Looking for new ideas of what to get your kids this holiday season? Here's my top 10 ideas.
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Tired of your kids getting tons of junk that they only play with once and then just collects dust while making your house feel more cluttered? Say no more, here's my top 10 open ended gifts that with last years, encourage creativity and are open ended which essentially means your kids will get to actually use their imagination!
#10 Wooden Pattern Blocks
The possibilities are endless with these wooden pattern blocks! The pieces are big enough that toddlers can easily manipulate them, and abundant enough that older kids can create intricate pictures!
#9 Marble Run
When I worked in after school programs, the marble run was across the board one of the favorite toys available. The best part is that there are SO many ways to adjust the track and make it different. This evokes creativity and makes it fun for longer!
#8 Water Beads
A little bit goes a long way which means these are going to last you a long time! This falls under the category of sensory play which means the texture of the beads activates and helps build nerve development to the brain, encourages scientific and problem solving skills and helps develop motor skills! A super fun, easy way to incorporate water beads into your play is by grabbing a few mixing bowls of different sizes, measuring cups and spoons, wooden spoons and a ladle and letting your kids freely explore from there! Please note that younger kids do need to be supervised while playing with water beads as they should not be digested.
Water beads are 100% biodegradable and environmentally friendly
#7 Musical Instruments
There's a difference between noise from electronic toys that just beep and sing and drive you nuts, and musical instruments that kids get to create songs with! Musical instruments promote sensory development, fine and gross motor skills, enhance hand eye coordination accelerate brain development and have so many other benefits!
One of my favorite moments with my kiddo is when he brings be an instrument to play and requests "dance with me mama!"
#6 Open Ended Craft Supplies
How frequently does your child have the opportunity to just create?! Promote art exploration by setting up an art corner and letting your kids go to town! This can be a perfect activity for your kids to explore while you're making dinner, getting some work down or enjoying quiet time during the day!
#5 Lego
This is a long time household staple. If you don't already have lego, I suggest starting with a basic kit to give your kids the opportunity to just explore and create! (have you noticed the theme of this blog? I highly promote activities that are open ended and encourage creativity).
#4 Sticker Books
My kiddo has a new found love for Sticker books! I was blown away by how captivated he has been by them (and he's the kind of kiddo that moves on from activity to activity quite quickly). Sticker books are great because they allow the kids to start practicing story telling from their own point of view! They get to be creative within the stories, its great fine motor skill practice and they're awesome to bring along when you go out for dinner or are on a road trip! ps. check out the reusable stick books too!
#3 Threading Kit
Highly entertaining, extremely beneficial, promotes fine motor skills. These threading kit is incredible for your preschool aged kids! When we chose toys like these, we help build our kiddos attention span, increase focus and coordination and offer problem solving skills! You can't go wrong with these wooden Montessori threading kits!
#2 Magna Tiles
Okay, these are pricey, but they are seriously worth every penny. This is a great gift that a few family members could go in on. The possibilities are endless with Magna Times, they stick together so well to hold various shapes, they're really easy to use meaning young kiddos can play too and they are so versatile - add in cars and you can make a road, add in people and build a house, grab the animals and create a farm, who's ready to blast off into space!? The durability of these are remarkable making them a long lasting gift that will bring joy past Christmas Day.
#1 Experiences
There's no better gift then offering an experience, 1:1 time, connection, going for a coffee date with your kiddo, or getting them a pass to the zoo or tickets to the movie, these experiences leave a massive impact on the heart of your kiddos that they will remember forever!
The holidays, birthdays and other gift giving experiences are so beautiful when we focus on the connection behind it. The kids might enjoy an art kit, but what they will love more is the moment when you sit and create along side them!
I'd love to know, what are the best gifts your child (or you) ever received? Drop it in the comments below!
Thanks for reading
xo Hailey
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