I Don't Spend a Ton of Money on Easter Baskets, and My Kids Still Love What They Get

If your kids are anything like mine, you probably fly through markers because someone small keeps leaving the caps off. I like to stock up on boxes of them right after school starts, when everything is marked down, and save them for when I need to "stuff" something (like stockings . . . or Easter baskets)!

My kids love anything in the shape of a cupcake, even if it's full of vegetables, so putting little cupcake toppers or liners into their baskets is a guaranteed win. When they see them, they immediately ask if we can make cupcakes together. My answer is always yes. It's an inexpensive gift that brings everyone together over cooking and eating, which is my kind of holiday (or any day, really).

We love art in my house, so a blank canvas or big roll of kid's art paper and some paints are a go-to for my kids. They make great Easter basket gifts partially because they can take up so much space and make the basket look fuller. I like to check out the discount section of my local craft store for half-off art supplies. (And another tip: I always add a little water to acrylic or tempura paints to help them go farther.)

With my kids, I just can't go wrong with books. The kid's section of a used bookstore has always been a winner for me. I've found some treasures that my little ones enjoyed.

This seems like an odd gift, but I've found my kids are so fascinated to explore with one! I've found both inexpensive plastic and glass versions online. We love using ours for bug hunts, nature walks, looking at flowers, and inspecting each other's eyeballs at close range. Perfect for encouraging inquisitiveness!

I like to get crafty from time to time, so turning pieces of felt into sweet little stuffed animals, play food, and tons of other projects is fun for me — and my kids love the results. Pinterest has been a great source for ideas, but a lesson I learned the hard way: set aside enough time to actually make the items.

Don't all kids love bubbles? Heck, even I love bubbles! They're so whimsical and fun. I like any dollar store for containers at affordable prices, but also will sometimes make my own bubble solution and get some rope to make gigantic, child-size bubbles.

When I need inspiration, I love to hit up some thrift stores or cool vintage shops and find a crown, quirky toy, or maybe even a tea set that my kids will love. Sometimes used items can be even more special than new ones (and bonus, they're creating less waste).

I don't feel like I need to go all-out with a large Lego set since these (painful) little pieces last forever. We buy the blind bags where you can get a mini figure, or sometimes opt for a smaller $10 set.

I've loved teaching my kids to journal. Even though they're young, I encourage them to keep an end-of-the-day journal where they can dictate their memories to me and share their feelings — it's a great skill to learn and can really help them calm down. We also love keeping nature journals to draw in when we go on outdoor adventures. So, including a blank journal is like a little reminder of all the fun we'll have in the future!