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March 24, 2013 By Wendy Leave a Comment

Celebrate Spring with a Garden-themed Easter Basket

Got a wicked sweet tooth? Mine was raging during this last pregnancy, and it really got me thinking about how I don’t want to pass my love/hate relationship with sugar on to my kids. Cutting back on candy is tough, though…especially when every single holiday seems to revolve around it. But all that means is that, as parents, we have to get a little more creative, right?

So aside from a few Annie’s gummy bunnies, we’ve decided that this year’s basket will be devoted to the thing we love most about spring: the garden! Since our family’s celebration is focused less on religious beliefs and more on the fertility and rebirth associate with spring (like Ostara), a basket full of garden-themed items seems perfect to me!


Build a Garden Easter Basket

 Ditch the candy and green your holiday with these basket-stuffers:

Seeds: Look for varieties that grow quickly and don’t require tons of care. Bonus points for those that result in especially bright or interesting fruits, veggies or flowers. The more fun the fruit, the more interest the seed will spark. For veggies, try baby carrots, radishes or tiny red cherry tomatoes. Planting flowers? Sunflowers, fuzzy lambs’ ears and hens and chicks are fun and easy to grow. Throw in a few tiny peat pots, too, for starting seeds indoors.

Gardening Tools: Stick with tools made for kids. They’ll be more geared for safety (rounded edges, no little pieces, etc.) And it’s a good idea to stay away from plastic, even though it might be cheaper and more accessible. These tools will spend a lot of time outdoors in the sun, and heat makes any toxic chemicals in plastic just that much worse. Target has a great selection this year, all reasonably priced.

 Don’t forget the gloves! I just got these for $3 at Big Lots:

Craft Supplies: Like it or not, there will be some rainy days and you might find yourself with a very disappointed little gardener. Take the opportunity to teach the importance of rain for the garden, then tackle a garden craft! Tuck some outdoor paints into your garden Easter basket and you’ll be prepared to make some garden picks or painted rocks to label your herbs and baby plants.

Books: Gardening books come in all shapes and sizes, and there are lots that are written for kids. Roots, Shoots, Buckets and Boots and Planting a Rainbow are two examples, and a quick Google search will yield tons more.

Sunscreen: So important! Especially for boys, who grow up into men, who tend to be the ones to neglect skin safety the most. Episencial’s Sunny Sunscreen is a great choice if you like pure organic products. A sunhat is also a great option! (A pretty white eyelet one will be in our little lady’s basket this year!)

Water bottle: Toss in a kids’ water bottle. A long, hard day of working in the dirt calls for some good hydration! Klean Kanteen’s stainless steel options are our favorites because they are super durable and easy to clean, and they offer sippy caps made just for kids.

Of course I can’t guarantee it, but I’d bet my last seed that if you get your kids more excited about growing vegetables they’ll get more excited about eating them, too!

Related

Filed Under: Garden, Green Living, Home & Garden, Parenting & Family, Recipes Tagged With: easter basket without candy, easter gifts, healthy easter basket, non-candy easter basket, ostara gifts, spring basket

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kelly R says

    March 24, 2013 at 12:19 pm

    This is a wonderful idea.. Thank you for this wonderful post..
    Kelly R recently posted…Serenity Sundays – 3/24/13My Profile

    Reply
  2. daisy says

    March 24, 2013 at 12:25 pm

    How fun! I am so excited about the weather changing so that we can garden!

    Reply
  3. Melinda Dunne says

    March 24, 2013 at 2:51 pm

    I think that is a wonderful idea! I hate filling baskets with candy-it usually ends up in the trash. Your idea is practical and fun for the entire family!
    Melinda Dunne recently posted…BabyGanics Fine & Handy Hand and Face Wipes ReviewMy Profile

    Reply
  4. Whitney @ It's Gravy, Baby! says

    March 26, 2013 at 3:30 pm

    Oh my, what a great idea! And oh how I wish we had a Target- Hello Kitty gardening gear? Perfect. Our baskets are outdoor themed with thing like chalk, shades, etc.
    Whitney @ It’s Gravy, Baby! recently posted…Spring Fashions from GymboreeMy Profile

    Reply
  5. Juliana RW says

    March 27, 2013 at 3:26 pm

    Looks fun to try. Good idea 😀
    Juliana RW recently posted…YogaMy Profile

    Reply
  6. Ladera Mom says

    March 27, 2013 at 4:46 pm

    Wonderful idea! Easter is about new life, and spring- so this fits perfectly!
    Ladera Mom recently posted…I’m here! But I’m leaving…My Profile

    Reply
  7. Dawn Kropp says

    March 27, 2013 at 8:18 pm

    What a terrific idea that can become a tradition! Thanks for sharing…
    Dawn Kropp recently posted…Introducing CafePressMy Profile

    Reply
  8. Anna at Mama Writes says

    March 28, 2013 at 2:14 pm

    Great idea! It also looks like a lot of fun
    Anna at Mama Writes recently posted…Thursday’s Link List: Mom arrested, handmade bath productsMy Profile

    Reply

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