5 Easy Easter Basket Ideas for Lazy Moms to Promote Preschool Literacy

Lauren Barrett

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Are you looking for Easter basket ideas other than stuffing it full of candy? 

Alternatives to Easter baskets are not always easy to find. The aisles are often covered in Easter candy and plastic eggs. 

Or you find elaborate Easter basket ideas all over Pinterest which look as if you need a home economics, marketing, and photography degree to pull off how nice these baskets look. 

And while I’m not against candy and pretty pictures that look good on Instagram (seriously, no hate, I’m impressed with moms who this is their thing), I’m a Lazy Mom who will probably wait until the last minute to throw something together.

I want easy ideas.

Since I’m a teacher who always wants to promote literacy for preschoolers, I’m probably going to add a book (along with some candy). 

Then, I thought why don’t I add an easy literacy activity to go into the Easter basket to promote preschool literacy even more. 

So viola, I have 5 easy Easter basket ideas for lazy moms to promote preschool literacy. 

Lauren Barrett Writes is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read more about these links in my disclosure policy.

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5 Easy Easter Basket Ideas for Lazy Moms to Promote Preschool Literacy

#1 Pete the Cat Easter Basket

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Pete the Cat is a fan favorite in our household. We love his vibe. 

“It’s all good.” 

Pete the Cat wouldn’t care about intricate, picture-perfect Easter baskets. He would like simple, feel-good Easter basket ideas and probably one of his books to go with it. 

So what can you add besides candy? 

1. One of Pete the Cat’s many books. My suggestion isPete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes 
2. Pete the Cat stuffed animal
3. 1-2 pairs of cheap white shoes
4. Water color paint

What can you do to promote literacy with your preschool child?

1. Read the book. 
2. Role play with Pete the Cat. 
3. Put different color paint on paper plates and have your child recreate Pete’s walk in his white shoes. 
4. Rinse and repeat

Will you preschooler cry over your lazy mom attempt to fill an Easter basket? 

Goodness no. They will just keep on playing. 

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#2 Little Blue Truck Easter Basket 

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Beep, Beep, Beep. Easter’s here. What can you fill your kid’s basket with that will bring them cheer? 

Little Blue Truck, course. Another favorite in our house. 

What are some easy alternatives to fill your preschooler’s Easter basket? 

1. Little Blue Truck's Springtime book
2. Plastic farm animals or a farm puzzle
3. Little blue trucks

What can you do to promote literacy with your preschool child?

1. Read the book. 
2. After reading the book, step outside into Little Blue Truck's world and recreate the drive he went on in the story. 
3. Have your little one hop into his own mode of transportation: the stroller, Cozy Coupe, Power Wheels, or a tricycle.
4. Or do make-believe with his own little blue truck. 
5. Along the way, Blue sees Sheep, Duck, Goat, Cow, Pig, Bunny, and Hen. You, too, will place stuffed animals or plastic toys of these animals throughout your yard or neighborhood. 
6. As you go on your stroll, stop to collect the animals and talk about what sounds they make. Have them hop into your car with you. 
7. Use this guide to check off what you have seen. 

Now you are in luck. Your kid will love his basket with Little Blue Truck. 

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#3 Henry’s Hiccups Easter Basket

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Give your child the gift of communication this Easter season by doing a Henry’s Hiccups Easter basket. 

​Henry loves school until he encounters a problem. He can’t get rid of his hiccups. 

He tries a number of ways to get rid of them, but no matter what he does, his hiccups keep getting in the way of correctly answering the teacher’s questions. 

That is until he discovers a new way of answering questions without speaking – sign language.

What are some of the best ideas for an Easter basket to promote literacy? 

1. A copy of Henry’s Hiccups
2. These cute, inclusive dolls representing some of the characters in the book.
3. A sign language resource guide
4. Sign language posters if you’re feeling extra

What can you do to promote literacy with your preschool child?

1. Read the story. 
2. Download this discussion guide for question prompts about the story.
3. Download these coloring sheets.
4. Watch the story in sign language. 
5. Get some language lesson plans. 
6. Teach your child some sign language!

Your little preschooler’s communication will be blooming in no time with this Easter basket idea. 

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#4 Pout, Pout Fish Easter Basket

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Deep in your basket
Where candy hangs out
Will now be a fantastic, funny treat
Your kids can read all about. 

Spice up your preschooler’s Easter basket with this easy idea. 
The Pout, Pout Fish. 

Kids love his gloominess and rhyming ways. And the book makes a great way to promote literacy.

What are some of the easiest ideas for an Easter basket to promote literacy? 

1. A copy of Pout, Pout Fish
2. Kinetic sand
3. Water beads
4. Bubbles
5. Plastic sea creatures
6. Sand toys

What can you do to promote literacy with your preschool child?

1. Read the story. 
2. Create an under the water sensory bin. 
3. Use a wet paintbrush to write words from the story. 

Your little one will be doing anything but pouting after she gets this Easter basket. 

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#5 Piggie and Gerald Easter Basket

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Piggie! Gerald! 

What better idea for an easy Easter basket than no other than a Piggie and Gerald themed book. 

Their books are so simple, yet they are so rich in literacy. 

That’s why they are beloved by all preschoolers. 

What are some of the ways to fill this Easter basket to promote literacy? 

1. A copy or collection of Piggie and Gerald books. 
2. Piggie and Gerald puppets

What can you do to promote literacy with your preschool child?

1. Read some of Piggie and Gerald's stories.
2. Piggie and Gerald books are all about dialogue, so have a puppet show with your preschooler! 
3. Teach your kids about different emotions, problem-solving, and hard situations with role-playing. 

Don’t forget the Pigeon with this basket! 

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That’s a wrap. 

With these fun and easy Easter basket ideas, your preschoolers will have a blast reading and exploring new ways to engage with books. 

You, my lazy mom, will sit back and enjoy the fact that you didn’t spend hours and money crafting the perfect basket only for it to be destroyed in less than 5 seconds on Easter morning. 

And your little one’s teeth and your wallet will take you later at the next trip to the dentist! 

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Lauren Barrett is a mult-ipassionate mom working to help all parents become their best selves and build positive relationships with their kids through mindful parenting. She has a degree in deaf education and a Master’s in Reading Education. She is a high school teacher of the Deaf and hard-of-hearing by day, a cross country coach by the afternoon, a writer/author by her son's nap times, and a full time mom to an amazing toddler. Lauren is a 2x author of the Add One-A-Day 30 Day Challenge and children's book, Henry's Hiccups, a blogger at Lauren Barrett Writes, and has been published on sites like A Fine Parent, Pregnant Chicken, Pop Sugar, Her View From Home, and Scary Mommy.  She loves her faith, running, visiting MLB stadiums with her husband, chocolate, scrapbooking, pretending she would actually do well on the Amazing Race, re-watching The Office, listening to Bobby Bones, and helping out all moms. She lives in North Carolina with her husband, James, and son, Henry. Follow her on Instagram and get her free parenting checklists. 

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