I'm really at a loss. My LOs second Christmas is this year. He will be 18 months old. Idk what to get him! He has lots of trucks, books, stuffed animals, blocks, my pal scout.... any ideas??
Side Note: Im in west Monroe, Louisiana, Not Houston lol.
We don't have a YMCA
We barely have a zoo
and the community does nothing for children around us.
The fair (which is this week) and the Park,
And they have a Christmas parade, which we attend.
He is very spoiled since he is the only young child on either side of a very large family.
Lots of adult aunts, uncles and cousins.
So after reading all the suggestions and doing some googling I think I am going to get some books & puzzles. I also think we are going to buy tickets to the Audubon society... which is the zoos and stuff in New Orleans. I am also considering getting a plasma car... I just don't want any more toys... we are lucky yo have so much, really blessed. But its enough to last for a while. I think we are going to have to purge soon.
You know what he'll absolutely love? Wrapping paper. You don't even have to put anything in the packages, just the paper and the ribbons.
Pots and pans, and wooden spoons, are also great at 18 months.
You'll never get another magical, non-materialistic Christmas, ever, with him. Enjoy it while it lasts.
Why does he have so much stuff?! Here are some ideas for you. My son loved musical instruments at that age. There are many great ones for young kids (toy drums, toy saxophone, etc). A new bath toy - there are so many. My kids loved a toy fishing rod with little fish you could catch at that age. A plasma car. A tricycle with a long handle for you to push him. A water table for outside. (that's more of a summer gift). A toy kitchen, toy food, and toy grocery cart. A stomp rocket.
Get him one little thing and let him play with all the wrapping paper and boxes from the presents the rest of the family gets. He's 18 months old - he doesn't care if he gets tons of presents. I had the same problem as you and really stressed about what to buy my kids. A friend told me I was crazy - and that I should only buy presents if we needed (or really wanted) something. It was the best advice ever. Last year my five year olds got art supplies for Christmas, like markers, pencils, and drawing paper. Total cost was maybe $30. That was it. But they were thrilled. And I saved a ton of money to send them to dance lessons and go out to dinner and do other fun things when we need a pick-me-up.
If you start now, your child will learn that presents are exciting, but not the only fun of Christmas.
Ask for money for his savings account. He doesn't need "stuff". Or, take him on a vacation for a few days--Houston, maybe? You can do the zoo and science center, etc. Experiences are WAY better than 'stuff'.
Our boys are 8, 5, and 3 and we have already told family NO TOYS for Christmas! I'm not kidding. They can buy zoo passes, science center passes, movie passes, or give them money for their savings accounts.
Experiences.
Kids don't need more stuff. You're near the Gulf. Take him to meet a dolphin. Visit the beach. Fly kites. Go to the zoo or aquarium.
Well a child (or adult) can never have too many books!
He is a great age to get a membership at the zoo, children's museum or the YMCA. How about a toboggan, a tricycle or a wagon.
Stop with giving him lot's of stuff.
Stuff is no substitute for anything really.
Downsize what he's got - only keep his favorites and/or what can be comfortably stored in a reasonable amount of space.
With too many toys kids get overwhelmed and don't know what to turn to next.
Besides - did you know that too many toys is a fire hazard?
If - heaven forbid - your house was on fire, some fireman would have to crawl though your house in the dark in smoke over mounds of toys trying to find if anyone was left in the house or doors can't be opened/closed if stuff is in the way.
Record your voice reading a book to him.
You can make lot's of recordings like this.
He'll cherish it/them forever.
(Of course, you should be snuggling up with him and reading to him every day anyway.)
Another great gift - a large cardboard box (get something from your local appliance store).
You can make forts out of it - you cut windows/port holes in it - he can help you decorate it, drape a towel/blanket/sheet over it - and read a book in it with a flash light.
It will last weeks.
Then when it falls apart recycle it.
He's going to be an impossible teen if you don't get a handle on this now.
(I believe LO is Little One).
I'm thrilled to hear a parent say that a child doesn't need more stuff! How wonderful to not make Christmas a grab-fest!
Books. A book shelf that makes it easy to find and display books. Lots of books - with tactile surfaces, lift-the-flap pages and more. I know he has a lot now, but go "up" in reading/concept level to keep developing his brain and his imagination.
Active toys - kiddie cars and climbing structures and so on - for gross motor skills and to encourage athletic/active/outdoor play. Creative toys - someone suggested the play kitchen, which is great although be prepared that you will be finding play food all over the house for the next 2 years. Still, they can be creative and use the foods in different combinations (good way to teach about variety in the diet). Puzzles for reasoning and fine motor skills. Things that encourage nature exploration - bug "houses" and magnifying glasses. Art supplies - paper and finger paints and a smock, foam shapes and fuzzy balls and googly eyes and white glue (okay, you do the glue part!) but let him experience different materials and textures and 3D shapes, to create masterpieces - which you then give to all of these aunts and uncles as "gifts"!!
Books. Toys in the next age range. CLothing. Christmas doesn't need to be a metric ton of stuff. Take him to a petting zoo or a light show.
What's an LO? :)
books
Go for a nature walk
music CD
money for a college fund
We put most of the gifts received on a high shelf in the closet, and bring out something new on a rainy day, or when we are feeling sick/ ornery.
Things which got a lot of mileage in this house include-
the Melissa and Doug latches board
a sit and spin
a toddler bucket swing
a tricycle
sesame street videos,
a fireman house (think dollhouse for boys)
legos
a tool kit
playdough
things which did not get much attention include a toy piano, musical instruments, a kareoke machine, most books.
good luck to you and yours,
F. B.
Little Tykes Cozy Coupe for outside. Any riding toy. Bean bag chair to sit in. Always a favorite. Books.
Don't get stuff just for the sake of getting stuff. In our house we purge the toy collection before every birthday and Christmas. Now we focus on getting things that will not be outgrown quickly.
We like to get useful stuff...bed sheets, a new lamp, Christmas pajamas, a potty seat/chair, big kid dishes/cups/silverware, bath towel and washcloth, new night light, a new car seat cover. You can wrap up baby shampoo, lotion, toothpaste, a box of his favorite crackers.
We also like magazine subscriptions.
You could give a contribution toward a bigger future purchase: a swingset, college fund, savings bond.
You could get something he will not outgrow for several years and can be equally enjoyed by younger siblings in the future...a tire swing, a sandbox, a good set of blocks, a nice picture book series, a train table, a tricycle.
You could get new toy storage boxes/bins.
He's a little young for it now, but maybe the year after next you could go with a subscription to an educational website like starfall.com.
Books on CD are awesome. My kids started listening around 2yrs old. Now at 4 and 5 they like to follow along in the books. They are excellent in the car or on afternoons they don't want to nap but need quiet time.
Fridge phonics also lasted a long time for us and are more than just junky toys.
By far the best gift we ever got, and used to death, was our zoo membership.
I agree with Experiences.. Picture, make a scrap book of what you have done with him for the year.
If you are bent on geting something- new bedding , clothing, etc..
My 2 year old loves getting clothes.. seriously.. that and shoes.. yup .. she is a girl..
I guess i'll be the smart butt and ask where he gets all that stuff from.
I can understand if it's hand me downs.
If it isn't then, when you get the urge to go shopping put the toy in the closet and save it for Christmas.
if it's the grandparents then have a talk with them about keeping things manageable.
purge purge purge and then get him some sort of ride on/walking toy. and some nice expensive wooden puzzles.
You can never go wrong with clothes at that age. If you feel the need to get a toy item, what about a water table for outside? My kids LOVE the one they have. My son got it a few years ago for Christmas. Or even a fun sprinkler or a bubble machine for outside. If you do clothes, light up sneakers are always fun for little ones. My 2 yo daughter goes bananas with hers!
I agree about money for his college savings.
If people insist, on gifts (which they have every right to want to give him something) come up with some options otherwise they will give him junk..
Picture Books above his current age group.. Books on CD or for something he can listen to while getting ready for bed.
Our daughter loved beautiful music from a very early age. Vivaldi, put her right to sleep. So she had a radio CD player and we had a collection of all sorts of music.
Outdoor swing, a small slide, wagon, a pull or push tricycle that can turn into a real tricycle later. Our daughter was given a Hobby Horse..for the Christmas she was 18 months old. She loved that thing..
Cowboy boots.
Fun nightlight/ alarm clock that the light goes down as it gets dark and brighten as morning comes.
I don't know if your family is into this type of thing, but how about a lifetime hunting and fishing license. A lot of my friends have done that for their children, and here in NC, it's cheaper when they're young.
We have the first 4 grandkids on both sides of the family, so ours were showered with EVERYTHING before we put our foot down and said no more stuff. Now in perspective, I can honestly say, the less the kids got, the more fun they had and the more they appreciated what they got.
