3 Tips to Ace Christmas Shopping for Toddlers
Many adults’ favorite childhood memories revolve around Christmas. When you have a toddler in your life, it’s natural that you want to give them an unforgettable Christmas morning filled with piles of presents. However, many parents are often flustered by the number of gifts their children receive, and it can be challenging to choose valuable gifts that will not only be fun for the child but also benefit them in the long run, too. Luckily, you can follow these three guidelines when buying toddler Christmas gifts to ensure the little one in your life has a wonderful holiday.
Coordinate with Others
To avoid buying duplicates, make sure you talk to other family members about your gift-giving plans. You can even organize a holiday-shopping weekend where parents, aunts, and uncles get together and pick out a toddler’s gifts together. A physical collaboration may not be feasible for families that only come together for the holidays, but that’s what text messaging and video calls are for. Make sure that you know how many gifts others plan on giving, and ask the parents how many they want their child to receive. You might want to buy an entire Santa’s sack worth of presents, but families want to avoid spoiling their toddlers and only ask for one or two small gifts.
Choose Gifts Carefully
Child toys are the most often recalled products in the world. Make sure that you research toys before you buy them and choose age-appropriate gifts. You should also talk to parents first about what the toddler would like and what they need. Clothes may seem like a boring gift, but they can be bought a size or two up and used later as the child grows into them, making clothing a safe choice as a gift. It’s also one that parents will appreciate.
Make Skill-Building Fun
Your Christmas gifts can help the toddler in your life build important skills and grow. Many toys promote the development of fine motor skills in toddlers, which will help them improve their hand-eye coordination and prepare to write later on. Flashing lights and loud noises can often be disrupting to parents, and they may even overwhelm a child who has autism or a sensory disorder. Strive to buy gifts that are durable and washable; wood stacking blocks, peg shapes and sandbox toys are always a safe choice.
Remember to have fun and keep the child in mind while you shop; it’s easy to get carried away once you hit the toy aisle of your local department store, but it doesn’t take much for a child to have fun. Encourage their imagination by keeping your gifts simple, and remember that the best gift you can give is your presence and love this holiday season.
While you’re shopping for gifts, keep in mind these tips to save money!