From Christmas to birthdays, adults are hard-pressed throughout the year to find the perfect gifts for their (grand)kids.
We all know how hard it can be to find that perfect gift.
But with a little pre-planning we can turn an otherwise difficult task into a breeze.
We’ve put together a list of 5 gift ideas that your kids or grandkids will love. Whether you’re concerned about buying another toy they will eventually grow out of or just throw away, we’ve got you covered.
Got any more? Let us know in the comments below.
S.T.E.M Toys
Image Source: Scary Mommy
One of the greatest things you can do as a parent is give your kids the sorts of toys that will help their brains form.
“Edutainment” toys are all the rage these days with thinking toys cleverly disguised as mindless fun.
Where parents and grandparents once feared spoiling their kids by buying them piles of regular toys throughout the year, for their birthday, holidays and any other special occasion, S.T.E.M toys, - which stands for “Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics”, is one gift that won’t stop giving anytime soon.
Despite their name, they are not as academic as they sound.
Like Legos, STEM toys provide kids with brain games to keep their mental activity high while they’re out of school; engaging them through fun task such as building, while secretly them the basics of things like computer programming.
There are several STEM toys on the market, but there are also quite a few that stand out from the crowd, like Algobrix, Newméro Bricks
& SmartLab’s Smart Circuit.
The best thing about STEM toys is that, unlike the Barbies and cars of the past, these are tailor-made for both boys and girls. So we can start inspiring the next generation of young kids that they can be computer engineers too!
Board Games
The classics are always the best.
Board games are both great for kids, parents, or grandparents, because they create quality bonding time for everyone.
Scrabble is one classic board game that everybody loves.
It’s one of those strategy word games that you and your kids will enjoy so much, you won’t even realize you’re exercising your thinking muscles by playing it. You’ll be too busy challenging each other to another round.
In addition to Scrabble, there are several other board games that are great for kids; Clue, Big Boggle, Crazy Letters, Upwords (Like Scrabble, but you can stack the words on top of one another), etc.
Arts & Craft Kits
At every age our kids are rapidly learning. So it is best to search for gifts that will aid in their development.
This can include various gifts such as craft supplies (Here’s a list of the 9 best craft kits of 2019 for kids), books and games.
These things that will assist in developing dexterity, writing skills and even reading skills.
Interactive Toys
Image Source: Make a Mom Smile
Before your kid gets their first pet, it’s great to instill in them care for other things through playtime.
Fingerlings, a sensor-controlled, finger-sized interactive pet toy in the shape of various animals, are a great way to get kids invested in taking care of others; especially animals or other kids smaller than themselves. They are essentially this generation’s Furbies.
For instance there is small blue monkey fingerling that would be an excellent gift option for grandchildren who are 5 years old and above.
The fingerlings are placed on the child’s finger and respond to touch, sound and motion.
They are ‘aware’ when they are being petted or talked to. They will even react through blinking of their eyes, making certain noises (appropriate to their animal type) or turning the heads. They might even blow kisses.
Kids will really enjoy getting to know their small friend and discovering the various ways they can interact with them.
Most parents say these pets are incredible and keep children entertained for many hours.
Different styles of fingerlings have various personalities and may surprisingly interact with one another if the kids have many fingerlings. Giving the fingerlings to your kids will certainly make them consider you as the coolest grandparent.
Sequence for Kids (Board Game)
Purchasing gifts for kids between the ages of 5 and 8 years old is fun because they are among the most creative age-bracket, and are no longer as limited by age-restricted toys, as are younger kids.
You can consider giving them various items such as games, art supplies or sports equipment that will assist them in learning about electronics and science; perhaps finding new interest if they haven’t already.
Sequence for Kids is a highly rated board game and is a perfect choice for children between the age of 5 and 8 years old.
The game requires 2 to 4 people and has a folding board, playing chips that are multi colored.
Instead of utilizing the traditional cards that are used in playing normal games, the kids’ version has beautiful animal images on all the cards.
The object of this game is to put down the card on your hand and place one chip on corresponding position on top of the playing board. The individual who gets 4 chips consecutively ahead of the others is considered the winner.
This game is simple enough for young children to play and as the kids get older, they learn more strategies like blocking the other players in the game.
As parents, we should choose toys that will bring joy not only to our kids, or grandkids, but will also allow us to spend more time together. Toys should allow us to bond, as we spend quality time with them and watch them grow, learn and enjoy the little moments every day.
Quality should always be a factor over price or even trendiness.
We often think of toys as something that should be mindless; something that should not take much time to figure out. However, while the toys should be enjoyable and indeed, some of them can be pure fun, they can also be useful; Practical in application but ultimately recreational for everyone.
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