There are two gifts we’ve done in recent years that really work. (And, of course, you could always let your kid choose a child to sponsor through Compassion; that would be a smokin’ gift.)
The first thing we do is take the kids to our local Deseret Industries (like Salvation Army) and let them each choose one toy. The soft toys go in the washing machine, and the hard toys in the dishwasher. Then we wrap ‘em and surprise the kids on birthdays/Christmas/Saturday. They love the toys, and when they’ve tired of them in two weeks, it’s not devastating for anyone.
The other thing we do is let them choose a lesson, class, sport, or interest to pursue for a year or a month. Sally picks dance class every time, and Susan likes swimming. This kills about seven stones with one bird.
1) We want them to participate in enriching activities, but they can be expensive, so if they can count as a gift, Mom’s happy.
2) We want them to not be over-scheduled or over-pressured, so so far they only do one activity at a time. When I was a kid my parents chose my “have-to” activity (usually piano, ugh) and as long as I did my best at that, they paid for my “fun” activity (gymnastics, basketball, etc). We’ll probably do that when the girls are older than seven, but for now one at a time is enough.
And 3) I think it’s good for the kids to appreciate these activites and not take them for granted. Having them associated with a special occasion or milestone makes them more significant, and not just something we do as a matter of course.
I’m always looking for cheap meaningful and double-duty gifts. What works for you?
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I like the idea of experiences as gifts. Classes are a great idea!
Every year we like to pick one play place or other fun place where we can buy a family membership. We’ve done the city zoo, museums, etc. in the past.
nikis last blog post..WFMW…Toys Worth Buying Edition
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Yep, letting them do one class or activity at a time is a life saver — YOURS! And they can truly enjoy that one thing, rather than feeling rushed and pulled into umpteen directions.
Kims last blog post..WFMW – Fischertechnik
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Great tips!! TFS
Tonyas last blog post..~WFMW–Christmas Gifts Worth Buying–IPODs~
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Niki — Yes, we’ve done that one too. It’s great because it ensures you spend more time together doing fun things. There’s an awesome indoor swimming pool that we’re considering this year (would be fun in the long winter!).
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The activities/classes as a gift is a wonderful idea. Love it.
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I definitely like the idea of experiental gifts!
Lindss last blog post..WFMW: Toys Worth Buying
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Really great idea! Thanks for sharing! LOVE IT!
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