November 2017 – Little Reading Coach

With the holiday season right around the corner, many parents and family members are starting to think of what to get the children in their lives. A gift buyer’s first instinct is to buy a toy for a child because that’s the typical gift to give to a kid.

When I was a kid, I loved looking through the Toys R Us catalog and circling the toys I wanted. However, quite a bit has changed in 20 years. Now the majority of toys that kids want are technology based (tablets, video games, cell phones, etc).

As a parent, I’m guilty of buying Molly toys because I like them, especially if it’s Disney related. I’ve learned that there are some toys Molly will play with every day and others she will literally pick up and throw and never touch again. While toys are great, especially for helping with motor skills and using imagination, it’s okay to give kids a gift other than a toy.

Books. Whenever we have a child’s birthday or holiday, I always give books. I make sure I know the child’s interests/hobbies and find books that match their interests. When buying books for kids get ones that will engage them. Flap books, find the objects books, books with CDs are all great ones to give as gifts. For some great book ideas head over to Usborne Books & More.
Puzzles. One of the greatest things about puzzles is the variety that’s available. There are puzzles of different themes, various piece amounts, and for kids of all ages. My personal favorites for toddlers and preschoolers are Melissa and Doug wooden puzzles. The wood can endure lots of use and they can be educational or fun.
Games. Similar to puzzles, there are so many different games to choose from. Many popular kids shows and movies have games (Trolls Operation,
Paw Patrol Pup Racers Board Game, etc.) so that is always a good starting point when trying to decide what to buy. If you have a chance, take a stroll down the game aisle at Toys R Us to see the latest games and revisit some classics.