Have you noticed how fun it is to go shopping for the kids? There are always lots of colorful, awesome options on toy store shelves and stylish clothing at shopping mall racks. With all these choices at the mall, how would you choose which ones to give the kids?
Well, the best way to do that is to determine how old the child is – the occasion for gift giving will not matter much, whether it is for a birthday, christening, graduation, or simply a reward for an achievement.
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Best Gift Ideas for Newborn to 6 Months
A lot of people pick clothes as gifts because there are simply tons of cute ones to buy at the store. However, based on my experience, although clothes are very much appreciated, kids at this stage grow up too fast that the clothes you give might only be used once. After all, the parents also bought clothes for their kids.
If you really want to give clothes, why not pick one a size larger? For example, if the baby is still 3 months old, pick clothes to fit a 6-month-old kid.
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A good option for babies this small is to give them a colorful toy. Something red is particularly attractive to babies but anything with just the primary colors would be fantastic.
If you want to buy expensive gifts like strollers and cribs, you might want to coordinate with the parents so there won’t be an excess of these large gifts as they might already have a few around the house.
Best Gift Ideas for 6 Months to 1 Year
Baby carriers would be much appreciated at this stage. A lot of families can survive with just once baby carrier but, personally, I would prefer at least two.
If the parents are into baby wearing, you can buy them a soft, cloth baby carrier or sling. However, there are also lots of other great options; though these could come at much higher price tags (something from Php4,000 to Php7,000).
If your gift budget is below P1,000, toys would be your best choice. Babies these age love to crawl and need motivation to move; thus, balls and other toys that roll or make a sound are ideal.
Best Gift Ideas for 1 Year to 3 Years
Let go of the stereotype surrounding boys and girls – like girls should not receive cars for their birthdays or boys should not play with something pink. I grew up playing with cars (and my daughter now loves cars, too) but I was never a lesbian. Toys do not affect your gender choice – do not believe those urban myths and old wives’ tales!
However, you might want to stick to the convention if you are not so sure what the kid wants. Doll houses and play kitchens would be lovely for little girls while work benches and cars would be ideal for little boys.
Shape-sorting toys and various educational materials would surely come handy at this stage. Just make sure there are not small parts the kids might accidentally swallow while playing.
Plush toys would make a great playmate and bed companion. Play mats and puzzle mats would also be fantastic. How about board books? It would be great to introduce the child to the world of reading at this stage.
Best Gift Ideas for 3 Years to 6 Years
If you have a huge budget for the gift, it would be nice to buy twist cars, bicycles, scooters, and other vehicles they can ride on.
Of course, not many of us can easily give such expensive gifts to our godchildren, nephews, nieces, or even to our own sons and daughters. Be practical. Clothes and shoes would be perfect at this stage, especially because the kids will already begin going to school.
More complicated toys are also welcomed by this age group; thus, puzzles, lego bricks, play dough, craft sets, and board games are great choices.
Best Gift Ideas for 6 Years to 12 Years
Personalized books, personalized furniture, bicycles, board games, more complicated puzzles, stuffed toys, and various activity toys will be fantastic. Clothes, shoes, bags, and various accessories would also be a lovely.
Some parents choose to give their kids electronic gadgets at this stage.
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This is a good stage to start a hobby for your kids or to let them learn a new sport and activity they might be interested in. Why not teach them how to do cross-stitch or other crafts? It would also be great to give the kids a ball to play with – or any kind of sporting equipment they can use to have fun.