You may look at the piles of toys around your house and wonder, “What else could these kids possibly need?” Christmas comes around every year and many of us are stuck for what to buy our children. The world our kids live in is very different to when we were small. Whether it is your own little ones, brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews or even grandkids, you want to get them the best gift you can without breaking the bank. As the time for giving approaches, here is a short guide to our favourite gifts for kids this year:
iPad
An iPad is a great way to let your kids have all of their favourite games in one place. With thousands of apps available on the app store, kids of all ages would love to have one. Many of us are working from home in our day-to-day lives either due to our work or the global pandemic, so we are all looking for a way to entertain our kids while we get things done. An iPad could keep them entertained for hours on end. For those unsure about giving their children an iPad, there are options for parental controls in order to make it safe for young children as well as older. You can limit what content the device can show, from the app store all the way to online sites such as YouTube. Many of the apps can also be very educational, as some were made this way to help children learn while they are at home. This is very useful as many children have missed out on valuable school time this year. Besides the thousands of games available for kids, there are also films and tv shows readily available to watch through streaming sites such as Google Play and Netflix. You can even buy Google Play gift vouchers online for those children that already have an iPad at home.
Books
Another great gift idea to help your kids learn at home is reading books. In the modern world we can all forget about how important it is for kids to read real books and not just watch movies or stare at a screen all day. Reading books will not only open your child’s imagination but it will help them develop their reading and writing skills much more than TV or games will. There are millions of books to choose from so it is impossible for you to not find one your children will love. Even if you introduce them to their favourite Disney princess or superhero, reading the original story is a whole new experience. For older kids, classic books such as Harry Potter or action books like The Hunger Games are absolute favourites. If you’re not sure what book they would go for, why not buy them a gift voucher for Waterstones or Book Tokens instead? That way they can easily choose whichever book they want and know that it’s from you.
Gift Vouchers
If you have an older child or are struggling to find a gift for your niece/nephew etc, a gift card may be the perfect option to solve your problems. Finding a gift to suit every child is a very difficult task. They all grow up with such different personalities and interests, it is often hard to keep up with their favourite toys and obsessions. There are tonnes of different gift card options on Giftsvouchers.co.uk. A gift voucher for toy stores such as Smyths or The Entertainer would never go a miss, as they could go and pick the toy themselves. If you want to give a more specific gift voucher with a little bit more thought, we love the Build-a-Bear gift cards! The special recipient can go and choose his/her own bear, watch it be stuffed and come to life. Build-a-Bears can also be dressed up and come with their very own birth certificate, making it a perfect gift for any youngster.
Outdoor Gifts
With the recent lockdowns we have all faced, it is about time we encouraged children to get back outside into the world. Outdoor gifts are the perfect way to do that! For those active kids, why not buy a bicycle or scooter for them to take outside? This is a guaranteed showstopper and doesn’t always have to break the bank. Make sure to buy matching helmets or protective gear (just in case). If your child loves the garden, go big with a trampoline. They will be entertained for hours on end and will get well-needed fresh air after all these months of staying inside. For the smaller kids, a ball pit or play mat may be the best option.
