Easter Baskets: New Orleans Mom Edition

Easter has always been my favorite holiday! Everything is great about it… the gorgeous weather, the thrill of festival season, and of course the life of Jesus Christ! As a kid, I remember eagerly looking forward to Easter morning and anticipating what would be in my Easter basket. I wasn’t allowed to touch my basket until after Church, and I would eagerly anticipate the moment we would return home, pull off my fancy Easter dress, and I could dig into my basket!

As a mom, I LOVE looking for items for my kids’ baskets. Since my kids are still young, I’ve enjoyed starting fun traditions to make each holiday special for our little family. For Easter, I love picking out the perfect items or thinking of a fun theme to follow. I buy small things throughout the year that are perfect to add to their baskets. Easter is also a great opportunity to support small and local businesses. Here are some fun ways you can fill your Easter basket NOLA style!

First things first, you need a basket

Of course, you can use any “basket” or container of your choice. Chances are if you look around your house you likely already have something that can serve as your Easter basket. I suggest opting for a basket that you can re-use at home later. This could be a small toy box, a beach pail, a storage container, or even an upside-down umbrella!

A good idea is a basket in a neutral color that can double as a holder for candy during Halloween trick or treating. Tote bags or backpacks make for an interesting “basket” that you are sure to get a lot of use out of. If you want a long lasting basket that your child can grow with, consider a monogrammed basket that you can pull out yearly. Monogram Express has great options that you can get locally.

Next, fill it up!

I like to do a mix of items. My kids are young and don’t get sweets often so I enjoy including a sweet treat. I also like to add practical items that they need or things to prepare for the summer season. I throw in a few learning items and something I know will leave them with a huge smile. Don’t forget the eggs! You can of course do traditional egg dying and let your kids join in on the fun. You can also stuff plastic eggs with small treats like puzzle pieces (when they find them all they have a full puzzle) and small toys. Another fun idea is decorating plastic eggs with stickers or jewels. I plan on letting my toddler try the Eggmazing tool this year to decorate eggs without the mess.

Here are some fun Easter basket filler ideas for kids ages 0-10:

Ages newborn-2:

• My 1^st Easter shirt or new Easter outfit.
• Teething toys. ZukaBaby has great teething options. You can opt for a bunny to match the Easter theme.
• Clothing and shoes.
• All toddlers love bubbles.
• The Indestructible brand is my favorite for this age range, they are indestructible and don’t rip; can be chewed on and are washable.
• Plates and utensils.
• New cups. This is the perfect time to introduce the next stage of cup for your little one or a fun twisty straw for experienced drinkers.
• Loveys and stuffed animals.
• Egg crayons.
• Summer items. Swimsuits, water toys and pool floaties are a nice addition.
• Age appropriate treats. This can include teething puffs and crackers, fruit pouches or bunny shaped cookie snacks.

Ages 3-4:

• A new Easter or Spring outfit.
• Swimsuits and waterproof shoes for summer fun.
• Puzzles and learning toys. Mommy Fluent is a local mom owned business that I love. They have so many unique items for a variety of ages.
• New basics: pajamas, socks and underwear.
• Bath toys.
• Outdoor toys. This is a great time to plan for summer fun- sidewalk chalk, bubbles, helmet, and bubbles are all nice to include.
• Books and flashcards.
• Sweets and candy.
• Little P’nuts, Little Toy Shop, and Magic Toy Box are great options to shop locally for your favorite toys.
• Stuffed animals.
• Art supplies, kinetic sand or playdough. This could be a fun time to add the ingredients to make DIY playdough.
• An electronic toothbrush is a fun item for kids in this age range.
• Local experiences. Think about adding tickets or memberships to local excursions like Audubon, Louisiana Children’s Museum, Luv to Play or Nola Kidsground.

Ages 5-10:

• Hair accessories.
• Jewelry is a great addition that can go inside of the basket or inside of a plastic egg. I love these earrings from Lilliput and Bijou and Krewe.
• Gift card for local treats. Creole Creamery, Crumbl Cookies, Sno-la, and Cafe du Monde are all some of my favorite options.
• Candy and other sweets.
• Arts and craft supplies.
• Personalized items. This age loves personalized items. These paper products from Ella Paperie are adorable and a great addition to any backpack. Also a personalized insulated cup that can keep their drinks hot or cold for hours is a good addition. Freckle.Design is a local company where you can order personalized vinyl decals as well as other fun personalized things.
• Baldwin & Co is a great local bookstore with a large variety and children’s selection.
• Tickets to a fun photo and selfie gallery. ARTmazing Studios and JamNola are fun excursions for this age range.
• Graphic tee. Consider including a unique graphic tee. Dirty Coast, JeanTherapy and Fleurty Girl have good options.

What are your favorite Easter Basket additions?