When it comes to shopping for kids, the gift ideas come fast and furious. What is No. 1, can’t live without one day, can turn into a disappointed face come Christmas morning as it is no longer on the list.
Every year there are hot new toys that cause people to wait in long lines or pay exorbitant amounts on the secondary market due to their popularity, only for the kids to play with them for a couple weeks before discarding them in the toy bin – never to be heard from again. That’s not the case with every toy that captures the attention of kids with flashy commercials and YouTube reveal videos, but as the father of a five year old, it happens a lot.
So instead of fighting the crowds in search of that “must have” toy, why not take a different route this year.
I don’t know about your kiddos, grandkids, nieces or nephews, but my daughter Sophie loves a good craft project. Put some markers and paper, a pair of scissors and some glue in front of her and the results are likely better than what I’d come up with.
It’s not that my younger daughter, Penelope, doesn’t enjoying grabbing a crayon or two as well, but at 18 months old, the attention span isn’t quite there.
When people ask what to get our oldest, the typical response is that she has enough toys. Sure, we know as much as the next parent that kids love to get toys as presents, but in the long run, the creativity-inspiring stuff has a longer shelf life.
Like most kids, Sophie isn’t exactly gentle with her coloring equipment. Crayons get broken (mostly Penelope), caps get left off markers and tips on colored pencils don’t stay sharp for very long.
As a new kindergartner, she is loving art class, working on her letters all the time and making all kinds of cool stuff in her afterschool program. And it’s definitely shown in an uptick with her creativity at home.
So why not use Christmas as a way to start fresh. I’m talking a new box of crayons, fresh set of markers – and not just the small one with just the traditional colors – and all the craft supplies (glue stick, stickers, pipe cleaners) she will need.
It might be one of those gifts that gets tossed aside on Christmas morning in favor of the toys that she does get, but I will bet you down the road they will be sought after time and time again. And don’t forget to wrap up a coloring book or two.
For those in the Monadnock Region, there’s a hidden gem of a store in L&M Create It Crafts in Peterborough. While it’s technically a Main Street address, it’s tucked away in the alley that leads to the community parking lot by the movie theater.
The ground level store began as purely arts and crafts, but over time expanded into a lot of kids toys. But if you’re looking for a Tickle-Me-Elmo or Matchbox Cars, this isn’t the place.
It has all the above mentioned markers, crayons and stickers, but really specializes in Melissa and Doug toys, which any parent knows has an important educational component to it. There was a miniature loom where your kids could learn how to weave and who knows, maybe it could be the start of a lifetime hobby. You can get a quilt kit as well.
The shelves gave a number of other ideas that could be good for the kiddos and their creativity. How about a wooden box for trinkets and a set of paints to make it their very own?
Do the kids you’re buying for enjoy science? What about a kit that allows them to build a tabletop robot or a potato clock?
Do they have an eye for design? There are endless possibilities when it comes to making bracelets for themselves or friends.
And you can’t forget about the littler ones. Puzzles with animals, numbers and letters help with fine motor skills and gets them understanding how to recognize similar things. Both my kids loved the latches box which comes with all kinds of locks and latches that will keep them entertained for hours.
Books are also one of those gifts that keep on giving.
Don’t get me wrong, I like giving toys too. But you have to assume Santa will bring them plenty of those, so this is just a way to give them a variety, while fostering their creativity at the same time.