10 Last-Minute Easter Basket Filler Ideas

I love holidays - especially now that I have kids - but I tend to prepare for them later than I probably should. In fact, I just remembered yesterday that Easter is this Sunday. Oops. Never fear though, fellow last-minute bunnies. I have compiled a list of fun Easter basket fillers you can easily grab at a local store, via Amazon Prime (my go-to), or even around your house that will make your little ones' basket as full of joy as if you'd planned way ahead.

1. Eco-Friendly Easter Grass I remember finding pieces of plastic Easter grass under the sofa in, like, October as a child. I also cringe at the thought of how much of that stuff sits in landfills. You can get biodegradable or recycled paper Easter grass at Target, on Amazon Prime, or at most local shops, or if you have a paper shredder, make it yourself. If you're really running behind, crumbled tissue paper looks really pretty too.

2. Books This is another item you can grab last minute almost anywhere (even grocery stores have kids' books these days). I like to use spring-themed books. This one is a current favorite around here.

3. Movies If you don't have time to order a DVD or BlueRay, or to run to the store to grab one, buy one for immediate download (like I did for Coco and will also be doing for Ferdinand), print out a picture of the movie, and put that in the basket.

4. Bunny Ears I got the set you see Essley wearing in the photo above at Target last year, but they're available in all sorts of shops this time of year. Or if it's the night before and you have a headband and some cardstock and tape, you can easily make your own. (Runner up: a bunny stuffed animal. Also very easy to find in stores right now.)

5. Stickers This is another item you can find almost anywhere. We loved these reusable Easter stickers.

6. Fruit I always throw an apple or banana in my kids' Easter baskets, depending on what we have on hand. And surprisingly, despite the candy that accompanies it, they love it. And you can't get any easier.

7. Sunglasses I love gifts that are easy and practical! You can find sunglasses in most stores this time of year because the spring lines have just launched. I just got this adorable pair of cat eye sunnies for Essley at Target.

8. Money My kids love the idea of saving money in their piggy banks, and when they get a dollar, they are beyond stoked. I usually roll up a dollar bill and tie it with ribbon for their baskets. Easiest gift ever.

9. Easter Candy Duh. There are only a few times a year my kids get to sugar binge, and there really isn't an easier last minute gift to grab.

10. The Basket! Okay, so this isn't a filler idea, but it is necessary, so I'm including it. It's really easy to get creative with this even if you're really behind. When I was a kid, my parents always used unusable objects for Easter baskets that we could reuse. My favorite (that I still have and now use for my mail) was a vintage hat box with bears dancing on it. You probably have baskets or containers you're not using at home that would work well. Or some of my favorite places to buy Easter baskets are Personal Creations (as seen in image above), Target, and Pottery Barn Kids.

If you have any other great ideas for easy, last-minute Easter basket goodies, I'd love to hear them!