No matter what they look like, Easter baskets are tons of fun. But with these fun Easter basket ideas, your kids won't know what hit 'em. Here, you'll find a list of creative options for all sorts of Easter baskets, from healthier candy-free Easter baskets to teenager-appropriate baskets. You can even have fun with these ideas and do Easter baskets for the adults in the family, too. The sky's the limit.

Looking for some sweet snacks or colorful eggs to put inside that Easter basket? Check out Chocolate Easter Eggs, Easter Candy Recipes, and our Homemade Egg Dye Recipe! Now... ready to get creative with that basket? Then read on!

Or, for more ideas, check the bottom of this page for user-submitted Easter basket ideas!

Use the same basket every year. You might not guess it, but using the same Easter baskets every year will make your Easters more exciting for the kids rather than less. When they spot that basket --and of course they'll remember which ones are theirs if they always use the same!-- you'll be creating memories every time. And traditions that they'll share with their own kids one day. Maybe they'll even keep their baskets!

Get one thing. If you're the type that wants to fill that Easter basket fit to bursting, a good money-saving Easter basket idea is to... skip the basket altogether. If you give just one nicely decorated Easter present instead of a whole bunch of little toys, you'll give a gift the kids will really want-- and save money (and the environment, too) in the process.

Make your own treats. Homemade treats are tastier, less expensive, and more natural than store bought ones. And some are quite easy to make! We've got recipes here for Pick-Your-Flavor Chocolate Easter Eggs as well as several great recipes for Homemade Easter Candy.

Get sentimental. This Easter basket idea will save you money while you create a wonderful tradition for your family. If every year one of the big "presents" in your kids' Easter basket is, say, a poem from Mom and Dad, a great photo of the family, or something similar, you'll give your child a wonderful collection of memories and create an inexpensive and meaningful tradition. Tuck the poem into an Easter card, or fold it and hide it in the wrapper of a candy bar. Hide it really well and make finding the item in the basket part of the fun!

Substitute snacks. Easter's fun, but nobody claims it's the best holiday for your kids' teeth! Substitute some or all of those sugary sweets with:

• Packages of snack crackers (Goldfish are great)
• Nuts
• Yogurt or Carob-covered raisins
• Baggies of granola
• Homemade oatmeal cookies
• Animal crackers
• Chewy fruit snacks (with real fruit)
• Granola or cereal bars
• Pieces of fruit

Skip the snacks. Another good Easter basket idea for keeping your kids healthy is to skip the snacks altogether. Make the holiday focus more on gifts (check out some of the awesome Easter basket themes below) than on food. Then just add one chocolate Easter bunny to keep things traditional. The gifts will last longer and be healthier for your kids, too!

Theme Easter baskets are a ton of fun. They can be designed to suit any age or interest, making for totally personalized Easter baskets. Why pay somebody else to put together a few things your kids might like when you can do it yourself with things you know they'll like? And for cheaper, too. Try some of the following themes:

Sports. This all depends on the sport your kid loves. From baseball gear to football to ballet (yes, dance is a sport, dang it!), fill it up with accessories that will keep them happy and active. You can even toss in some healthy snacks and even a couple bottles of Gatorade to keep them going.

Garden. With a flower pot or bucket instead of a basket, fill your container with seed packets, spades, sun-hats, and everything your kid will need to be a great spring gardener.

Doll Accessories. Getting a new doll is a big deal... but so is getting new accessories for it! Either along with a new doll or on its own, fill your child's basket with doll clothes, cars, bottles, accessories, the works.

Baking. This is a really fun themed Easter basket idea you and your kids can do together. Put together all of the pantry ingredients you'll need to make a recipe or two, and give it to your little baker along with cookbook full of simple recipes. Then make some of the recipes inside together!

Crafts. Whether your child loves to string beads to make jewelry, is learning to knit, or loves paper crafts, fill up her Easter basket with everything she needs.

Summer activities. Summer is on the way! Help the kids celebrate by filling a beach bucket with summer gear, like a swimsuit, beach sandals, sunscreen, etc.

Art and coloring. The perfect Easter basket idea for your little artist. Fill his or her basket with colored pencils or crayons, coloring books (or sketch books for an older artist), finger or water paints, etc.

Beauty or dress up. This is one you can totally adjust for age. For younger girls, put everything in a fancy hat or dress-up suitcase: dress-up clothes, crowns, shoes, and little girl make-up kits. For older girls, fill a makeup container with makeup samples (get them free or buy them on the net), artificial nails, costume jewelry, manicure kits, etc. It's inexpensive, but they'll love it and it will give them hours of fun in front of the mirror.

Color themed. Is your child in love with a particular color? Making the basket and everything in it that color will really make an impression!

They may not admit it, but teenagers still love Easter. Their tastes have simply changed! Along with a bit of candy or some snacks, here are some great ideas for items for a teen's Easter basket:

• Plastic eggs with money inside (very popular!)
• CDs & DVDs
• Makeup
• Cell phone accessories
• Disposable camera (or film)
• Video games
• Movie tickets
• Books
• Magazines
• Gift certificates to restaurants, salons, or clothing stores
• Costume jewelry
• Clothes
• Sunglasses
• Printed vouchers for an hour of extra curfew, skipping cleaning the bathroom, "chauffeur" service, etc.
• Bathroom stuff (razors, lotions, etc.)

Necessities. Instead of buying one of those wicker Easter baskets from your local craft store, pick up a container that your kids really need instead. Fill up a new school backpack or sports bag, a bicycle helmet, etc., with treats, toys, and fun surprises.

Toys as containers. This Easter basket idea works really well for young children: make the container a toy all on its own. Fill a toy truck, a doll house or case, a beach bucket, etc., with all your Easter stuff. Just walk around your local toy store to get some ideas.

Fun containers. This one is easy to vary for younger kids or teenagers. Do your young children want a new lunch box, or your older daughter a make-up case? Fill one with Easter treats (and, of course, some of the appropriate accessories) for a fun and useful Easter basket idea.

Decorate together. If you spend time decorating it together, even a plain paper bag can be a wonderful container for Easter. In the days or weeks before Easter, get together with your kids and help them cut shapes (bunny ears, eggs, grass, baby chicks, etc.) out of paper, then pull out the glitter and glue and go nuts.

Go from Creative Personalized Easter Basket Ideas to our Easter Planning Main Page.