Holiday Gift Ideas for The Kids
“The best “toy” you can provide a child is the open space to play, explore, do, and grow. The second best “toy” is a spot to rest, relax, read, and reflect.” – from Cindy’s Porch
 We just finished wrapping up a shoebox filled with treasures for a third world child. My kids choose the gifts that went inside. Along with a new toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, a colorful facecloth, notebooks, pencils, pencil sharpener, eraser, paints, ruler, and chalk, they also choose two small stuffed teddy bears, a small china tea set, jacks, a sparkly rubber ball, hair clips, and marbles. We talked about how thrilled this child would be to receive this very special gift and how important it was to share with those who are less fortunate (the typical "we should help others" conversation a parent has with their kids). But during the entire process, I couldn't help but wonder how many children in our countries would be as thrilled to know that the only gift they would receive this year was a shoebox filled with personal care products, school supplies, and a few dollar store trinkets... Anyways...
For this section, we tried to put together Holiday Gift Ideas for children that focus on DOing instead of accumulating. Enjoy! And thanks to those who sent in gift ideas for kids. They are wonderful! - Cindy
Infants
It is so easy to BUY gifts for infants. Those teeny outfits are so cute, the stuffed animals are adorable, and the selection of plastic baby toys is endless. The problem is, all this stuff is disposable. I shudder when I think of all the cute 3-month baby outfits that I received as gifts and that my children never wore. YIKES! Let’s look at a few gift ideas for infants that focus on DO instead of BUY, that last a little longer, and that won’t break the bank!
- A gift certificate for the mom and dad to go to a movie or out for dinner. Include an offer to baby sit as well. “Huh? I thought this was supposed to be a BABY gift!” Let’s face it, a baby does not appreciate all the piles of gifts that are sitting around a tree. Mom and dad are going to enjoy the couple hours of adult time a whole lot more than baby is going to enjoy yet another frilly dress, pint-sized tuxedo, or Santa suit.
- Baby safety gear. This is the gift we always give to new parents. We take a flannel receiving blanket and use it to wrap up electrical outlet covers, cupboard door locks, a bathtub spout cover, a baby thermometer, a shopping cart seatbelt strap, a children’s first aid book, and whatever other safety gear catches my eye when I am shopping.
- The book: “Feed Me! I'm Yours” by Vicky Lansky. This book saved our family a fortune in jarred baby food (I think I only bought about 10 jars during all our baby and toddler years – and that was for when we went camping). I already owned a food processor (that had been sitting on the counter gathering dust) and this book finally put the food processor to work. We followed her advice and froze the baby food in ice cube trays so that we could just pull out the food we needed for each meal. I will admit though, I only used the cooking instructions for the “Baby Foods” and the “Finger Foods.” I didn’t like the recipes for the “toddler foods,” but by then I had enough confidence in cooking for my toddler (using what we were having for supper) that I didn’t need special recipes.
- The next size up of diapers: It doesn’t matter whether the parents are using cloth or disposable diapers, baby is eventually going to need the next size up. There is nothing wrong with calling the parents and asking them what size they will need next.
 A high chair: the guys I worked with bought me a high chair when our first child was born. This was a gift I used everyday for many years. Talk to the parents, if their baby was just born, they may not have purchased a high chair yet. If they need one, go together with a few families to split the cost of the purchase.
- Bath toys: OK, if you are bound and determined to buy a baby a new toy, I would suggest plastic bath toys. Our “fleet” of rubber ducks, toy boats, and floating people were a favorite for many years. Plus, if mom is having trouble getting the little one into the tub, a few creative bath toys may just be the incentive that baby/toddler needs to hop in. Skip the toys that attach to the tub wall with suction cups – they never worked like the picture said they would. They kept falling off the wall.
- A college fund account: “WHAT! For a baby?” Yup, this is probably one of the best gifts you can give to a new baby. I remember talking to my girl friend in high school about how we were going to afford going to university. She said that her grandparents had already paid for her college tuition. I was puzzled because both her grandparents had passed away several years before that. Apparently, they had set up a college fund when she was born. Every year for birthdays and holidays, they added money to the college fund. And with each addition to the college fund, the grandmother wrote a card or letter expressing how proud they were of their granddaughter and how important she was to them. Having her tuition taken care of was the gift. The letters were the treasure.
Baby Gift Ideas To Avoid – They Are a Waste
- Stuffed animals: I speak from experience! Please, no more stuffed animals. I have finally reduced our “zoo-jungle” to just a few favorites. It took years! They collect dust, they take up space, no one plays with them except the dog who likes to pluck the stuffing out of them, and they are sooooo hard to get rid of. There is nothing sadder than a long line of stuffed animals waiting to be sold at a garage sale. They are worth nothing and eventually they find their way to the dump. Leave the stuffed animals in the stores (no matter how cute, soft, and cuddly they are LOL). Chances are, kids already have one or two that they already love. There is not point in adding more stuffed clutter to their rooms.
- Baby clothes (especially 3 month and 6 month sizes): I am embarrassed to admit that we had baby clothes that our kids never wore. They were either too small, or they were too big. And then, by the time our kids grew into them, it was the wrong season to wear them. If you insist on buying baby clothes, consider purchasing sleepers or pajamas (in either 12 month, 18 month, or 24 month sizes), sweatpants, t-shirts (that don’t have snaps or buttons in the back), or a gift certificate from a baby store so mom or dad can choose what they want. When my first kid was born, I came upon a garage sale where the mom was selling all her baby, toddler, and pre-school aged children’s clothing. I bought EIGHT boxes of kid clothes for $15.00. For many years, all I really had to buy for my kids were socks and underwear. The additional clothing gifts we received just didn’t get used.
- Baby toys: YIKES! I can’t believe the number of new baby toys that are on the market since our children were that age. So much plastic. And so many of them run on batteries. Why would a baby need a toy that has batteries (even if they are safely installed and protected)? I would recommend gift givers stay away from baby-fad toys. Look for toys that are simple and encourage the baby/toddler to play, stretch, move, touch, and feel. They stick everything into their mouths, so make sure it is safe. Again, I bought most of our baby and toddler toys from garage sales (including the toys that ended up as gifts). Since most of them were plastic, I ran them through the dishwasher (on the top rack) and they came out like new. OK – a couple shriveled up – they went into the trash. I just couldn’t justify spending $30.00 on a new Little Tykes ™ truck when I could buy the same one at garage sale for $2.00 (or less). The only difference between the two was the packaging that went into the trash. And the $28.00 I was able to keep in my bank account.
Preschoolers
Welcome to the world of pink and blue! Dolls, trucks, more stuffed animals, games, plastic stuff, and more plastic stuff. A toy store is a preschooler’s dream come true. It also a parent’s (and ultimately a preschooler’s) nightmare. Every new toy that comes into a home needs to find a place to sit. This might be in the kid’s bedroom, the playroom, the family room, the living room, the basement, the garage, or any other place that it gets dropped, kicked, or simply forgotten about. It is so sad to hear a kid surrounded by piles of toys say “I have nothing to do.” There’s that word again – DO!
Some ideas for Preschoolers that focus on DO:
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 A craft pack: this is my favorite gift to give to preschoolers. It usually includes a cheap vinyl tablecloth (for the messes), washable markers, a roll of white or kraft paper, colored construction paper, kid scissors, clear tape, and a glue stick (depending on the age of the child). Sometimes I add also pack of feathers, stickers, googly-eyes, pom-poms, Popsicle sticks, colored straws, and other crafty goodies. The whole works gets wrapped up into a small plastic container so it stays together. When my kids were preschoolers, I had a stash of this stuff ready to go. When I heard “I have nothing to DO” the craft bucket would get hauled out of the closet and set up on the kitchen table and the kids would be busy for the next hour.
- Building Blocks: my kids spent hours playing with Duplo blocks (they didn’t like the larger Mega blocks). This is a toy that I still keep around the house for when guests bring their little ones along.
- Plastic Dinosaurs: these are so simple. You don’t need to buy the expensive dinosaurs that come individually. Look the for pack that has a set of small and medium sized dinosaurs. Not only did my kids play with these for hours, the neighbor kids also had sets and they would all get together and create dino-land. Again, this is a toy that I am keep around the house for visitors.
- Wooden toy train: Ours came from a garage sale. For $15.00 I was able to purchase a name-brand 100 piece wooden toy train and track set. This train transported dinosaurs all over the house LOL!
- A bike helmet for toddlers: toddlers are going to discover their first bike, their first scooter, and later on, roller blades. Trust me, when they get going, they can move fast LOL! A good helmet can be used for all these activities.
School-aged Children
 Have you ever noticed how quickly a child in school grows? This is even more evident right after you find out that those back-to-school runners you purchased in September are now too small! YIKES! Not only do school-aged children grow physically, they are also busy growing intellectually and emotionally. This is a time of discovery. They are discovering new subjects, new reading material, new sports activities, new hobbies, new interests, and new friends. This is also the time when it can be very hard to figure out what to purchase for a child that they will enjoy for more than a couple hours, weeks, or months.
Here's a hint, think about those words children use when they are bored, "There is nothing to DO." Focus on gift ideas that DO (and that take time to DO). Good luck! And once again, thanks to all the readers that sent in their ideas. Wow!
- Reading: Normally, I am a big fan of using libraries whenever possible. But if you have a child that could use a little incentive to read, a gift certificate from a bookstore may help him or her find a book that they will enjoy. One of my most special childhood books was given to me by my grandmother. The book itself was not so special. It was the note that she wrote on the inside cover that I treasure.
- Bedtime Stories: Younger children (including preschoolers) love bedtime stores. If you are a far-away grandparent, aunt or uncle, or even a parent that occasionally has to travel, record a few favorite bedtime stores on cassette. Then wrap up the book and the cassette as a holiday gift. The child will love hearing the voice of a loved one reading their favorite stories.
- I love this idea from a member: "My sister always gets my son a subscription to a monthly children's magazine that has riddles, stores, facts, crafts, and games. My mom also picks up fun "workbooks" such as dot-to-dot, mazes, etc. and then mails him one page every few weeks with a note just for him." I know my children always check the mailbox to see if there is anything for them!
- Sports equipment: I am a big fan of activities that help our children move. I'm not talking about the expensive sports such as hockey teams or dance lessons, but those activities a child can do with siblings, friends, the neighborhood kids, or even their own parents. Some of these activities include: street hockey, tennis, biking, roller blading, swimming, soccer, baseball, basketball, badminton, track and field, golfing, and my mind is going dead here, I can't think of any more LOL! But you know what your kids enjoy... In our home, I either use garage sales, sports consignment shops, and in-store sales to purchase the major sports equipment (skates, bikes, roller blades, skis, golf clubs, tennis racquets, etc.). You would be amazed at how much you can save when you buy used! Smaller gift ideas to support their sports activities include: tennis balls, badminton birdies, golf balls, bike helmets, bike horn or bell, bike basket, hockey stick, soccer ball, basketball, volley ball, shin pads, elbow pads, water bottles, sports bag, etc. And if you are really stumped, you can always purchase a gift certificate from their favorite sports store so they can choose their own gift.
- Here's another idea from one of our members: "My neice is getting a gift voucher for a one-day trail ride with a company near her home. We know she will love it." Other ideas include swimming lessons, a couple golf lessons, a voucher from the local rock climbing place, snorkeling lessons, dance lessons (perhaps even ballroom dancing? My husband is really groaning now - he remembers our attempts at ballroom dancing - hilarious!), tennis lessons, etc. Look in the yellow pages and see what is available in the area.
- Hobbies: School aged children discover new hobbies every year. Sometimes they are collecting things, sometimes they are building things, and sometimes they are practicing things. An older child who loves to craft will enjoy discovering how wonderful "real" watercolor paints and acrylics are to work with. Find out from the parents what their children's current hobbies are. Some ideas to support various hobbies include: new sheet music for their favorite instrument, a bag of stamps and a magnifying glass for the stamp collector, scrap booking supplies, crafting supplies, watercolors (and watercolor paper), acrylics (and acrylic paper), a high-end paint brush, crafting kids, model car kits, or even a reference book that supports their hobby.
- Crafting Night: These ideas came in from a couple of readers: set up a craft night with your grandchildren. Bring all the supplies and take the time to teach them something new. Another idea is to purchase knitting needles and wool. Then plan the valuable gift of time to teach the kids how to knit or crochet. This is a skill that will last a lifetime.
- Another crafting idea from one of our readers in Florida: Hi Cindy! I have a lot of nieces and nephews ranging in age from 4 to 14 that I'm planning on buying white T-shirts (in the appropriate size for each kid) and a box of fabric paints. That's it! They'll get to paint whatever they want on their T-shirts. The littler ones could do their hand prints and then when they outgrow the T-shirt, stuff it and sew it up into a pillow.
- This Gift Keeps on Giving! From one of our readers... When my son was younger, I gave him paper bags, yarn, felt, trims, etc to make puppets out of. Just a big box of "stuff" with a note saying that a puppet making session was planned for him and me the following week. We built a stage from a cardboard box on a table with
a cloth to hide behind first and then let our creative natures take over. Boy did we have fun! He used foil
on a bag to make a knight in shining armor...something I would have never thought of. We made princess and
princes, kings and queens, and animals of all kinds. Afterwards we took turns putting on puppet shows for
each other. It was one of our most favorite Saturday afternoons ever.
My son loved puppets and puppet making so much that he stayed with it and as a teenager/young adult he went
"professional" and made money entertaining at children's birthday parties. To this day(he is now 28
years old)he says that this was his most favorite Christmas gift ever. He still "plays" with puppets as
time permits entertaining children in hospitals. Talking about a gift that just keeps giving:)
- Cooking: The best time to teach your children to cook is when they are in school. I believe it is one of the skills that any child (male or female) must have before he or she leaves the home. All of our children are learning to cook (and they are getting good at it as well LOL!). Some ideas to get them motivated... a new recipe book (our favorite beginner's cookbook is "The Everything Kids Cookbook" by Sandra K. Nissenberg), a child-sized apron, chef's hat, and potholders (my sister-in-law made the cutest set for our kids), a mixing bowl and wooden spoon, cookie cutters and a baking sheet, the list is endless. Just remember, you don't have to get everything in one year. Spread the cooking supplies out over several years. You do not want to overwhelm them!
- Board Games: I love board games. And I am thrilled that my kids love playing them as well. Favorites in our home include Cadoo, Taboo (for Juniors), Monopoly (great introduction to finances!), chess, Rumoli (we bring this one to piano lessons to pass the time while waiting for our turns), Scrabble (my husbands hates this game LOL), Risk (my husband loves this game), Clue, Payday, Careers, and Full House (this is my old old game LOL). I would much rather see my kids gathered around a board game than gathered around a computer game.
- Science: My background is in science, so I love watching children discover "how things work." If you haven't wandered through the science part of the local toy store (or teacher's supply store), then you are in for a real treat. Look for chemistry sets, electronics sets (kids can make their own radios!), crystal growing sets, magnet sets, anatomy sets (be careful here, some of these are really cheap!), and more. Remember to check the box to ensure the kids are the right age to use the equipment. We have a microscope that has opened up a whole new world to our children.
- Clothing: My husband is groaning here. He remembers hating the new socks and underwear he received every Christmas. However, as the mom who does most of the kid clothing shopping, I have no problem using Christmas as a time to restock the kids on some of those essential clothing items. Also, we do not buy the kids clothing very often during the year, so this is a good opportunity to gift them with that special sweater or new style of jeans they have been asking for. Just remember to keep the bill in case you pick out the wrong color or size.
- Their personal space: As your child grows, their personal space is going to become more important. Do you remember how much money you spent preparing their nursery? Get ready to do it again YIKES! Fortunately, the furniture will get used a lot longer. Some ideas for the child who is interested in decorating their bedrooms include: a colorful desk lamp, a corkboard and/or white board for their wall, new curtains, a gift certificate from the local paint store, paint brushes, rollers, and drop cloths, a toolbox. "Huh? A toolbox?" Yup, two years ago we gave our oldest child a toolbox with a tape measure, high-end hammer, and a pair of safety glasses inside. There was also a note that said we were all going to build the new bedroom in the basement together. For the next eight months, my oldest child and my husband measured, got building permits, hammered, wired, dry walled, got inspected by the building inspector, painted, and decorated. The end result is a room that everyone loves, skills that will last a lifetime, and memories that will be treasured forever. Well, except for spilling the can of paint on the floor.... but that's part of the learning process LOL. This year, a second tool box with a few tools will show up under the Christmas tree. However, the note won't be about a new bedroom, it will be for a second floor addition to the rabbit hutch (I didn't know rabbits were so picky - hee hee).
- Family Activities: some great ideas for family group gifts that focus on DO include memberships to the local zoo or aquarium, bowling alley passes, swim passes, movie passes (made even more special if the gift-giver takes them), or tickets to a special upcoming concert. Another idea that came in from a reader was to put together a "Monthly Activity Book" of things that you promise to do with the kids each month (i.e. go to the swimming pool in January, Tobogganing in February, visit a museum in March, go for a nature walk in April, go to the zoo in May, help plant the garden in June, go to the beach in July, etc. This would be a wonderful gift for grandparents to give to a grandchild!
- Making Memories: time is the most valuable gift you can give any child of any age. It can be as simple as baking bread together, making ice cream, or sitting out on the front porch and talking. Enjoy your children. Let their childhood be a time of DOING and discovering. Thanks again everyone for your tips and ideas. - Cindy
Happy Holidays Everyone!
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