As we try to decide which gifts to give our children there are several things to consider:
- What does the child want?
- What is age and developmentally appropriate?
- Can we afford it?
So let's address each of these questions.
What does the child want? Often television ads, movies and store displays convince children that getting that toy, game or costume will be fun and "everyone will have one".
But is this true? Most of these items are of short lived interest and with little play or educational value. They are only promoted to make money for the companies. Often these items are discarded after a short time, or they break or they are just not very interesting.
What is age and developmentally appropriate? Sometimes children ask for things that will contribute nothing to their growth or to enjoyment or to knowledge. It is important to examine the real interests of the child and try to match that information to meaningful gifts.
Can we afford it? Wonderful gifts can be inexpensive, even without monetary cost. We should not spend large amounts of money on items that will be discarded, broken or even harmful. Instead let's think about the long term value of a gift. A bicycle, skates, a big set of building blocks or trains all are expensive but provide years of fun.
Some ideas!
Gifts to grow the mind and body:
Books
Art materials: crayons, paint, paper, glue, a box of collage materials (buttons, lace, string, etc.) An easel.
Garden tools and seeds
Blocks, Legos and other building materials
A sand box and sand toys
Science experiments
Child size cooking implements, an apron and even a chef's hat
Bikes
Scooters
Skates
Child size cleaning tools (yes, children like to clean!)
Music: a cd player, cd's
Music instruments: kazoo, rhythm instruments, harmonica, a drum, a recorder
Sports equipment: basketball goal and ball, baseball glove, bat and ball, ring toss, plastic horse shoes
Board games (especially cooperative ones)
Models of animals: these are great fun in conjunction with sand, blocks and clay activities
These are all items that will be of great interest to all children, especially if the parents and other siblings are included in the activity.
Here are some resources for you to explore:
A great place for many of these items.
a web site for children's music and games
Many family friendly cooperative games...fun for all, even the adults.
A box with dress up clothes and hats: a firefighter's hat, a cowboy (or girl) hat, a chef's hat, and any interesting clothes and jewelry. Create a play! Invite the family to see it!
Hobby Lobby and Michaels and local dollar stores can be a great resource for art supplies, animal models, etc.
Have fun and help your child build a lifetime of creative play.
Please post your own ideas in the comments section of the blog!
No comments:
Post a Comment