Avery's First Easter - Shaker Eggs!

With Easter coming up, I've been hunting for ideas for Avery's first Easter basket. Since he's only 9 months old, the usual candy, socks and CD that my mom bundled up for us as kids doesn't really seem developmentally appropriate. (was I the only one to get socks and underwear every year in my Easter basket? If only that tradition carried into adulthood, I've been burning holes in too many socks around here lately... but I digress...)  

Avery is big into music and things that make noise lately, so I decided that making shakers out of plastic eggs was the way to go. I went on the hunt for the perfect plastic eggs, which turned out to be somewhat difficult. (Who knew that most plastic eggs had small holes in them?!) I finally found the perfect ones (at the grocery store, of all places) that have a colored half and a clear half - and seal tightly. This way Avery will be able to hear AND see what's making noise inside!   

I proceeded to hunt around the house for different fillers (There are SO many possibilities of what you could fill these eggs with, I just chose to use what I had lying around) I tried to find things that made a variety of different sounds.

Here's what I found:

1. Plastic buttons

2. Sugar/Salt/Sprinkles mixture (this one was sort of an experiment of things I found in my baking cupboard) Sand would work great too, but the only sand I had was brown and dusty. 

3. A single piece of potpourri I was going to use a rock, but the potpourri was lighter and still made the great 'thunk' sound I was going for.

4. White rice

5. Candy balls (Leftover from Christmas gingerbread-house-making :)

6. Jingle bells At first I had coins in one and bells in another, but decided they both made pretty much the same sound so I nixed the coins.

After filling the eggs (I tested them all to determine how much of each filler I should add to make the best sound), I hot glued the halves together and
Voila! I fun baby-safe Easter activity!
The hot glue seems to hold pretty well, I tried my best to open one after I glued it and I was unsuccessful, so I'm thinking that's a good sign. :)

I buried the eggs in a basket with a bunch of Easter grass so Avery can dig them out (another of his favorite past-times, emptying out every basket/box/bag he can find :) and filled it up with an Easter bunny Snoopy and a bottle of colored bubbles. Hopefully he enjoys it as much as I hope he does! Check back in a couple of weeks and I'll share his verdict. :)

Come to think of it, I'm almost positive the grass will be his favorite part. Oh well, at least the eggs were cheap and easy to make! (and mom sure had fun with them!)


What kinds of fun things do you remember getting in your Easter basket every year? 

What are some of your favorite baby-safe basket ideas?

*** UPDATE *** 3/2015
I just wanted to follow up for anyone just reading this post for the first time.  Almost 2 years after I made these eggs for Avery, 5 of the 6 are still intact and the glue is still holding strong! (the lost egg met its demise underneath one of my feet...)   Avery and his little brother (who will turn one next week!) rock out with these eggs several times a week (and are anything but gentle with them) and I'm impressed at how well they have held up. I hope you'll give them a try, they continue to be a big hit in our home!