Toys. I can wax long and eloquent on my feelings about toys. Four kids and 24 years worth of experience have taught me that toys can charm, seduce and placate a child. They can also accumulate in closets like breeding gerbils. Oh, kids are greedy for them. Plead and demand and beg for them, but I have found that after the first flush of acquisition fades, all that remains is a largely ignored, multiplying inventory.
I feel differently about gifts not considered toys. Musical instruments. Sports equipment. Art supplies. These are valuable gifts. They last longer and hold a child’s interest well past the holidays. Non-toys tend to invite active participation. They stretch the imagination, and cultivate interests and hobbies. And that’s the key: recognize your child’s interests, and use them as a guide to selecting your non-toy gift. Every child has a passion that makes her heart beat faster, that pricks his attention and asks for time. Develop it with a gift you won’t find in a toy store.
Our List of Favorite Non-Toys
>>>a small backpack for outdoor adventures.
>>>binoculars
>>>a large artist’s canvas and paints
>>>walkie-talkie
>>>ant farm
>>>glow in the dark stars for the bedroom ceiling
>>>measuring tape (an any-age gift that even you can borrow sometimes)
>>>bug study kit
>>>musical instrument (consider African thumb pianos, harmonicas, drum sticks, recorders, tambourines, and ukuleles
>>>tackle box (fill with fishing supplies or beads and string)
>>>rock polisher (turn those found lucky rocks into treasures)
>>>disposable camera or an instant Polaroid camera
>>>bird feeder or a birdhouse kit
>>>sleeping bag
>>>balls: soccer, basketball, playground, baseball, or football
>>>laminated illustrated identification cards for birds, fish, wildlife, seashells, or animal tracks (the appropriate card is a good gift accompanied with the binoculars or bird feeder)
>>>stopwatch
>>>small metal locking box with a small lock and key to hold treasures
>>>small radio
>>> a wind up alarm clock
>>>bicycle pump
>>>inner tube (great as sleds in the winter and floats on water in the summer)
>>>calligraphy set
>>>child sized garden tools
>>>cookbook for children accompanied with cookie cutters
>>>world on a stand
>>>coonskin or cowboy hat, or beret for the artist type
>>>large padlock and key (great for eye/hand coordination for toddlers)
>>>first aid kit
>>>umbrella
>>>ID bracelet or necklace
>>>fishing pole
>>>bath supplies (including special soap, bubble bath, shaving cream (it floats!), sponges, shampoo, and a big fluffy towel
>>>lengths of 1/2-inch PVC pipe and a combination of joints (T’s, 3 way and 2 way). Your child can put the pieces together and create giant structures. This is a wonderful gift with unlimited options. Available at hardware stores.
>>>snowshoes
>>>small overnight suitcase
>>>stories on cassette tape
>>>sled
>>>watch
>>>beanbag chair (this was one of our children’s favorite gifts from Grammy)
>>>bathrobe and slippers
>>>ice skates
>>>roller blades
>>>small tent
>>>alphabet stamps and an inkpad
>>>scrapbook or photo album
>>>a string of Christmas lights
>>>pocketknife
>>>sewing basket
>>>artist’s easel
>>>camouflage clothing (available at an army/navy surplus store)
>>>a good project book for kids along with the materials to do several projects
>>>snow paint: plastic spray bottles filled with water and 1 teaspoon food coloring. Spray the snow into rainbows!
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Posted by: Adidas Running Shoes | July 02, 2012 at 02:33 AM