There is so much available for children and there is easy access to ordering just about anything from anywhere. The challenge to buy something unique and practical is getting harder and harder. You don’t want to buy yet another toy made in China and one that will either break very soon or something that they already have plenty of.
It is good to also think about what you can get that will help with a child’s development and be a gift that can help them along this journey of growth. So, what are some unique gifts that you can buy a child this Christmas? Here are some ideas to help your thinking.
Tools and kitchen appliances
Children love helping us in our every-day lives. Being alongside us as we do regular life activities is a great joy to them and it is time spent together bonding and doing things. It also forms part of their learning as they figure out how to do certain activities, like stir tea, mix the batter, hammer a nail or work a child-friendly drill.
Using a toddler tower, also known as a learning tower, children can reach kitchen counters and workbenches to safely stand next to you and get busy with whatever it is that you’re doing. Don’t be too afraid to let them use tools, it is good for children to work with tools and learn to use them responsibly and safely. Choose carefully which tools you feel are reasonable and can be managed safely.
Things to build
The act of building things is brilliant for the development of the brain. There are so many gifts you can buy that are building toys. There are brick types of building things, such as Duplo or Lego. There are interlocking plastic pieces that create shapes and patterns. If the child is older, they make be good enough to build wooden dinosaurs or even basic airplanes and cars.
If the child is older, it can be as simple as a stacking game where they learn to stack rings based on the size of the ring. Or even buckets and spades to build sandcastles.
Climbing up
For some reason, kids seem drawn to wanting to climb up things. That scary moment that you’ve looked away for what seemed like a few seconds and you look back only to see your child halfway up the jungle gym, stairs, ladder, window… Buy them things that they can safely climb up and which is within their physical ability but not too easy that it quickly creates boredom. Otherwise, they will start looking around to find what else they want to climb.
Creating things
You can buy clay or playdough and let the child make shapes, mould creatures or explore the tactile wonder of getting your hands deep into slime or goo. A simple paintbrush and paints, or sand art will keep a child entertained for hours and feeling proud of the wonderful and beautiful (in their eyes) things they have produced.