Special thanks to Kohl’s for being awesome, and also for providing a gift card to faciliate the purchase of the beach Easter basket products. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Easter is one month from today, so let me get a quick pulse read on you: Are you feeling excited about the prospect of spending a bunch of money on tons of (quickly devoured) candy, plastic eggs that will break, fake grass that will be strewn all over your house for you to clean up over the next several weeks and a plush bunny or duck that will be played with for 20 minutes before interest expires?
I know…I paint a sad picture about putting together Easter baskets, don’t I? And maybe I’m being just a touch harsh, but don’t tell me there’s not some truth in what I said. I know it because I’ve lived it for years, nows!
But this year, inspiration struck, courtesy of the fact that all I can think about is our upcoming summer vacation. I know…I’m a little ahead of schedule on my daydreaming. But it’s where I’m at, friends. And thanks to the fact that I have vacation on the brain, I realized that I could use the gift-giving occasion of Easter to purchase some of the items my kids would need for summer vacation. These are things I was already planning on buying, but now they become special gifts and help build the anticipation.
And so, I present to you, beach Easter basket ideas!
Now I know that not everyone who reads this already has their summer plans booked, but if you think a beach trip might be on the horizon for you, here are some fun components to put together to make a great beach Easter basket.
1. The “basket” is critical
The Easter basket, itself, doesn’t have to be an afterthought. In this case, it can be a critical part of the gift, itself. I found these AMAZING beach totes that are kid-size and have bright, appealing sea creatures on them.
The girls can easily do their Easter egg hunting while carrying these bags (yes, I’ll even add in some of that dreaded plastic grass…). It will be fun to switch things up a bit and have an extra fun basket. And of course, these totes will be just perfect at the beach, and my girls will each enjoy having their own bags for their towels, shoes, snacks, etc. Also, don’t you LOVE the idea of an Easter basket being useful for more than 1 day each year? 🙂
2. Go for color with a bright beach towel
Kohl’s has a super impressive selection of beach towels, ranging from licensed characters to fun beachy scenes.
I opted for the reversible towels because they have such fun, bright colors that will look great on Easter morning and that the girls will love using at the beach, and later on at the pool here in town. And I happen to remember thinking anything that was reversible was AWESOME when I was a kid, too. That was back in the day when reversible shirts were a thing. So was Hypercolor. But I digress…
3. Encourage exploration
This might just be my favorite find of all (yes, this is at Kohl’s!).
What child doesn’t want to get up close and personal with some sea life? Sanibel Island, where we are going to vacation this year, is absolutely BURSTING with creatures that will fit in this bucket (crabs, sand dollars, clams, sea slugs, etc.). I predict this toy will be in near costant use every single day.
4. Get some GOOD sand toys
Now’s your chance to get something a little more interesting than the cheap sand pail and shovel sets you can find at most big box stores.
I was particularly drawn to this set from B. Toys (one of my very favorite toy brands) because it truly seemed created with the imagination of children in mind. I love that there’s a tea pot, for example. This allows a child to be able to pour water with more precision, and it also allows for some impromptu beach restaurant or tea party time. I also love the sand smoother. the bucket also feels much more sturdy than what you might expect from a sand pail.
5. Missing any necessities? Grab them now!
In addition to all these fun funds, I spent a bit of time thinking about if there were any true needs, and I realized that the girls’ sandals from last year weren’t going to fit this year, and also that one child lacked a pair of goggles.
It was no surprise to me that Kohl’s had super cute flip flops at affordable prices. I opted for 2 different patterns so that the girls could quickly identify their shoes without any confusion or fuss.
I was, admittedly, surprised to find goggles at Kohl’s, but they had them, and from a brand I trust, as well! I was so pleased to be able to add that in to my cart before using my 30% off coupon I was offered for using my Kohl’s charge. I also used a $20 Kohl’s cash coupon I had on hand, which made the entire haul cost around $84! Can you believe that?! This, my friends, is one of the reasons I ADORE Kohl’s and love to shop with them as often as possible.
Kohl’s may not be the first place you think of when it comes to beach-related items, or even when it comes to filling an Easter basket, but have a look around in the stores and on the website. I think you’ll be very pleasantly surprised with what you can find!