A Guide To Picking Gifts For Children By Age

Finding the right kid’s gifts can be difficult at the best of times. We want to make sure they get something that is exciting for them, but at the same time, allows them to be both stimulated and creative. This is tough. Then, when you factor in the rate at which children change and progress, knowing exactly what to buy starts to get really tricky.

That’s why I’ve put together a simple list of ideas for what you can get children at different ages. It’s not an exact science, but it’s a start.

Gifts For Children Aged 1

Finding great ideas for a first birthday gift can be really difficult. At that age children are still so limited in what they can do. However, things like buildings blocks or abacus sets can give them a sense of how the world is structured and ordered. Another good gift idea is push along toys (like a push along monkey) or basic and colourful puzzles. You could also think about getting things that might make life a little easier for mum and dad. How about a little polo tee shirt or little baby swimming costume? What about a set of bibs with a pretty pattern?

Gifts For Children Aged 2

Once children are two years old, so much has changed. Thanks to their ever-growing dexterity they’re more able to enjoy arts and craft type gifts. Things like magnetic dough, chalkboards and drawing sets can have enormous appeal. At age two, most children have also developed a keen interest in other people. They may want a doll or the things they need to have make-believe social occasions, like a teddy bear’s tea party.

Gifts For Children Aged 3 – 5

It’s at about this age that children begin to develop their own particular interests and finally begin to feel as if they can master skills. If they have an interest in stars and planets, a good gift might be a big astronomy book with lots of bright pictures of the solar system. They might also be interested in crafts. In which case, a full on drawing set might be appropriate, with all sorts of different coloured pencils and paper.

Gifts For Children Aged 6 – 9

By the time children are aged 6 to 9, their needs become a little more complex as they develop into fully fledged individuals. But there are some timeless classics that are sure to delight and help children to learn.

In the past giving a child a chemistry set was seen as both educational and fun. And I don’t think this has changed today. Children love watching how weird the natural world can be and how different it is to their normal day to day lives. Plus, by allowing them to use a chemistry set, children will get an appreciation of what is safe and what is not. Knowing where boundaries lie is an important part of growing up and being able to explore the world. When children are able to manage their own risks, they tend to become more responsible and more capable.

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