Easter is my son’s favorite holiday. Of course, he loves the candy (a tradition I couldn’t quite give up) but he also loves the thrill of the hunt. We try to hit at least two or three egg hunts every year, choosing ones that are a bit more difficult than picking eggs up in a field. “The Easter Bunny” sets up a very tricky egg hunt in our house, often camouflaging the eggs or putting them in hard to reach places. And although these hunts are challenging, what is more challenging is finding natural, non-toxic treats and gifts to fill the eggs and baskets.
THE EASTER BASKET
I purchased beautiful handmade baskets when my son was born, and we reuse these every year. If I could go back and do it again, I would prefer to make my own basket. There are tons of tutorials on places like Pinterest for making baskets. I particularly like these sisal woven baskets from Martha Stewart. You can also upcycle a grocery bag and make a surprisingly lovely basket. I love this simple fabric basket. This felt Easter basket from Purl Bee is really sweet. If DIY is not your thing, Etsy has a tremendous selection of handmade baskets.
EASTER GIFTS
Every year, I try to make something special for each of my children. Things like blackberry-dyed play silks . . .
Another great option to fill the Easter basket are non-toxic art supplies.
EASTER TREATS
And then there is Easter candy. I grew up receiving huge baskets full of Peeps and Hershey chocolate bunnies. Now I know how full of artificial junk these treats are. Even worse, much of our Easter candy has disgusting ingredients such as anal secretions from beavers or the dried secretions of a beetle.
Jennifer from Growing a Green Family put together a great list of organic and fair-trade Easter treats.
EASTER EGGS
I personally reuse plastic eggs that I collected from a local egg hunt. But if you prefer a plastic-free approach, you can just hide real eggs or pieces of candy. My parents hid jelly beans around the house (although I might think twice about this after reading about beetle butt juice). Another fun idea is to create a scavenger or treasure hunt with a treat at the end. I love these 20 ideas for eco-friendly Easter eggs from Crafting a Green World or these DIY watercolor wooden eggs.
EASTER FUN
When the candy buzz wears off, I try to get the kids engaged in a low-key activity. One fun option is this spring sensory tray with rainbow rice:
For more Easter tips, see my post on how to put together an eco-friendly Easter basket.
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