25 Clever Easter Basket Alternatives That Are Functional and Fun
An edible candy basket? Yes, please!
Some family Easter traditions are nonnegotiable, like attending church services, hosting an egg hunt, or eating your weight in chocolate bunnies. But as for the vessel that holds all those eggs, Easter gifts, and candy, now that's a different story. This year, if a traditional wicker Easter basket or even a personalized Easter basket isn't calling your name, why not try a non-basket idea instead? We're talking about creative Easter basket alternatives that will captivate your kids—until they get wind of the hidden Peeps stash, of course!
We're sharing a few of our all-time favorite alternative Easter basket ideas—and there's truly something for everyone here. If you're looking for a special gift for a teen boy, we've got you covered with a delightful football helmet "basket" idea that'll immediately put a smile on his face. Meanwhile, at-home cooks will delight in the mixing bowl "basket" on our list (how fun is that?). Fill it with some cute gifts for bakers, throw in some colorful sprinkles, and prepare to make their day. Trust us: These zany, newfangled Easter baskets will quickly become a new family tradition.
Edible Candy Basket
You can have your basket and eat it too! This edible candy basket is made with a balloon mold, which is covered in melted chocolate and hardened to create the "basket." Stick your favorite candies on the outside and inside of the basket for exponential sugary fun!
Get the tutorial at The Craft Patch.
Paper Cup Woven Basket
What if we told you all you need is a simple paper cup to make this adorable woven basket? With a few cuts and some yarn, you can weave your way into a tiny, personalized basket that the kiddos will enjoy making and digging into for treats!
Get the tutorial at One Little Project.
Rainbow Basket
Embrace the many rainbows to come this spring and summer with a felt rainbow basket that the kids can use for Easter egg hunts and beyond. All you need to make this basket are a few sheets of colorful felt, a hot glue gun, and scissors!
Get the tutorial at Lovely Indeed.
Milk Carton Treat Boxes
This adorable Easter treat box doubles as a fun craft to do with your kids—and it makes a super cute decoration for any Easter tablescape! The milk carton is so easy to make: simply cut the 2D carton shape out of the included printable and fold it to make a 3D carton! Then, decorate it with fun shapes and decorative paper flowers.
Get the tutorial at The Crafting Nook.
Dollar Store Twine Carrots
Carrots aren't just for cake; they actually make a pretty cute base for a basket (at least when they're made of twine)! This tutorial calls for twine carrots from the Dollar Store, which are hot glued to a metal clip cup or basket, depending on what size you want the basket to be. Wired jute cord serves as the handle, and the whole thing is finished off with an adorable twine bow!
Get the tutorial at The Crazy Craft Lady.
Play Wagon
Long after their Easter treats are gone, kids will still have tons of fun towing their playthings around in this little wagon. It's a great toy for indoors or outside!
Get the tutorial at Fun Squared.
Balloons
Fill a balloon with a few treats, blow it up, and decorate it for the most unique Easter "basket!" Little ones will love popping the balloon to find fun treats and surprises inside.
Get the tutorial at The Gunny Sack.
Edible Peeps
Make Easter 2023 sweeter than ever by creating an edible basket using boxes of Peeps or other candy. A decorative ribbon and headband handle will help bring this cute idea to life.
Get the tutorial at Hip2Save.
Beach Towel and Pool Noodle
Create an Easter basket shape using a beach towel and pool noodle. Summer is right around the corner, after all!
Get the tutorial at Down Home Inspiration.
No-Sew Rope Basket
This Easter basket alternative can be used all year round as a cute storage option for little toys, treats, or other items. Best of all, it's easy to create with cotton piping, craft paint, and a hot glue gun.
Get the tutorial at Alice & Lois.
Beach Bucket
A cute bucket is a gift in and of itself! It'll offer hours of fun play in the bathtub, the sandbox, or on the beach. And if you can't find an Easter-themed bucket like this one, you can always add a few holiday stickers to make it more festive.
Get the tutorial at The Resourceful Mama.
Wreath
This basket alternative doubles as holiday décor. Of course, the tasty treats attached probably won't last long but the Easter grass will look festive all on its own!
Get the tutorial at Fun Squared.
House Basket
Is it a dollhouse, a basket, or a clutch? Why not all three?! There are so many fun ways to play with this Easter basket alternative long after the holiday has passed.
Get the tutorial at Studio DIY.
Paper Basket
It may not last for years and years, but paper Easter baskets will certainly bring a ton of joy to your kids when you first make them! This particularly tutorial contains a free printable, which makes it even easier to craft the baskets.
Get the tutorial at Alice & Lois.
Makeup Bag
How fabulous is this? For the older set—preteens, teens, and grown-ups—a makeup bag Easter basket is an excellent option. Fill it with candies, socks, nail polish, makeup, and more.
Get the tutorial at Fun Squared.
Hat
If you're looking to delight a tween or teen boy, look no further than this hat idea. Simply flip a baseball cap upside-down and fill it with snacks, small toys, and other fun goodies, then watch their faces light up when they see it!
Get the tutorial at The Resourceful Mama.
Mixing Bowl
A melamine batter bowl makes for the perfect vessel for any baking-obsessed recipients on your Easter gift list. Fill it up with measuring spoons, cupcake liners, sprinkles, and other fun, baking-related finds.
Get the tutorial at A Night Owl.
Toy Truck
Don't limit the fun to the stuff inside the basket. Why not make the basket a toy, too? A truck like this one is the perfect size for all sorts of typical Easter presents, and it's just plain adorable to boot.
Get the tutorial at Making the World Cuter.
Candy Box
Make a basket out of candy, and we can pretty much guarantee that your kids will be beaming come Easter morning. Flat, rectangular or square boxes work best for this idea.
Get the tutorial at The Krazy Coupon Lady.
Football Helmet
A football helmet makes for a wonderful Easter basket for both grown-ups and littles. Once they've explored the gifts inside (and devoured the snacks, too!), they can wear it for the rest of the day—or display it proudly in their room!
Get the tutorial at Fun Squared.
Tierney McAfee is a freelance writer and Country Living and The Pioneer Woman contributor who covers entertainment, holiday & entertaining, food & drinks, design ideas, DIY, and more.
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