The Complete Guide to Children Gift Ideas
Children love presents. They won’t say no to a new toy. In fact, the simple pleasure of unwrapping a gift is something we take with us into adulthood. However, how do you make sure you’ve got the best children gift ideas for your little one?
Buying children gifts is difficult. The little ones might be delighted with their new toy for precisely 30 minutes and then leave it and never touch it again.
So, before you decide on what to give them, stop for a few seconds and ask yourself the essential questions.
How to Pick the Best Children Gift Ideas
1. What do I want to communicate with this gift?
Gifts are not only things. They can also send out a message and trigger strong emotions.
For special occasions, like Christmas or birthday parties, you can use the 4 gift rule to make sure your children receive something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read.
However, you don’t need a special occasion to buy your children gifts.
How about you give your child a meaningful present for no reason, or just to reward them for a good deed they’ve done recently?
It will surely make a much bigger impression on them, and you can take the time to teach them about gratitude and appreciation.
Moreover, don’t treat siblings as a whole. Even if they’re twins, they have different personalities and might like other things. So, don’t buy them the same things. Show them that you understand they are different and make each one of them feel special in their own skin.
2. Does my child want these gifts, or is it just me who wants them?
Most of the time, we buy the gifts that we like. It’s normal, yes. However, you should always ask yourself – “Does my little one really want this?”.
If you can’t simply ask, you need to gather hints about what they love doing, how they spend most of their time, and what will make them happy while also teaching them essential life lessons.
For example, if you see your children tend to steal your make-up products, you can buy them a full-on make-up case for children with hypoallergenic, water-based products that they can safely use.
Happy Child With Miss Nella Non Toxic Nail Polish
Gifts should bring them a pleasant surprise and trigger their curiosity. Do not force your children to play with certain “educational toys” if they don’t feel like it.
3. What can I buy to add to one of their favourite sets?
If your little one loves to play with Legos or trains, you can buy them a new item for their collection.
If they’re interested in nail polish, make-up and love dress-up parties, you can get them a new nail polish, blush or lip balm.
4. How can my gift help them develop their talents?
It’s essential to observe your child’s natural inclinations from a young age and encourage them to develop their talents. Support their creativity and imagination without being too pushy.
You can do this by purchasing different educational toys that they can use for fun. For example, if you’ve seen your little girl take an interest in fashion, you can get her a special fashion book with lots of stickers, stencils and colouring pages that she can use to discover and create new designs.
You should always balance what your child likes with what your child is good at. It’s true; it’s a very fine line, but you can surely find a way.
5. Is there a story related to this present?
A children’s gift with a story is a double gift. You can tell your child how you came to buy them that present, what it represents, and what they can learn from it.
It’s better than “this is for you” or “I got you something”. Don’t stop there. Try to weave a narrative thread around that gift. Try to make your child understand the message of your gift.
6. What can I buy that it’s for both of us?
Think about children's gifts that you can both use to spend quality time together. For example, you can buy your little girl a bundle of peel-off nail polishes and spend time together trying on the different shades, chatting about fashion and beauty routines.
Presents that require your participation are the best way to bond with your children and make memories that will last a lifetime.
7. Is this gift appropriate for my child’s age?
Make sure you buy your children gifts that they can use and master. Usually, children’s gifts come with an age recommendation. However, you should also pay close attention to your child’s development. Not all children grow up as fast and go through the main development stages at the same pace.
So, the children’s gifts should be age-appropriate for YOUR child.
What to avoid when choosing your children’s gifts
Choosing your children’s gift is a balancing act. The presents should be age-appropriate and related to their interest. They should be fun but also educational. They should be educational, but not too much work. So, it’s quite a lot to take in.
We’ve talked about the questions you should ask yourself. Now, let’s see some suggestions of what to avoid when buying your children gifts.
1. Do not turn gifts into actual work for your child
It’s ok to buy things that will strengthen their skills, but don’t overdo it. Don’t make your child feel like he is actually working instead of playing.
Remember that play is work for the little ones. Children can learn a lot from their apparently innocent, fun games. Even colouring, designing stickers or doing their nails can increase their imagination, their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Don’t underestimate the power of pretend play.
2. Don’t use gifts as negotiating assets
It’s good to reward your children when they do the chores of their own accord. However, don’t condition them: “If you do this, then Santa will bring you that toy you want”.
You want your children to be responsible and do things because they want to, not just to get a reward for it.
3. Do not wait until the last minute
Start thinking about gifts early. Do you have an upcoming birthday party? Start making plans. Think about the birthday present and small presents for the other kids and so on.
Starting early will give you enough time to really research and think it all through.
4. Don’t get too many and too much of everything
Of course, you should have a budget limit to start with and respect that. Focus on what your children prefer, what they’re good at doing and what might benefit them from an educational standpoint.
You can classify the toys into a few categories. For example:
- Building toys
- Kitchen toys
- Art and make-up for kids
- Puzzles
- Stuffed toys
- Board Games
- Dolls and dolls furniture
- Trains
- Cars & Trucks
- Bath Accessories and Toys
- Tools
Then you go more into detail in each category and see what your child might prefer.
5. Don’t buy if they’re not safe
The gifts you buy for your children should be safe for them. So, don’t buy without the guarantee that the product is safe and intended for the child’s use.
For example, make-up for children should be toxic-free, hypoallergenic, without any chemicals, mostly water-based. No compromises!
In the end, gifts are signs of affection and love. They should carry emotional meaning or come with a small story. When it comes to the best children's gift ideas, we think we’ve covered pretty much everything there is. Just take it slowly, think it through, and buy your little ones the things they like and need the most.
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