15 Gift Ideas for Kids That Have Too Many Toys

Gift Ideas for Kids That Have too Many Toys #christmas #christmasgifts #gifts #giftguide — Gift Ideas for Kids That Have Too Many Toys

Does your kid have too many toys? My kids certainly do and if I buy them more for Christmas the clutter will keep growing. Plus, I already know our large family will continue to buy them more toys and the spoiling continues. Wouldn’t it be nice to have some gift ideas for the kid that has too many toys?

If you are looking to declutter and teach your child to value life experiences over “stuff” then you are in the right place.

In fact, a study by popular online coupon company Retail Me Not, suggest parents will spend an average of $330 per child this Christmas Season. Wow! $330 per child? Imagine how many toys you could buy with that amount of money.

I know last year I spent around $75 on each of my children, so I guess I am below average. However, they were spoiled by the rest of the family and I am a bargain shopper so the $75 went a long way in our house.

Nonetheless, each kid got around 12 new toys. My three-year-old was so overwhelmed at the time he didn’t know what to play with. He liked his first toy and then really didn’t care about opening more gifts because he wanted to play with it. He seriously would have been happy with ONE toy.

Let’s face it, as a parent It’s not fun opening all of those packages either. And what a mess to clean up!

It’s no wonder I turn into a big crab every Christmas! (I apologize in advance to my husband 🙂 But It’s stressful!

So with you in mind, I’ve come up with a way to teach your kids to value experiences over things and give them a gift that keeps on giving.

Now I will admit, I still buy my kids a few toys and I really do not mind buying them learning toys that promote gross/fine motor skills, dramatic play, engineering, exercise, and creativity. However, most of our action figures sit in the bin and my kids only play with them once every three months. Not to mention, I have a lot of mom friends that have the same complaint. With that in mind, I’ve come up with a “thing-busting” list to help you decide the best Christmas presents this year.

Think of the fun you will have and the learning that will happen by treating them one of the items listed below. Your kid will be begging you to go every weekend!! Enjoy the laughter and the smiles!

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15 Gifts for Kids That Have Too Many Toys

1. Play Area Gift Card – We have a few indoor play areas near our house. One is called Jungle Java and the other is called Under the Sea. My kids absolutely love playing at both play areas, especially when the weather is bad and we can’t go to the park. However, the entrance fee is $9 per child and $18 for both kids. This can get pricey. Yet, by buying a monthly pass at $56 per family, we will save on the second visit. This would be a great gift idea for the kid that has too many toys and allow your kids to get some exercise during the winter months.

2.Experience – Find a fun experience around town and buy tickets for your child, family member or friend. For example, Disney on Ice just came to the Little Ceasars Arean in Detroit. This would make a perfect gift for the Princess loving child.

3. Groupon – Find an experience on Groupon or passes to something fun in your area. Some examples of Groupons I have found in my area include arcade passes, discount zoo passes, sporting events, restaurants, play area passes, trampoline park passes, and many more. Just search Groupon for activities around where you live. You can get a discount and try something new.

4. Books – I am so lucky my kids love books. I have to admit, I often buy books from their scholastic book orders from school for $1-2 dollars per book because they have specials every month and shipping is free if sent to the school. However, for Christmas, I will buy them each a nicer book. This year I am getting my youngest a hardcover dinosaur book and my oldest (six) a rock collection book.

5. Zoo Pass – We love our zoo! This is some of the best money I have spent! We buy a zoo pass every year. One Detroit Zoo pass cost around $90, but one ticket per child costs $16 and an adult $20. As you can see, we break even after going twice. However, since we have a zoo pass we go to the zoo at least once a week in the summer. Check out your local zoo and see it offers an annual pass. You can also use the pass to get in free or get discount tickets to other zoos across the country.

6. Museum Pass – Another fun activity is visiting local museums. We have a pass for the Grand Rapids Public Museum; however, this pass gets us in free to the Detroit Science Center, Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, and many other Museums across the country. We visited the Orlando Science Center and the Tampa Children’s Museum for free on our last trip to Florida. Once you buy your pass look on the ASTC website and find out which museums offer reciprocity. Then take advantage of these fun learning experiences with your child.

7. Restaurant Gift Card – Does your little one have a favorite restaurant? Why not get him or her a gift card and make it a special family treat or date night with mom or dad? Your child will love spending family time with you!

Pro Tip: Use Cardpool.com and get your gift cards at a discount price.

8. Aquarium Pass – We currently do not have an aquarium pass, but we have bought one in the past. It made sense because the ticket price was $18 per person for one visit, but the annual pass was $45 per person. So after two visits, we broke even. My kids absolutely LOVED this pass. Our aquarium also has a play area so it was a double treat. Search local aquariums in your area. As you can see, I like to incorporate learning into our fun activities.

9. Board Games – Some of the best times we’ve had as a family are playing board games together. My kids love Monopoly Junior, Disney EYE Found It, Connect Four, Uno, and Gobbler Goblet (A fun version of Tic, Tac, Toe). At times, playing with kids toys can become boring for an adult. However, playing board games is fun for everyone and it gives you a good chance to spend some quality one-on-one or family time with your kids and teach them turn-taking, strategies, and math.

10. High Lights Magazine – This is a great gift! My mom bought this for my son for his birthday and he loves getting his own mail and reading the stories in the magazine. Highlights Magazines also have “search and find” and other kid”s activities in each issue. This gift will help encourage a love for reading and promote early reading skills. Another good magazine subscription for kids is Zoo Book. I got this from my grandma for my birthday every year as a child and loved looking at it every month.

11. Classes – Find classes your child would be interested in and buy them a few months worth of classes. Here are some class ideas:

dance
legos
sports classes
gymnastics
karate
art
.young engineering

12. Blanket – My four-year-old son really wants a dinosaur blanket for Christmas. Kids love having their own cuddly blanket, even when they are a little older!

13. Kenethstetic Sand – The great thing about kinesthetic sand is that keeps children entertained for hours. The downside is it is messy and gets all over the floor. One idea is to get then a finger painting tray to go along with the sand so they can play and you have less mess.

14. Art Supplies – Art supplies are not only good for brain development, and most kids also love creating and using their imagination. My kids get a box of art supplies as one of their gifts to open every year. I usually put washable watercolor paints, glitter glue, white paper, and special markers such as glitter markers or scented markers. I also add a color wonder coloring book and keep it in my church or “going out to eat” supply bag for a no-mess art project while we are out.

15. Puzzles – Puzzles are also great for brain development and problem-solving and they keep kids busy. Find some puzzles that are age appropriate and sit with your child and help them complete them. Look for favorite characters or alphabet/numbers puzzles for the little ones.

Gift Ideas for the Kid That has too Many Toys Conclusion:

Is it okay to give a few toys? Of course, it’s a celebration. Just limit the number of toy gifts you buy and give them one of the gifts listed above. Trust me, your kids will thank you later! There will be less overwhelm for everyone. You will have less mess to clean up and fewer toy boxes to open. Your Christmas or birthday will be more loving and stressfree!

Here’s wishing you all a Happy Holidays.

Do you have any gift ideas for kids that have too many toys? I would love to hear from you!

Take care – Sarah

November 6, 2018 by Sarah | Comments Off