Kids Gift Ideas
10 Things to Consider When Buying a Gift for Kids
Are you currently shopping for gifts for your kids? Make sure to keep these 10 things in mind while you shop!
1. Keep it fun
Remember, you’re shopping for a kid! Don’t get too serious or sentimental, that will just be lost on them. Kids enjoy fun/jokester gifts that will keep them busy.
2. Choose something they’ll be interested in for a long time
This doesn’t mean a lifetime, but you want something that will keep the child happy and entertained for more than 5 minutes. That will make them happy, and keep you happy too.
3. Remember their age
The biggest mistake you can make when shopping for a child is to get them something that is either too young or too old for them.
If it’s too young, they may get upset and be offended, and if it’s too old, they might not be able to use it. If you are shopping for very young children, choose accordingly.
If you are shopping for a tween kid, you will have to get more creative and ditch Disney themed toys.
4. Consider a bunch of small gifts
In most cases, quality beats quantity. But with kids, the excitement of having numerous presents to open outweighs the desire for one good present.
You don’t have to spend a lot of money, but rather get a couple of small things that they will enjoy opening and playing with.
5. Don’t spoil them
This might sound like a contradiction to the previous tip, but it isn’t. You can get a child multiple gifts, but that doesn’t mean you should go crazy and spend a lot of money and buy them a huge number of items.
Remember, the child will remember what you did for them in previous years, so if you go overboard you are setting up an unrealistic expectation for years to come.
6. You might like matching gifts, they probably won’t
You might enjoy getting matching sweaters with your child, but that probably isn’t what will excite them.
If you do that, make sure to at least get them one other thing you know they will love.
7. Get something you can use with your child
It is so important to engage and interact with children (whether it is your own or someone else’s). Consider a toy that involves working together and problem-solving.
The child will have fun trying to solve or build the toy, and they will also be developing crucial life skills at the same time.
8. Listen to their ideas
Kids will almost always give you ideas about what they want for their birthday or over the holidays.
If you have no idea what to get them, just listen! You don’t have to get them everything they ask for (see #5), but if there is one thing, in particular, they keep talking about, that’s a good sign it’s something they’ll really love and appreciate.
9. Consider their interests/hobbies
Does this kid play a sport after school, or are they involved in some other type of after school activity? Encourage those interests by getting them a gift that they can use either at the activity or at home to help them grow their skills.
10. Stay away from technology if you can
Technology has become such a big part of everyone’s lives, including kids. If you can, consider a present that doesn’t involve technology and screens.
Kids spend too much time on computers and smartphones as it is, try to get them away from that and doing something else.