patterned Shoelaces
- PEZ
So if you're not quite finished with your Easter basket or (GASP!) you haven't even started, make a quick trip to the dollar store with this list in hand. You'll be able to fill up that basket in no time. Pair these items with your favorite Easter Candy and the kiddos will be thrilled!
And while we're on the subject of Easter baskets, I figured this handy tip out about four years ago and will share it with you. Easter baskets CAN BE similar to Christmas stockings if you let them.
For the first few Easters, I bought a new basket each year. And what did we end up with? A ton of baskets, pails, buckets, whathaveyou, that Aidyn did not care anything about. So by the time Jaxon was born, I wised up. I bought two very nice baskets on sale at Michaels. And each year we leave them out for the Easter Bunny to "fill up" just like we leave stockings out for Santa. And at the end of the season, they get packed away with the Easter decorations until next year.
It has become our tradition, and the boys are now used to doing it this way. I bet the Easter Bunny would be obliged to fill up any container you leave out for him too! As an added bonus, because EB is filling up a container that you leave out for him, he won't have time to elaborately wrap the baskets in cellophane or bows! He's in and out just like Santa. :-)
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I totally agree! Easter baskets are the bane of my existence.
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