hey friends!
welcome to day three of the holiday gift giving guide! today i'll be focusing on the tiny humans in our lives - kiddos! while i don't have any of my own, i do have a handful of nieces + nephews and a bunch of my friends have kiddos. also - i'm pretty sure i could qualify as a kid at heart!
i can remember being a tiny human in the big cafeteria at school, opening my grooved pink lunchbox and finding a note from my momma tucked in next to the fruit and sandwich. these quick, bite sized notes were the inspiration behind my lunchbox notes. nothing perked up my day like a lunchtime dose of encouragement and love in my momma's perfect handwriting! this is a great gift for kids - and what a way to encourage kindness than to give them a stack of these notes to share and pass out to friends?!
another great way to encourage your child to share kindness [and work on their spelling and penmanship] is to support them sending mail - and these color me cards can be a huge asset! if you can't tell, i'm all about fostering imagination in kids and think the best gifts involve creative tools. these cards would be a great addition to some of the following ideas:
cards & letter writing tools
in addition to some of the above mentioned cards, consider adding in some fun or fancy colored pens in a variety of styles. include postage stamps - i like mine to match the card in color and there are some awesome styles available. check out these sesame street ones! plus, who doesn't love receiving mail?!
markers, colored pencils, & specialty art supplies
there's not much i love more than fresh new supplies - and what kiddo doesn't feel the same? perhaps instead of the traditional supplies like a box of crayola crayons, try gifting a package of watercolor pencils and waterbrushes. --> next to no mess and super easy for smaller hands! there are lots of markers out there that are great for learning blending or brush lettering [great for older kiddos!] one of my fondest memories from christmas is receiving boxes of huge pads of paper - watercolor, tracing, construction - you name it - and knowing i could fill them with whatever i wanted!
puzzles and games
there are some incredible puzzles on amazon - i've completed this one and this one! the great thing about puzzles is that they can be completed over a period of time, are a great family activity and provide a piece of art once assembled! i'm also a huge fan of games - and hosting game nights with friends. there's something for everyone, regardless of what they're into!
experiences and excursions
while it sounds like this topic might break the bank - it doesn't have to! kids love spending time with those that they love! give the gift of spending time at an art museum for a special exhibit or a history museum to learn something outside of school. there are tons of traveling events that are great for learning while having fun. don't be afraid to use google or social media for help - this is where i found an event called mermerica 360 - we went [along with oodles of kids] and had an amazing experience! it's also a great idea for spreading out gifts throughout the year, instead of focusing on things for one main day.
apps and specialty tools
i am generally a fan of keeping electronics away from kiddos as long as possible. sometimes though, you just can't argue with the possibilities that they include. on the higher price point end of this spectrum are a range of apps that help foster your kiddo's imagination and creativity. in addition, tools like an apple pencil can be included to help hone in some skills! these are the kinds of things that can grow and advance with your kiddo, so really the gift keeps giving. there's also no age limit to these types of gifts. if you're not sure what they might be into - perhaps an itunes giftcard so they can purchase something that looks fun [with a little adult help!]
hopefully some of these ideas have sparked some inspiration for you for the upcoming holidays! what ideas do you have that are worth sharing? leave them in the comments below!
monday i'll be back with day four as well as the usual mail it monday post! have a great weekend!