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Minimalist Easter Basket: Clutter-Free Ideas For Kids

byathomeontheprairie updated

Clutter-free gift ideas for a minimalist Easter Basket for kids of all ages.

Fill their Easter baskets with fun and useful things they’ll really enjoy, without ending up with too much candy or a bunch of “stuff” you’ll need to declutter in the future.

a white wire Easter basket filled with simple non-candy items like coloring pencils, bubble solution, shoes, sunglasses, markers, a stuffed bunny and a sippy cup

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What is minimalism?

I talk a lot about minimalism here on the blog because it ties in very closely with my goal of sharing ways to simplify and the art of keeping house. Choosing to be a “minimalist” in areas of your life can make time and space to be more creative in your homemaking!

So let’s start with what minimalism is NOT. It’s not a trendy idea or the sad beige lifestyle that has become so popular lately. It’s not only wooden toys and white walls (although I do love white walls myself!)

Minimalism is the practice of living intentionally by focusing our attention and resources on things we truly value without wasting time and space on things that will distract us from that.

Yes, you can be a minimalist and have bright colors and plastic toys in your life! You just have to be pickier and take the time to choose what comes into your home with a little more thought and care.

Have you started making capsule wardrobes for your kids yet?

how to create a minimalist Easter basket (That is still lots of fun)

Easter baskets and Christmas stockings are a great exercise in practicing minimalism. Because everywhere you shop, the shelves are full of cute “junk” that your kids will probably play with for several hours at best before they end up broken or in next year’s garage sale.

But you can make Easter baskets simple but fun and exciting by filling them with specially selected things that are meaningful, practical or even reusable year after year.

A note on the Easter bunny: If you can’t tell by now, my kids don’t really believe in the Easter bunny, but if your kiddos do, you’ll have to disregard some of my ideas since they would spoil the fun of believing in the Easter bunny.

the basket

First things first, we have to talk about the basket itself. Here are several ways you can use a more minimalistic approach to choosing an Easter basket to use for your kids:

  • a quality basket that can be reused every year and even handed down to your grandkids
  • a basket that doubles as toy storage after Easter
  • a sand bucket to play with after Easter
  • a garden tote for a gardening themed basket
  • a beach bag

We use the Hearth and Hand egg baskets from Target for our kids’ Easter baskets. And when they’re not on “Easter basket duty”, we use them to collect eggs and keep produce in on the counter.

the filler

Next up, the Easter basket filler. You know what I’m talking about. That shiny plastic Easter grass that clings to everything and refuses to be vacuumed up!

You could skip the basket filler all together, but here are a few other options to add a cushy layer to the bottom of your Easter baskets:

  • recyclable paper grass
  • play silks to reuse year after year or add to your kids’ dress up box
  • clothing
  • beach towel
  • a cozy blanket
  • swaddle for a baby’s basket

Each of my kids gets a new pair of Spring pajamas to fill out their capsule wardrobe each Easter. I use that on the bottom of their Easter baskets in place of the filler.

Easter Gifts

Even though we are making minimalist Easter baskets, we do want them to be exciting and fun! So we choose toys and other items that are special to each of out kids. Things they will play with for years to come.

  • toys like Legos or calico critters that can be added to a play set you already own
  • a quality stuffed animal that can be reused every Easter or passed down
  • outdoor toys or water toys
  • card games
  • puzzles
  • disposable camera
  • playdoh
  • Easter board books

We have a collection of special rabbit stuffed toys that I add to the Easter baskets each year. My kids get really excited to see them again like an old friend. But they understand that after a month or so they go back into storage and they’ll see them again next Easter.

Consumables

Of course the best way to not add clutter to your house with Easter basket stuffers is to choose a lot of consumable things. Think, things you use and throw out when you’re done with them or things that you use up as you use them:

  • coloring books
  • snacks
  • drinks
  • bubble solution
  • chalk
  • crayons, colored pencils, paints
  • bubble bath
  • stickers
  • and of course Easter candy (check out my list of 50 non-candy Easter basket ideas if you want to avoid a giving your kids a bunch of candy)
  • nail polish
  • lip balm

Things They Need

This might seem like it would be a boring category and not exciting enough to include in an Easter basket, but kids like getting new things whether they need them of not!

So I say, take advantage of the situation and get them some things that they have actually been needing:

  • flip flops
  • cute tennis shoes
  • Summer pajamas
  • hair bows
  • sunglasses
  • a toothbrush
  • a hairbrush
  • replacement school supplies
  • a new water bottle
  • an umbrella
  • cute outfits for Easter Sunday

Minimalist Easter basket ideas

Because I have 8 kids ages 13 down to 3 months old, I can give you some minimal Easter basket ideas for a variety of ages. This is what I’ll be putting in their baskets this Easter:

Minimalist Easter basket for babies

  • a special stuffed animal to save for Easters to come
  • new pajamas
  • new book
  • bunny ears we reuse every year
a white wire Easter basket filled with simple non-candy items like coloring pencils, bubble solution, shoes, sunglasses, markers, a stuffed bunny and a sippy cup

Minimalist Easter basket for toddlers

  • a new water bottle
  • new pajamas
  • jelly shoes or waterproof play shoes
  • special snacks (snack ideas in this post)
  • a juice box
  • playdoh
  • the stuffed toy they got on their first Easter
  • dot markers
a white wire Easter basket filled with simple non-candy items like coloring pencils, bubble solution, shoes, sunglasses, markers, a stuffed bunny and a sippy cup

minimalist easter basket for little kids

  • new pajamas
  • flip flops
  • special snacks
  • a Snapple
  • sunglasses
  • the stuffed toy they got on their first Easter
  • bubble solution or chalk
  • new colored pencils
  • Legos (I buy a bigger set and divide it up into plastic eggs for each kid)
a white wire Easter basket filled with simple non-candy items like coloring pencils, bubble solution, shoes, sunglasses, markers, a stuffed bunny and a sippy cup

minimalist easter basket for Older kids

  • new pajamas
  • flip flops
  • special snacks
  • bubble tea
  • earrings (my big kids are all girls)
  • the stuffed toy they got on their first Easter
  • jump ropes
  • new gel pens or markers
  • Legos
a white wire Easter basket filled with simple non-candy items like coloring pencils, bubble solution, shoes, sunglasses, markers, a stuffed bunny and a sippy cup

more ways to live a minimalist lifestyle with kids:

If you found these minimalist Easter baskets helpful, I think you might enjoy these other posts on the blog!

I hope you found this post helpful in knowing how to put together minimalist Easter baskets for your kids. Would you add anything to this list? Let me know in the comments below!

Pin these steps to try later. Tag @athomeontheprairie on Instagram to share what you’ve made with us!

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