These Cheap Easter Basket Ideas Are Anything but Basic

Easter is a time for families and friends to come together, enjoy each other's company, and indulge in the tradition of Easter baskets filled with goodies. While candy and chocolate eggs are typically the go-to items for Easter baskets, there are many other affordable and fun things you can include that go beyond the sugary sweets. (Plus, the combination of kids and sugar could spell disaster.) With a bit of creativity, you can save time and money while personalizing the contents of each Easter basket to suit everyone's interests. 

Related: 12 Cheap and Easy Ways To Decorate for Easter

While many people may opt for classic wicker baskets, you don't have to follow suit if your heart is set on something more original and cost-efficient. To create personalized and creative Easter baskets, consider these DIY alternatives:

• Use a mason jar: Mason jars are a fun and unique alternative to traditional Easter baskets. To recreate this, fill a large mason jar with small Easter treats and decorate the jar with Easter-themed bunny ears, stickers, or ribbon.
• Sew it yourself: A fabric Easter basket can be made by sewing together pieces of colorful fabric into a basket shape. Add a ribbon or bow for decoration and line the bottom with hay or grass before putting in the Easter eggs and other stuffers.
• Transform a paper plate: A paper plate Easter basket is a fun and easy craft that you can do together with the kids. Cut a paper plate in half and staple the halves together to create a basket shape. Decorate the basket with stickers, markers, or paint, and fill with Easter goodies.
• Repurpose an old tote bag: Consider a reusable tote bag as a base for an Easter basket. To recreate this idea, line the inside with Easter-themed decorations like ribbon or fabric flowers, then fill with Easter treats.
• Use a flower pot: For those who prefer a more natural approach, using a small flower pot as a base for an Easter basket could be a great solution. Fill the bottom of the pot with grass or excelsior packaging, and fill it with whatever treats you'd like. 

Related: Here Are the Worst Easter Candies — and the Best — Ranked

This basket is perfect for creative types who love to envision and create their own art. Include a variety of craft supplies like construction paper, stickers, bright sidewalk chalk, glitter, glue, and scissors so they can fully unleash their creativity. You can also add some Easter-themed craft items like egg-dyeing kits, bunny ears, or foam stickers to make it even more fun. 

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This one is ideal for kids or adults who love spending time outdoors or may have an interest in nature and gardening. Add some gardening tools like gloves, trowels, watering cans, and seeds. You can also include a magazine or two on gardening, and perhaps some fun accessories like a bug catcher or butterfly net.

Do you have a future mathematician in your home? This fun and creative basket will be perfect for them. Ideal for kids who love solving puzzles and brain teasers, you can include a variety of age-appropriate puzzles like jigsaw puzzles, Sudoku books, and Rubik's cubes — most of which can be bought for cheap at dollar stores or supermarkets.

This book-centric Easter basket is super easy and cheap to put together. Head to your local thrift store (used books are sometimes sold for as little as $1) and choose a selection of books that cater to your child's interests, whether it's adventure, mystery, science-fiction, or anything in between. 

If you've got a movie buff at home, give this Easter basket idea a try. Include a selection of their favorite DVDs, microwave popcorn, and snacks to create the perfect movie night after all the egg-hunting fun. To spruce it up even further, try adding some DIY plastic reels or movie tickets to give it that old-school Hollywood glitz and glamour. (Or, you can buy a set of movie kit decorations from Amazon for less than $15.)

This one is perfect for kids who love science and exploration. Include a science kit or two like a crystal garden or volcano kit, a set of magnets, rocks, and a microscope. You can also cut and paint styrofoam to resemble planets, and add some homemade slime using easy and safe household ingredients such as shaving cream, food coloring, and Elmer's glue. 

If you have an engineer or architect in the making, give this basket idea a try. Ideal for kids (or adults) who love building and creating with LEGO, consider a selection of LEGO sets — from small to large — to keep your child building for hours on end. To add some Easter-themed elements, you can also include a LEGO bunny set, complete with a LEGO carrot, flower, and other characters. 

This Easter basket idea is perfect for kids who love to cook and bake. Consider including a few kid-friendly cooking supplies like an apron, baking mix, and cookie cutters. You can also add some Easter-themed ingredients such as pastel-colored frosting and sprinkles to create fun and whimsical treats like bunny-shaped cookies or carrots. 

This basket is perfect for kids who love staying active by enjoying sports or other outdoor activities. If your child is a big fan of basketball, you can add a mini basketball, basketball hoop, and basketball pump to the basket. Or, if your kid prefers soccer, consider adding a soccer ball, a set of cones, and a mini goal to the basket. You can also add a selection of sports-related stuffers such as a hat, sweatbands, or a water bottle.