Holiday Gifts

The countdown has begun!  Wish-lists are being made and the spirit of giving is in the air.  While this time of year can be overwhelming, selecting holiday gifts for children can be lots of fun.  From toys to books and beyond, there are many useful resources to inform your holiday shopping before you leave the house or purchase online.

Toys & Games

Toys and games that are well-constructed and provide enough challenge and fun for years of use should be the key criteria of your search.  We all have experienced those toys that either cannot be put together properly or fall apart/break after the first day.  Likewise, there are games that have been played once or twice, only to be abandoned.  Listed below are some organizations that provide valuable research and recommendations/awards for high-quality toys and games:

• Parents Choice Foundation (www.parents-choice.org)
• Oppenheim Toy Portfolio (www.toyportfolio.com)
• Dr. Toy (www.drtoy.com)
• National Parenting Center (www.tnpc.com)

In addition, many parenting and family magazines offer their own guidelines and selections for toys and games, so check your favorite publication.  Catalogues such as MindWare, Constructive Playthings, Young Explorers, and Back to Basics Toys sell a wide variety of award-winning, creative, and educational toys for all ages.  Many European toy makers manufacture well-made, eco-friendly, enduring toys; check selections from Haba, Ravensburger, Schylling, and Selecta (to name a few).  Nova Natural Toys/Crafts (www.novanatural.com) and Moolka (www.moolka.com) are just two of the catalogues/sites that offer European and non-plastic toys, games, and crafts.

Children love to create, imagine, and imitate.  Toys and games that foster these instincts will always be at the center of your child’s playtime.  This is why you can never go wrong with blocks, paints, crayons, markers, paper of all sizes and purposes, puzzles, modeling clay, and creative play figures.  And babies love anything soft and safe to chew on: stackables, things that go, manipulatives that make noise (not battery-operated noise), etc.  Remember, however, if you are buying toys that require batteries – don’t forget the batteries!  It may be a good idea to invest in a charger and different-sized rechargeable batteries.

Books

Always a great gift, a book can be read over and over, often passed down to younger children and future generations.  It is wonderful to experience your favorite books from childhood with your own children!  If you are looking for current literature, the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) – a division of the American Library Association (ALA) – can provide lists of award-winning books (www.ala.org).  It oversees some of the most prestigious awards for children’s literature, including The Caldecott Medal (picture books) and The Newbery Medal (children’s literature).  A recent addition to their award category is The Geisel Award, named for Theodor Geisel/Dr. Seuss, which goes to the most distinguished American book for beginning readers (Pre-K to 2^nd Grade). 

Of course, often the best book recommendations come from family members or friends.  You can generally trust someone who says, “My child loves this book so much that it is in tatters!”  And your local book sellers will have someone on staff who can give excellent recommendations for children’s literature.

Music

Have you ever met a child who didn’t like music?  There is nothing more joyful than a room full of children singing and dancing – their spirits just shine!  Musical instruments, CDs (or the media of your choice), and even special dancing clothes (girls seem to love those tutu’s!) make wonderful gifts.

Think Local

Sometimes the “big box” stores won’t offer quite what you are looking for, but there may be other options in town.  Check out smaller children’s shops and gift/craft stores for locally-made and hand-selected items.  For unique gifts, you may be surprised to find the gift shops of your local museums and art galleries offer just what you are looking for.  It might be fun to spend the day exploring a museum with your children and get in a little holiday shopping at the end!

Think Global

There are ways to involve your children in gift-giving that will have a positive impact on the world at large.  For example, the World Wildlife Federation (WWF) offers the opportunity to “adopt” an animal from anywhere in the world.  Funds will be used to support the work the federation does around the world and, depending on the size of your donation, various gifts will be sent to thank you. 

World Vision offers the opportunity to purchase livestock, medicine, clothes, books, clean water, and food for needy communities around the world, including the United States.  You can send for a catalogue or go to www.worldvisiongifts.org to read more about how this works and to peruse the possible gift selections.  Teaching our children to think beyond the typical holiday scenario might be a wonderful gift in itself!

Enjoy the season and the hunt for the perfect gift!

All the best to you and your family,

The NannyPro Team