Easter Baskets for ALL the kids!

I love the idea behind these baskets!  I teach in a Title 1 District, most are on free or reduced lunches, so not everyone can afford the luxury of an Easter basket.  So, to make sure everyone contributes and feels a part of what we're doing, we ask for empty gallon milk jugs.  Starting a week or two before our Easter party at school I send out a letter asking for milk jugs. I even specify the KIND of jug that I need for this project.  Some milk jugs have a circle on the side that is inset into the jug (Looks like you could set a soda bottle into the inset..THAT kind of inset!!  OK, not a WHOLE soda can, but you could put a handful of coins in the inset!).  I do NOT want that kind of jug.  I want the nice smooth sides.  YES, it makes that big of a difference!  Some have an ever so slight inset, and those are acceptable.

Thankfully, there will be some kids who bring in several jugs.  This is nice because you WILL have those who will bring in the ones with the deep inset. The inset will show in the FRONT of the basket and is RIGHT beside where the eyes go..and just doesn't look good. OK, enough with the insets!! HA

Rinse out the jugs and let them air dry.  I use scissors to cut along the ridge of the jug around the backside where the handle is and then around about half way up the front of the jug (as shown).  Nothing scientific.. completely eye-balled.

Hot glue large googly-eyes near the top edge in front. Hot glue ANY color fuzzy pom-pom beneath the eyes.  I've made them in all colors, glittery or plain.  The big ones look perfect with the big eyes.  Bend a colored pipe cleaner in half for whiskers and hot glue them on either side of the fuzzy nose.  Next, just use a large black Sharpie to draw on the mouth.

The ears are made from poster board.  They are about as tall as the jug is in height.  A long pointed oval shape.  Pointy on one end and a rectangular on the other end. You can either outline them with black marker and color in the pink insides OR use pipe cleaners to make the outline.  Again, use hot glue to attach the pipe cleaners.  Put hot glue on the colored side of the ear and attach to the BACK outside of the jug.

We added a pop of color to all our baskets using pink or blue netting/tulle.

The kids loved their baskets and yes, you CAN get a LOT of goodies inside the baskets!

For this project, the only thing I allowed the kids to do was paint the ears.  I was not comfortable with them being around a glue gun.  But they got to choose their nose and whiskers.  After this, they had to wait for the big unveiling, which was the morning of the Easter party.  Lots of excited faces when they saw the baskets that were made just for them.

Is there something special that you do for your Easter party?