MY TOP TIPS FOR CHOOSING GIFTS FOR CHILDREN AT CHRISTMAS

This time of year can always feel a little crazy. While I love the Christmas season, I like to be organised and have things sorted well in advance, like gifts for my children. Not to mention we have my son’s birthday in December, so it just adds to more things that need to be organised.

So to take time to think about what gifts will work for my kids (as well as nieces and nephews) is always a bit of a drama. I mean, I want to get them something they would like, but that has some kind of developmental benefit for them too. So here are some things to think about, and that will hopefully help you, when you’re buying presents for children; I also check Small Gift Big Heart for gift ideas too.

Gifts Don’t Have to Be Toys

One thing that I think is great when buying for kids, is to give them experiences, as well as actual toys. Granted, opening a card to let them know about what is planned isn’t going to be as fun. But when they are doing whatever has been planned, it will be fantastic for them. I have a friend that gives here nieces and nephews a one-to-one day out as a gift each year. Once it was a trip to the zoo, so she gave them a soft zoo animal toy and then explained about the trip. It went down really well! These types of thing will help to create memories, much more than some toys will.

Use a Gift Finder

If you don’t have children, then I think it is even harder to buy for a little one. Before I had children I was really clueless about milestones for babies, and had no idea what was age appropriate. So using a gift finder can be really helpful. Heck, it can even be helpful when you have kids. Sometimes a point in the right direction is just what a busy parent needs. Mamas & Papas have an interactive gift finder tool on their website, which works just I have described. Input the child or baby’s age and it will give you some ideas of what might be appropriate. As much as you might like o give your little niece some shoes, at a few months old a play-mat might be a better option, for example.

Choose Toys That Work in a Variety of Ways

Toys that are a bit more open-ended are always a good idea. So think along the lines of blocks, craft things, LEGO, and sand or water play type of things. For one thing, they let you child’s imagination do its thing! The child can make up games, build things and construct. These kind of gifts can also help with their problem solving and help them to think. So when you are choosing a toy, think about how many other ways it could be used.

Do you struggle when it comes to buying gifts for little ones? I find it really hard, but making sure I don’t just buy things for the sake of it, makes a difference.

*collaborative post