Make your own Easter basket

The Easter Bunny is on his way and needs a special place for all of the goodies. Homemade Easter basket crafts are a fun alternative to the store-bought variety. These inexpensive and creative basket crafts are ideal for preschool and elementary school kids.

It takes just a short time to create each basket, so your little ones won't get bored or frustrated. These inexpensive Easter basket projects are perfect for little hands and short attention spans.

This basket is fun to make and weaving the paper builds fine motor skills too.

What you'll need:

• strawberry basket with handle
• construction paper
• scissors
• tape
• ribbon

What you'll do:

1. Cut the construction paper into strips as wide as the basket holes.
2. Weave the paper in and out of the holes, securing one piece to the next with tape.
3. Add a ribbon or bow to the top of the handle, and your basket is finished.

Perhaps the most reminiscent basket of childhood is the construction paper basket. All you need are two complementary colors of paper along with some patient cutting, weaving and stapling.

What you'll need:

• construction paper
• scissors
• stapler

What you'll do:

1. Cut the construction paper into 1-inch strips. Make the cuts as consistent as possible.
2. Lay 10 strips of one color side by side on a flat surface.
3. Use 10 strips of the other color to weave under and over the first set of strips, leaving 1 inch unwoven on each of four sides.
4. Now you have a flat checked mat.
5. Gather together the end strips of one side and staple. Repeat for the remaining three sides.
6. Staple another strip of paper to form a handle between two opposite sides, and a strip of the other color to join the remaining sides.
7. With one final strip, create a paper bow and staple to the top of the two handles to secure them.

Soda comes in clear, green and even yellow 2-liter plastic bottles. They're not very recyclable, so why not find another use for them? This project involves some cutting and hot glue, so adult supervision is recommended.

What you'll need:

• 2-liter plastic bottle
• utility knife
• one long pipe cleaner
• hot glue gun
• scissors
• craft foam, ribbons and beads

What you'll do:

1. With the utility knife, cut the bottle in half and add two slits opposite each other where you will affix the handles.
2. Insert each end of the pipe cleaner into one of the slits , bend them up and secure them with glue.
3. Use ribbon to cover and decorate the top edge of the basket . Add a smaller piece of the ribbon to the pipe cleaner as a bow.
4. Decorate the basket with craft foam , beads or other embellishments.
5. Fill with Easter grass and you have a cute basket that's perfect for little treats and tiny hands.

These inexpensive baskets are great for parties, too. Make some in advance and fill them with tiny, tasty treats. Better yet, let your little guests make their own!

Image credit: Amy Vowles

Next up: Create a milk jug Easter bunny basket

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This craft has been popular among school kids for decades. Maybe the one you made is still in your parents' attic! And as a bonus, you're recycling an empty container.

What you'll need:

• 1-gallon milk jug
• scissors
• white cotton balls
• glue
• pink felt
• black pipe cleaners cut in half
• large wiggly eyes or black buttons for eyes

What you'll do:

1. Cut the top of the jug off to create the opening at the top of the basket.
2. Glue cotton balls all over the outside of the jug.
3. Cut long bunny ears out of pink felt and glue cotton balls around the edges of the felt. Adhere the ears onto the jug.
4. Cut out and glue on an upside-down triangle made of pink felt for the nose.
5. Add three pipe cleaners to each side of the nose for whiskers.
6. Glue on wiggly eyes .
7. Add Easter grass and treats!
8. Kids can carry the basket by using the jug handle.

Make this basket one week before Easter, and you'll be rewarded with living Easter grass!

What you'll need:

• half-gallon cardboard milk or juice carton, cut in half
• acrylic paint
• poster board
• brad fasteners
• potting soil
• rye grass seed
• water
• large freezer bag

What you'll do:

1. Paint the outside of the carton as desired.
2. Make a handle with poster board and attach with brads.
3. Add potting soil until the basket is about three-quarters full.
4. Sprinkle plenty of grass seed over the soil and water.
5. Place the basket into the baggie and place on a sunny window sill.
6. Keep the soil moist, but don't drench it.
7. When the grass begins to sprout , remove the basket from the baggie, add treats and enjoy. After Easter, plant the grass outdoors.

This simple project requires no sharp tools or hot glue so it's ideal for the youngest crafters.

What you'll need:

• plastic sandbox pail
• sandpaper
• craft foam shapes

What you'll do:

1. Lightly sand the pail with sandpaper, then wipe away the dust.
2. Apply peel-and-stick foam eggs, chicks, bunnies and flowers.
3. Add goody-filled plastic eggs and some Easter grass, and you're all set!

More about Easter

Best books about Easter for kids
Easter party games for kids
Candy-free Easter basket alternatives