Last updated on September 30th, 2021 at 10:19 am
You are buried under the toys! Are you dreading the onslaught of more toys coming into the house after loved ones buy your kids even more this holiday season (or for their birthday)? What is a parent to do?
There are some changes you can make, and request your extended family to make. Here are some guidelines to help keep the toy clutter down and make gifts more meaningful.
Changes parents can make:
Donate: For every new toy your child gets, consider donating an old toy to a child in need. One mom says “We leave a sack of old toys out for “Santa” to pick up and give to other kids as their new toys arrive.” (Good Read: Teaching Your Children the Gift of Giving)
Don’t Open All Gifts: We know kids can be just as excited for a cardboard water heater box to play in as a gift bought and wrapped from Toy’s R Us. So if you have an abundance of gifts this season, why not try stretching the excitement by leaving some unopened gifts for a rainy day. (Good Read: Extending the Life of Your Holiday Gift)
Rotate Toys: This is a good practice to make sure your children and home are not overwhelmed. You can store some toys in boxes and rotate them in and out every few months. This way an old toy will seem new again. (Good Read: How I Trained My Twins Not to Trash Their Play Area)
Changes Others Can Make:
Maybe you want to give something more than a mere toy that will only be used for a short time and then forgotten. Or maybe as a parent you wish make some alternative suggestions curb the toy overload. Know your family before making a request of toys not to be given or limited; such requests may be met with resentment from some. If this happens do not force the issue; let them have joy in choosing a present for your children. There are worse issues than having too many toys; just be happy that your children are loved by many.
Other relatives may embrace giving other types of gifts besides toys, they may even ask for recommendations. Here are some ideas that you may recommend that can be opened, enjoyed and provide experiences.
Experiences
Kids love to try new things and make new memories. A membership to a local zoo, children’s museum, aquarium or amusement park can provide entertainment year round. Or one time outings like bowling or even tickets to see a Broadway show like Lion King (Amazing!) would create happy memories. These are things that will help them have meaningful experiences with their family. Why not make a date to take the child on one of these outings with you? What would be better than a one on one outing with their favorite Aunt?
Classes also make great gifts as well, from art, gymnastics, karate, ballet and more. Know the interest of the child and talk to their parents first.
Contributing to Their Future
If you are gifting for a really young child/baby or want to limit how much “stuff” you give, open up or add to a savings account; this will be a long lasting gift. When they are ready to buy a car or graduate high school and move off to college, they will thank you for contributing to their future.
Books
Books are always a great gift! For small children it will create a bonding experience while a loved one reads to them and be educational. For older children it’s important to know their interests. Do they like Star Wars or Super Heroes? Purchase books with themes they like. Don’t forget about books that teach them about their favorite hobby like Lego building or beading or introduce a new hobby like origami. (There are even Star Wars origami books, no kidding!) For teenagers that enjoy reading, try to introduce them to a book or series that you enjoyed when you were their age, but make sure that it is not too far from their core interests.
Small Toys
Play dough, Drawing paper, markers, pencils and other crafts. These items are small, can be opened and provide an experience. These items need to be replenished time and time again so they can never have too much of such items.
No matter the “present” situation, make sure to enjoy your time as a family and appreciate everyone in your circle of loved ones.
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