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Brilliant Baskets
Fun and Easy Alternatives to Candy By Jacqueline Rupp
Inexpensive DVDs can be found everywhere these days. Give some classic cartoons or comedies on a TV tray with some fun snacks. Amelia Cabral of Taunton, Mass., gives her granddaughter the gift of family time after she needed to find an alternative to candy. "My granddaughter gets totally wired on the least bit of sugar, so the Easter Bunny leaves a basketful of fun things including gift certificates to the movies with me and popcorn for movie night," she says.
Beyond the Traditional Basket
After you've gotten creative with your treats, why not get inventive with your presentation. Try using buckets, unique looking plastic containers, a watering can, flowerpots, a beach bag or lunch tote. The great thing about these treat holders is that they can also be great gifts and won't be going into storage to wait until next year. Free Fillers
Download and print out an astronomical Sky Calendar. These monthly maps chart the stars and planets, including must-see celestial events, so kids can easily find and identify significant astronomical bodies. You can also print outdoor field guide checklists, such as a birding list. Once the lists are laminated, kids can carry them in their backpacks when they go to the park, and check off birds they have identified. Bake sugar cookies and decorate them with a springtime theme, and then personalize by writing the child's name in icing. Finish off by wrap in sandwich bags with a pretty bow or colored plastic wrap. Cut kitchen sponges into simple shapes like moons, stars or animals to make stampers. The ideas are endless. Happy basket-filling! 
