Easter is a favorite time of year full of cheer and joy for many children who eagerly await their chance to dye hard-boiled eggs and a visit from the Easter Bunny. Top that off with the coming of Spring and the Christian celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, there are many reasons to celebrate the holiday with your children and provide them with a basket of treats.

Filling an Easter Basket is an easy and fun task to do. You can fill it with toys, books, stuffed Easter Bunny’s and other stuffed animals, painted eggs and plastic eggs and of course, candy. You can buy one already filled but what would be the fun in that? Your children will likely appreciate baskets that are hand-created for them based on their personal tastes and your creative expression. And there's the added benefit of seeing their smiling faces on Easter morning or when they finally do find the hand-assembled Easter basket you hid from them. There are many different things an Easter basket can be filled with and it can depend on their ages and the gender of your child. This article will explain how to fill Easter baskets, and also help you to choose one that fits your child’s style and favorites.

Whether you are filling an Easter basket for a boy or girl or both, choose the basket you want to fill with goodies with care. The style of the Easter basket can reflect on your child’s favorite color or their own unique style. Take the time to think about what color your child loves the most. If it is a boy you are buying for, maybe try blue or green. If it is a girl you are buying for, try maybe pink or purple. Styles may also reflect your child's personality. A princess-to-be young girl may like a frilly basket with ribbons and sparkles. An outdoorsy, adventurous child may prefer a more rugged basket that can be used for outdoor collections later on. Also consider how long you plan to continue using this basket year after year, and if this basket will suit your child years from now, and hold up to some annual wear and tear.

After choosing the Easter basket, you will want to decide what filler or what color Easter grass should go in it. If choosing a colored Easter grass, choosing a color that complements your basket (instead of matching it) will make the display extra colorful. You could also go the traditional route and choose green grass to look like real grass.http://www.stretcher.com/stories/01/010402g.cfmhttp://www.busybeelifestyle.com/easter-baskets/ Or consider perhaps another filler! Traditional Easter grass isn't very eco-friendly and is hazardous to small children and pets. How about using shredded newspaper comics? Tissue paper? Cotton fluff?

Or you can even line the bottom of the basket with the bows from your child's last birthday party. Just save them after the next birthday party and then use whatever sticky is remaining on the bows to attach them to the bottom of the basket. In this way, the basket is both a keepsake and a unique colorful display.

After choosing the Easter basket and the filler material, you will then want to decide what to fill it with. Start with their ages and unique styles. For children ages 0 to 1, think about adding teething rings, rattlers, bibs, and a first stuffed bunny. You can also add a first toothbrush for your child in their favorite color or the color of your choosing to get them started on brushing their little teeth. Make sure to use age appropriate candy for small children.

For older children, fill their Easter basket with books, toys, stuffed bunnies, or other stuffed animals, crayons, coloring books, play dough, toys for their bath, and stuff to blow bubbles with. Whatever you decide to put in your young child’s Easter basket, you will have fun doing so and they will love what you fill it with.

For children who are a little older but still young enough for an Easter basket, place a first diary in their Easter basket if it is a girl. Add stickers to the diary and write the first entry in it telling her what the diary is for. For a boy, put an age appropriate movie in his Easter basket that he has been wanting to see, wiffle balls, card games, or comic books. Or you can give him a skateboard to go with his Easter basket. Older boys might be a little harder to choose what to fill their Easter baskets with but as long as you put something in it that you know he will love, you will both be happy.

Gather Your Materials:

1. Easter basket
2. Easter grass or other type of basket filler
3. Candy
4. Painted Easter eggs or plastic eggs
5. Stuffed animals
6. Toys
7. Books
8. Movies
9. Diary

Take the Easter grass and spread it evenly in the Easter basket. Add the candy you chose for your child. Next add either the painted Easter eggs or the plastic eggs. You can use both if you want. Add the stuffed bunny or other kind of stuffed animal along with the toys, books, movies and diary you chose for their Easter basket. It really doesn’t matter what you put in first after the grass and the candy. It is up to you to decide how you want to fill your child’s Easter basket. However, the grass and some candy should go in first at the bottom and then you can decide what you want to add next.

You can buy them small stuffed animals to go inside their Easter basket or you can buy them bigger ones to go separate. You can also do both if you want to. Fill your child’s Easter basket with love and have fun doing so. When they wake up on Easter morning and see how the Easter Bunny brought them a pretty Easter basket filled with goodies just for them, they will be very happy and so will you.