{Making Sock Bubbles}
I live in a small home and we have two boys, a 2-year-old, and a 7-month-old. Every day I am struggling to keep our house neat, because they have so many TOYS! I am also struggling to keep the laundry done, because they have so many clothes! Grandparents, along with other relatives, are constantly buying them toys and clothing. I really appreciate the gesture, but enough is enough! Do you have any suggestions on NON-toy items for Christmas and Birthdays? -Kayla
This is a great question, Kayla!
It’s a wonderful problem that you have grandparents who want to bless your children so much, but I totally get where it is hard because you have limited space.
I’d encourage you to lovingly talk to the grandparents, expressing how much your appreciate how they want to bless your children, but telling them that since you have a small house, you don’t have much room for many extras. (For more on how to approach this with your relative, read this post.)
Here are some ideas:
Books & Magazines
While books do take up space, they can be easier to store, much less messy, and very worthwhile. Give the grandparents a few ideas of titles you’d like to add to your library.
Magazine Subscriptions
Your boys are still small, but when they get a little older, magazine subscriptions like Ranger Rick or Thomas the Train can be a lot of fun. They enjoy getting them in the mail and then you can recycle them or pass them on when you’re through with them.
{Experimenting with Fizzy Sidewalk Chalk}
Bubble Bath or Crayons or Sidewalk Chalk
My children have so much fun with bubble bath and sidewalk chalk, but it’s not something that I usually am going to spend money on. It can provide lots of fun — and is completely consumable!
Time Together
What about suggesting Grandma & Grandma plan a special date with your son instead of buying them a gift? This takes time, but it is often much more meaningful and memorable.
Treats
Is there a special food item your sons love? Maybe juice boxes or fruit snacks or animal crackers? Ask for these as a special treat instead of toys.
Craft Supplies
Crayons, paper, coloring books, and other craft supplies can enjoy hours of creative play!
Gift Cards for Restaurants/Treats
What about asking for a gift card to a restaurant or ice cream shop your child loves? Maybe even encourage the relative to take the child on a date there and let them pay with their gift card?
Memberships to Local Attractions
If you have some local museums, a zoo, or other fun places that offer memberships, ask for a membership. These are pricey, but can provide hours of fun, memories, and entertainment. Best of all, they take up zero space in your house!
Those are just a few ideas I had. What other suggestions do the rest of you have for Kayla?
Related: Dealing With Toy Overload, Four Weeks of Frugal Family Fun, and Consumable Gifts for Christmas.
Rebecca Goernandt says
I didn’t read all of the comments, so maybe someone else said this: but we asked our parents to get the kids the German equivalent of the leapfrog pen. Then every subsequent bday and Christmas they get the kids a book in that set that they don’t yet have… The kids love the books and spend countless hours on them. I love it because they can do it alone, or we can do it together – and they are learning while having fun. And it doesn’t take up tons of room! But it’s something we probably wouldn’t buy for the kids just because it’s a bit “extravagant” to buy new. (We are big used books/ library/ etc. people). But if the loves ones are going to give out the money anyway then why not for something “extravagant” that the whole family loves!?
Jessica says
One thing that has helped us tremendously is creating an Amazon wish list for each kid. You can list purposeful items such as magazine subscriptions, clothing, treats, etc. We keep it updated and the grandparents do all their shopping from there. My parents and my in-laws rave about it. They get to stay at home and avoid the crowds, we get to pick out things that we won’t mind having in the house, and our kids are ecstatic to receive special gifts. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.
Stephanie says
Oh, I’m loving this conversation and taking notes furiously (I have lots of nieces and nephews).
One thing my kids REALLY liked from G&G was pajamas. I have littles and for whatever reason they love to put on the pj’s G&G got them for Christmas. One year we asked for robes for the kids (note: we could only find them at Children’s Place, but grandparents get a discounted rate at the outlet mall on Wed’s, at our outlet mall anyway).
I have a few nephews who love legos. I was able to get them a Lego Magazine subscription for free!
Stephanie says
Also one year I was able to convince the rest of my hubby’s family to draw families instead of names. Because we drew families we were able to pool the money and spend it towards an item the entire family would like, and something they could do together, instead of individual toys.
Janet says
I didn’t read all the comments so maybe this has already been suggested. When our kids were small we had the same problem so what we did was ask relatives to just give money instead and we opened each child a bank account. Now when they were young we sometimes got them something small like craft supplies as the gift but put the rest in their bank account.
Now that they are teens, they each have quite a little nest egg. You’d be surprised how $10 here and $20 there adds up. My mom who is quite frugal herself loved the idea because as fun as it is to see them open up a present, it’s way more fun to know they each have a rainy day fund. Of course, now that they’re teens, they love gifts of cash to put in their accounts.
Debbie says
What about a Parks and Rec class for each of them? They have swim lessons, gymnastics and parent/child yoga and massages in my podunk little town so a bigger city area may offer lots more.
Amy f;) says
very timely post…my five-year-old’s birthday is next week and we are trying to come up with ideas…he doesn’t need anything, but we want to celebrate his special day and honor him somehow.
Becky says
I echo the membership to a local attraction – my parents gave my son a membership to the big local zoo for his birthday and we’ve been 5 times since April – we love it!!! One of the best gifts he’s ever received and we use it alot!
Kristin says
Love the suggestion of special food items. Every year my kids put their favorite sugary cereals on their Christmas lists. My son loves Fruit Loops and my daughter Lucky Charms but these are cereals that I never buy. Their Grandparents love to buy something so fun for them.
This year my in laws asked my daughter what she would like for her birthday and she surprised them by asking for an apple tree. They loved the idea and brought her one and helped her plant it. She is crazy about that tree, she waters it every day and sits by it after school. She just can’t wait for the apples it will someday provide. I think this is the best gift she has ever received.
We also have received a membership to the local children’s museum and gift cards to the local movie theater before. Both of these are great fun: the children’s museum because we can make it a regular weekly thing and the movie theater because we really never go so the gift card made a special treat for us.
Finally, we have mentioned one bigger ticket item, instead of multiple other items. One year my daughter got her long desired American Girl doll. She didn’t receive many other presents but she got one that she really loves and plays with a lot. My parents, in particular, enjoy giving one big gift so I always think about something that fits the bill when lists are made.
Rae says
The apple tree story is so sweet! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Tiffany says
Also, I know kids shouldn’t watch too much TV, but when they do Netflix has memberships. What’s great is it’s ad-free, no ads bombarding them for the latest toy they “must have”. You’d be surprised how many educational/science/knowledge shows are on there, even for kids!
Allison V. says
DVDs are “expensive” just like toys in my opinion, but take up much less space, and I always have an answer for a movie my kids would love to own.
If you have babies – diapers & wipes! I admit I spent gift cards on those things.
My mother felt the same way when I was growing up, so she respects my wishes for gift ideas and always finds things we need or silly special things that I might not think of (ie. cheap flashlights for a game of hide & seek in the dark)
Erin says
We have an 11 month old, and my mom, who knows how much I can’t deal with clutter and tons of belongings all over the house, asked what she should be getting our son. I asked her to refrain from toys, and that I would really love for her and my dad to give my son experiences and memories. (And books!!) 🙂
I have some of the best memories from a simple lunch out with my grandma when I was little, and according to my mom, it really only happened a handful of times. But that was what I cherished most from my grandma. I can’t remember a gift she got me, but I remember how special I felt when she took me to lunch.
When I explained that to my mom, she understood completely…his 1st bday is next month…we shall see what she gives him…
Tiffany says
It’s easier to do those quiet and quick “sweeps” of their toys and donate when they’re younger. When they get older, let’s say like seven years old like my son, it gets more difficult as he remembers absolutely everything in his room. Once I thought I got past him donating a stuffed animal and he erupted crying one day that it was missing, about two months later. So I had to remake him a new one. I donate with him now but it’s difficult when they pass that quick-to-outgrow stage of toys from 0-5 years old; now most of his toys are Lego/cars and they’re in it for the long haul.
Though, being a minimalist myself, I agree with zoo/aquarium memberships; I wasn’t a huge fan of the children’s museum but my son liked it (it turns out they vary a bit in what age group they appeal to), gift certificates to a restaurant that delivers food via train (if you have one), gift certificates to ice cream shops, go out with “Grandma/pa” day if they’re involved, name a star in the sky certificate, sponsor an animal at the Zoo or online…
Lisa says
We have also been asked to just contribute money or a gift card for my niece’s birthday. Her parents were working on redecorating her bedroom so that year the money/gift cards went to a new bedspread, lamp, paint, etc. She got to pick it out so she enjoyed it and her parents appreciated something useful and not having to spend an arm and a leg. We were happy to contribute and loved seeing the before and after pictures as part of her thank you note. 🙂
Lisa says
Since your children are young what about asking for a gift card/certificate for family photos? They can be spendy but wonderful as keepsakes.
Amber N says
We ask our family to pay for lessons…so my daughter is doing soccer thanks to her grandparents and my son gets swimming lessons…and I don’t have to spend the money for them to do it.
Jessica Valentino says
I love a lot a suggestions that people are giving here in the comments . I would add that you do need to think about what a friend or relative was hoping to spend on a gift when you make suggestions. Toys are usually a lot less expensive than classes, or passes, or trips to a Broadway show. A zoo pass may be much more useful to your family than another toy, but if you ask for that and your relative was only hoping to spend about $35 on a gift, they may be put in an uncomfortable spot.
One reader told a story in the comments about a suggestion they made to a relative that paying for swim lessons would be a great gift and the disappointment they felt when the relative sent pool toys instead. It may be that $20 worth of pool toys was in the budget while $100+ for swim lessons was not!
This is doubly true for bargain hunters who may be picking up toys from clearance racks throughout the year. Be sensitive that others may be doing there best to be generous and kind to your child and give yourself permission to purge from time to time. When you do make suggestions, try to consider what the budget might be. I like the idea of suggesting a favorite treat. You could tell the friend or relative, “I never buy the kids X and it is one of their favorites. They would love that as a gift.”
One suggestion that I don’t see any where in the comments, is a fun CD of children’s music to listen to in the car. My kids like listening upbeat and fun children’s music and this would definitely be something our family would use without too much clutter being caused.
Becki says
Agreed! That is why (as stated above) we ask for Park District G/C….even the ones for $5 add up!!
Janice says
All grandparents do not have a lot of money to spend on gifts for everyone. In fact, a few years ago we all agreed that no adult gifts would be given at our family Christmas. Children still receive gifts but last year I had to shop garage sales, Goodwill, and other type stores. Also, I instituted a new fun tradition: a type of white elephant gift exchange. Since no one knew about it ahead of time, I selected all the gifts myself and wrapped them in really old Christmas paper. I used some things that I already had at home and my husband gave me $15 to go to Goodwill and buy the rest. A few gifts were really nice like some new Bath and Bodyworks supplies I had, but some were junk. As it turned out, the popular gifts to be “stolen” were a college sports cap(no one’s favorite university) and a weird looking brown bears candle holder. There were 6 adults and 6 children, ages 3 to 11 and we all loved it. I also made certain there were a few small toys in the mix of gifts so the kids would be interested, however, the bear candle holder was one of their favorites. I’ve got to get started collecting some of the “prizes” for Christmas this year as it received a grade A for family fun. And that old college sports cap will be reprised since my husband ended up with it.
Rae says
I agree with thinking about what they would want and be able to spend. And not just assuming that because they spent about $x last year they they will want or be able to do that again. This is why I personally create a wish list for the kids with things that go from $5 up to $100 or so (like I mentioned before, my in laws go overboard, also the bigger things they sometimes go in together on them) that way nobody ever feels obligated to get something expensive.
julie says
Lessons (music, etc.), sports team registration, uniforms (school, sports, Scouts, etc.), summer camp fees…. I’m always trying to think of non-toy gifts! (And our home is still overrun with Legos! 🙂 )
Stephanie says
I would recommend games. Peacable Kingdom has some good ones for young kids. They do take up space but provide good organized fun and teach great skills to little ones.
Janice says
When our daughter and family (4 of our grandchildren) lived overseas, I went on Amazon and paid for gift cards so they could order whichever games they wanted since Amazon did deliver to their country and getting them gifts was a real problem otherwise. All countries of the world do not have good postal systems and since 9-11, it has become somewhat laborious to send packages internationally. So glad daughter and family are back in the states now.
Jen says
One of the best gifts our family ever received from my parents was a 6 game mini-package to the local minor league baseball team. It gave us built-in family time every couple of weeks all summer long with very little money out of our pocket. Another popular one was gift cards to the movie theaters. Lastly, I really like gifts that can have pieces added to them over time. Our son had a Thomas The Train and then a Geotrax set, each which could fit in a small tote when not being played with and our daughter has a princess castle that the added pieces mostly fit inside.
Ronda A. says
Hi mom…toy-loving gramma here! I have noticed how overflowing my son’s homes are with toys and clothing and also how overwhelmed the children seem to be on holidays & birthdays. I asked their parent’s if they had saving or investment accounts for the children and now made special deposits for them on those occasions. I know one day they will be very thankful and my kid’s are genuinely appreciative as well!
Annette says
A small photo journal/album/scrapbook or photo frame (the ones with the memory cards installed for a photo slideshow) of their last time/visit/holiday/recital together. These are memories no one wants to forget or throw away, unlike the useless trinkets, gifts and toys. Also fun to include a written note either a written remembrance of that time together and what it meant to you, memory of how the kids’ mother/father did something similar at the same age, or a positive blurb about watching the young child grow up and the character qualities and talents that you see developing (as evidence by the photos or the time together).
Pam says
I am the Grandma to a 6 year old and a 4 year old. I actually buy the most expensive santa gifts for Christmas and give it to my daughter to put under her tree. I also buy snow suits every year, games for grandma’s house, learning toys and books too.
Birthday gifts have a limit of $50 unless it’s something like a bike then we spend more. I say if the grandparents want to spoil the kids let them do it all year long. We are very active in their daily lives and that is what is important. I spend more than the average but we just spread it out. Granddaughter’s birthday is coming up soon I will not go over the $50 limit but I did just buy all her new school clothing right down to new shoes and socks. Grandson is hiking with his dad quite a bit and he is going to need hiking boots I will be buying them. We also go on adventures all year everything from museums, movies, concerts in the parks, amusement parks, to camping in tents just to name a few. I daycare every day for free saving them a ton and in return I get the best grandma moments ever.
I agree with the activities, here little league alone can be very expensive. Toys are fine but too many is just that. It takes a lot of time and little of everything to raise a well adjusted child not stuff.
Tisha says
I have 2 girls, ages 2 and 4. My parents buy the girls savings bonds. They usually give the girls a little toy animal, that they collect and love to play with, to go with the savings bond. I am so thankful for the help saving for their future, and less things around the house. The girls are happy with the little toy, and will understand what a great gift the savings bonds are when they are older.
Amber says
We try to be grateful for any gifts received, because after-all it is the thought that counts! If people do ask us what the kids want we ask for outdoor type toys, or give everyone the option of putting in on one big gift (trampoline, swingset, basketball goal, swimming pool, bicycles, etc.). After I get the money I look on Craigslist and at garage sales to find the best value for our money. The kids love it and the relatives feel like they gave a nice gift. There’s also less competition between relatives because they give the same thing regardless of how much money they put in. 🙂
Kellie says
I highly recommend time/experience gifts. My kids’ aunt might take my son to the art museum or somewhere of his choice, then they get some lunch together. Their grandma took another son to tour a mine and then to lunch. My boys couldn’t stop talking about their fun days and the one on one time spent with a family member is priceless. They still talk about these days long after toys are forgotten.
Rae says
I didn’t read the other comments so some might be repeats. But besides consumables (special food treats that I don’t usually buy for them, art supplies, etc), I like experience gifts. If they are not big spenders for things like zoo memberships, there are experience gifts that go from a few dollars up to quite a bit. Movie tickets, bowling gift certificates, museum tickets if the memberships are too expensive, amusement park tickets (or sometimes you can get season passes for just a bit more), gift certificates for other types of places (Chuck E Cheese, rock climbing, laser tag, etc), and things like that. Obviously these things are too old for the little ones mentioned by the reader but hopefully it will help out some other readers.
When my kids were that young, my parents put money into bonds for my kids for their college (or whatever they do after highschool) fund. At that age, they care more about opening and playing with the first item than they do about opening more gifts anyway. It’s also what we did with any cash that came in and if they were given a gift card and didn’t need anything, we used the gift card ourselves and put that amount of cash into their savings accounts.
My in laws refuse to stop buying toys no matter what and when we went to visit for Christmas last year, we could barely fit everything into my car (and I have a big car). We have made pleas with them to stop going so overboard because we simply don’t have the room to store all of this “stuff”. Our first trip? To return most of it. We let the boys pick out what they liked best then we used the money from the returns to put in their savings account (which they were happy to do so they didn’t have to get rid of toys they really like already to make room and they wouldn’t have to spend the 3+ hour car ride with stuff piled on them… yes it was that bad). It may sound rude but we have told them we don’t have the room in our small house (and also that we don’t like focusing on gifts so much, we’d rather focus on the reason for the season as well as spending time together) and they just don’t care.
Rae says
Oh, one that might be good for the little ones … personalized story books. I still have the ones that I was given (2 were from when I was 1 or 2 and another I was 4) back when they just put your name and some other info (like the town you lived in and some friends’ names). Now they not only have those but they even have ones (like the Center Stage ones on Shutterfly) where they will add the child’s face into the photos (there is Dora, Sponge Bob, Sesame Street, etc) which are really neat.
Becki says
This is challenging sometimes because our relatives really like to buy our kids toys. I have tried to narrow down our toy focus in the house. Toys not in certain categories don’t stay for long, but my daughter has Loving Family dollhouse things (which can always have more added to it) and American Girl dolls with accessories. Any other toys she gets given to her, she has 1 very small bin where they are allowed – otherwise, they leave the house. My boys have Imaginext – we actually have a ton of these, but it gives us something to suggest as a present, and the 3 boys will play for hours. Because we are all in one “category” the toys all can be used together, pieces/parts fit together and so on. The boys also have k’nex and legos, but only can get into them with permission. Anyway, this really has helped. We try hard as the parents to have some ideas to give others who truly enjoy giving gifts, and we try to not give toys to our kids – basketball hoops, cameras, passes to the zoo, things like that have been gifts from us, but toys, we try to let the relatives do since they enjoy them so much. (Also, some grandparents don’t have the money for some bigger suggestions, but the $10-15 add-on to our kids’ toys is something they can afford.)
Amanda H. says
We have asked grandparents or others to pay for an online learning site like abcmouse.com or ReadingEggs. My son loves learning and uses them once or twice a day! A 6 month subscription is about what they spend on one toy.
Mary says
These are all great suggestions. I have spoken with my mom MANY times about this issue, but she continues to bring stuff over. Last week she found a great deal on a hockey net and gear, and brought it all over. My son can’t even play hockey due to a heart issue! She bought my daughter a rather large frog habitat, more Petshop accessories than you can count, crafts, craft supplies, knick knacks. I have tried to be so nice about it, but she just waves me away with her hand and brings in another box! So we have discreetly started giving things away or throwing them away. I know it’s mean, but she honestly will not stop! I figure if we give things to places like Treasure Chest or Goodwill, someone else will hopefully get use out of them. 🙂
Mary says
My mother-in-law gives us a subscription to Netflix for Christmas every year. It’s a wonderful gift.
Gretchen says
If you have generous grandparents, ask for lessons, classes or mini camps…. Dance, gymnastics, swim, music… These are things that I would love to give my children, but they aren’t always in the budget.
Stephanie Matejka says
These are great suggestions. We have asked that the Grandparents/Family make contributions to their college savings accounts for Christmas.
Cristin Frank says
This is a great topic! Recently my husband and I got our sons into collecting coins and stamps. They’re really into it; it’s creates quality time in our family; and it’s a gift that goes up in value!
jenn says
Our son is 7 and really into science. He got 2 science experiment kits for his birthday in July and my sister signed him up to get a new science kit in the mail each month for a year. That is a big hit-he gets mail AND a new science kit!
A friend of mine has 5 kids, 3 of which has spring/summer birthdays. I get them a new beach towel for the pool and outside toys for the sandbox or to take to the pool.
Janice says
Our city just opened a new aquatic center this summer with lazy river, slides, etc so my husband and I bought half price tickets in the pre-season for all 6 grandkids for the 4th of July family “come-together” and it was great.
Nichole says
Jenn what is the name of the company that sends science kits in the mail? That is a GREAT idea! Thanks!
Becki says
My son has a birthday right at the first of the year, so with all of the celebrating of the holidays, my space and my mind are very “present-ed” out. We always ask for Park District gift certificates. Now, we have a really nice park district program…but most areas have something. Thus, my son gets “free” Tball, pool pass, mini golf, day off school trips (pumpkin farm coming up – in leiu of sitting home with mom), etc Its really a nice idea. Doesn’t seem so fun to open but he loves the programs in the spring/summer/fall and it REALLY helps my budget and he isn’t left out because its too expensive. Even just a $5 or $10 g/c adds up.
Jessica says
I ask for things they need, like shoes or mittens. I also ask for construction paper & crayons, suckers and other favorite treats. My ILs buy an annual zoo membership and annual kids science museum membership.
Another idea is for them to pay for an activity. For example, I just enrolled my three kids in swimming lessons again. Perhaps the grandparents/ aunts / uncles could pay an activity fee and the supplies needed (swim diapers and swim trunks and goggles for swimming / cleats and a ball for soccer). Around here, the community centers charge about $30 for a six week class for swimming and such, so it’s a reasonable cost and it won’t clutter your house.
Susan in St. Louis says
Good ideas! And I think it’s helpful for all to realize it’s not necessarily those with a small amount of space who might want to limit toys. We are getting ready to move out of our small house, hopefully into something a bit larger. One of my concerns is that loving family who enjoy gifting will see a larger space as license to resume giving more “stuff”…which I want to continue to cut down on, no matter the size of our house. 😉
Also, Nature Friend magazine is great for littles (say, 5 and up) – a nature magazine geared from a creationist perspective.
laura says
How about asking for them to pay for a class that they may enjoy. For your younger kids maybe something like Gymboree, gymnastics or dance class. For older kids maybe swim lessons, karate, art or music lessons. These activities can get expensive but usually a block of lessons can cost under $100 and every time they go they can be reminded that grandma and grandpa got these lessons for you, they’ll love to see how you are doing and show off your talent! It’s a win-win situation, you get a class paid for, your kids love the activity and it’s not “stuff” laying around your house:)
Mrs. Waste Not says
I feel your pain! I actually suggested swimming lessons to a relative who like to pile on the gifts, and they responded with the idea of pool toys instead! One idea I use to manage this is the one in, one out rule. If you kids are old enough they can help you. If not, during naps or your alone time, go ahead and purge. Sometimes it is painful, because a barely used toy gets passed on, but I just remind myself that someone else out there will have a great time with it. Sometimes people really relish the gift of giving things… Good luck!
Susan in St. Louis says
Oh, that reminds me! We actually paid our kids to purge recently! We gave them a set amount of money per pound, with our approval needed for everything they got rid of. It helped get the kids on board, and we were more than happy to spend a few dollars to get so much stuff out of the house! Some went in the trash, and other we donated.
Christina says
We always suggest an “experience”…. when they were little a splashpad or fun playground or zoo date and now that they are little older they love the cirque de soleil shows/Disney on ice shows and going ice skating =) Anything that will make a memory!!
Karen says
Birdhouse, birdhouse kit (they’ll have fun making it), and bird feeders. These go outside and do not clutter the house. They’ll get hours of enjoyment and learn so much from watching the birds. We got to observe two broods of bluebirds this summer.
Tina says
Ever since my babies were born my parents has given them a savings bond of $50 for each childs Birthday or Christmas. These are being put up so the girls can use them for college or whatever they want to use them for when they get a certain age. They will still give them a small gift so the kids will have something to open up (even if its nothing but a coloring book and crayons) but the big gift is the savings bonds.
Rae says
This is what my parents do too. I wish my in laws would listen and follow suit (or at least get something off the wishlist) instead of overloading us with toys. It actually stresses my kids out because they can’t find room for their toys so then they have to get rid of stuff (which is usually the new stuff because the stuff they already have is stuff they like) which is pointless.
Carol says
While savings bonds are nice, they are not a good way to save money for college or other things at all. It would be better for you to set up an educational savings account that would draw much higher interest and let them contribute to that. I recently found a savings bond that I received from my aunt for my high school graduation. 25 years later, it had just reached maturity. Investing in gov’t bonds just isn’t what it used to be.
Rae says
When I put money away for my kids (or when they choose to put birthday/Christmas money into it), I do it in an account. My parents get the bonds because they want to hold onto them until the kids graduate. They also get the ones that you don’t have to have in for a certain amount of time (I forget which ones those are) though.
Lana says
Our daughter has asked that we give their little boy half money for his college savings and spend the rest as we like for gifts. This cuts the ‘stuff’ in half.
Tammy says
We like Nature Friend science magazine for elementary aged kids and up. It is written with a Biblical perspective.
Amy A says
Lessons! Swim, gymnastics, horseback riding, etc. My daughter’s birthday is right after Christmas, so to avoid toy overload we ask grandparents to contribute to experience gifts like swim lessons or trips to a nearby aquarium or children’s museum. It’s a great way to make memories and give my daughter experiences we normally wouldn’t be able to afford.
AmazonsRock says
Here are a few more ideas:
* Lessons for a skill/hobby (i.e. dancing, karate, swim, horseback riding)
* Learning a skill/hobby from the gift giver (i.e. cooking, fishing, woodworking, gardening)
* Garden starter kits
* Digital Picture Frame – most kids love watching the slide show of pictures, and it’s an easy thing to update!
* Journals – this is especially applicable as children get older. My oldest kids love looking back at what they filled their journals with when they were 2 & 3.
* Geocaching – this may be a little bit above the abilities of the OP children, but for kids 3 or 4 and up, it’s a great way to create a birthday scavenger hunt
* Software or Website subscription (i.e. ABCMouse)
Sarah says
This year we’re asking grandparents for the gift of swimming lessons for the kids (ages 4 and 1). If they want to give them something “tangible” as well, we’re suggesting a swimsuit, goggles, sunscreen, or something else that fits the theme!
Our son is only 4, but we’re already realizing that sports and lessons can quickly add up. So, we may continue this tradition with all of our kids as they get older. Grandparents could help pay for a season of soccer, soccer cleats, shin guards, etc. Or, piano lessons and books. Maybe a month of dance lessons and a new leotard. The possibilities are endless! Plus, the grandparents are encouraged to come watch the kids show off their new skills!
michelle says
My parents gave our daughter Ballet lessons for her birthday/Christmas gift one year and the gear to go with it. It was great! I would suggest lessons or money towards lessons….swimming, ballet, ect. I would also add a nana/papa date something fun the zoo, take and make pottery place, local attractions, baking together. Make special memories with the gift giver….the toys will probably be sold at a rummage sale for a 1/10 of the price, but the memories can last a life time 🙂 Hope this helps!!
Also I ask our parents to do part gift/part money. Thankfully they are willing to do this….I know some parents can be difficult and go over board with the gifts. I know our children will be great full when they’re older.
Jen says
I can so relate to this! We have five kiddos and the toys and clothes were overwhelming. It was financially challenging for us to send our kids to any classes and this turned into a great gift-giving opportunity for grandparents and other family. Our kids were able to get swimming lessons and help with sports fees. Everyone was happy! We also enjoy a zoo membership as one of the gifts family gives us for Christmas. Other ideas may be the relative taking them on a special “date” to the movies, skating, the pool, or a meal out. The kids having a memory with that person of a fun experience is so much more meaningful for them.
Pam says
When my daughter was younger, I asked her great-grandparents to start a Dr. Seuss book library. It was great for both of them. My daughter got to have a wonderful collection of books. My grandparents were happy that there would always be a gift idea (and didn’t cost a lot of money). My daughter is now 11 and my grandpa has passed away but she still has the books signed from Pop-Pop and Gigi. 🙂
Cecee says
I definitely agree with the magazine subscriptions. I have a three year old nephew and almost five year old niece and they get High Five magazine subscriptions (from the makers of Highlites Magazine) for their Easter present each year from us. My sister love them because they are educational and easy to throw away when they get too torn up. The kids love getting something in the mail each month. Since I get two copies sent to the house I get a discount on the second one so it runs under $80 for the year.
I also love to give Wal-Mart and movie theatre gift certificates. I very rarely give money as a gift. The gift certificates let the little ones think they are in charge of a grown up thing like money and they love that.
Janice says
One of my granddaughters and I have a running joke line about Target (gift) cards which is too complicated to explain here, but I sent her one for her July birthday this year in her birthday card. Her mother said she was absolutely DELIGHTED with it and used part of the money to buy some of her school supplies. For Christmas I buy her an iTunes card and Orange Leaf yogurt card She has celiac disease as does her father, our son, and cannot eat at just anyplace, so food places which have gluten-free choices are very special to her.
Lacey says
We have three boys(5,4, and 3) and we live in a very tiny house. We also have the problem of keeping the house free of clutter, toys being put away and the abundance of clothes(although I will admit that the clothes is 100% my fault). This year since they are getting older, we are asking for summer camp, classes they would like to take(karate, tumbling, etc), museum memberships. We are trying to do things that create experiences vs more stuff. We have also started to talk about asking for donate-able items(such as books) for birthday presents and the boys can pick a shelter to bring them too. While our space is limited, we have be abundantly blessed. Last year, one set of grandparents gave our kids 12 mini-adventures to do through out the year. They loved being able to go on dates with them and do special things.
Julie C says
Ask for an amazon.com gift card so you can buy educational dvds that can be downloaded onto your computer or ipad; they will love the educational dvd option and you will not have to store them anywhere.
Find some toys and clothing that is outgrown and have a garage sale or go to a resale shop.
Mackenzie says
I second the idea of “sidewalk chalk”. My 3 year old loves it! 🙂
Michelle M says
A co-worker of mine always plans a day out with his neices and nephews. Along with his wife, they take the birthday child to a movie, dinner, and maybe one special store of their choice to pickout a treat. I love this idea!!!!
Kim says
Tell them that you’re really wanting to get their college fund started & you’d really appreciate financial contributions toward it. $5 here & $5 there will add up! Any money the children receive could be used to start their own savings account. You can usually purchase a mutual fund for $25, once they have that much saved, & then keep adding to the funds. Missouri has a law (MOST–Missouri’s 529 College Savings Plan). According to their website, the money grows “tax-deferred, and withdrawals are exempt from federal income tax when used for qualified higher-education expenses.” You can check on your state’s laws & see if they have something. You can also check with your tax advisor.
Ann says
College fund contributions.
Outside play supplies–big (playset), medium (bike, scooter, trike), or small (kite, chalk, bubbles).
Art supplies. Glitter glue, stickers, pipe cleaners, pompom balls.
Printer (1st time) and ink (subsequent)
Melia says
Instead of toy gifts, I ask to have money go to an activity my child wants to do. Maybe pay for a fun summer camp, music lessons, or swimming lessons. My daughter wants to try out gymnastics and soccer. My son would love a trip centered around one of his swim meets. The memories and friendships created from theses types of activities is money well spent!
Alli Swords says
I can’t take credit for either of these ideas…butterfly kid. Great in the Spring and Fall. They even sell them online on amazon. I had a friend bring rainbow rice in a rubbermaid tub as a gift to a party, accompanied by a dustpan and broom. They got the recipe online! A great activity for toddler, preschool, and beyond. Put some trucks and measuring cups in it and let them play!
Alli Swords says
that was supposed to say butterfly kit*
Mary says
We have 5 kids and too many toys is an understatement! My preference is for gifts that are consumable or intangible. Gifts like art supplies are on the top of my kids lists. We also love gift cards to places the kids can play. We live in northern Illinois, so we have cold winters and I like to be able to take the kids to indoor playgrounds like Chuck E Cheese and Monkey Joes. We also really like when grandparents give gifts of their time – taking one or two children to see a movie, concert, ball game – even just to McDonald’s playland. The kids really love spending quality time with their grandparents. Better than any toy!
Coco says
If you really don’t need new toys you can suggest a vacation! My aunt has traditionally taken her grandchildren on week long vacations to destitions that they both can enjoy. Mostly historical locations like Boston, Williamsburg, and Charleston. Memories are much better gifts than plastic that is thrown away!
Sarah says
This Christmas and Birthday season I plan to ask grandparents to put money towards zoo membership, swim lessons, theather/play tickets, movie gift cards, toddler classes (music/art/gymnastics/etc) and any other type of out of the house and non-toy gifts I can thin of. I want my kids to have lots of experiences and not lots of stuff.
Amanda L says
For our nieces and nephews we contribute to college funds or saving accounts. We get the same from aunts and uncles. Less clutter for us all!
Ashley says
On the note of craft supplies, there are a lot of cool programs out there, such as kiwicrate that delivers a box of easy to do crafts for ages 2+ – grandparents can get a subscription or just one box, and it would be a gift for you and your son, since these type of boxes are really low-key and don’t require too much help from parents.
victoria g says
we LOOOOOVE our kiwicrate subscription that my mom got for us. And she loves getting the pictures every month of her granddaughter enjoying the crafts and having fun. I cannot recommend them enough, and there’s something for every gift price point (3 month, 6 month , 1 year subscriptions)
Chelsea says
Great suggestions! I would add that it is also helpful to zero in on your family member’s special talents/art/abilities!
For example, my mother-in-law is an excellent baker, which I’m not. I might suggest that she bake my daughter’s favorite bread or cookies as a special treat since I rarely make them. Another family member is really crafty, so I might suggest something like a small scrap book or painting would be fun. I would say something along the lines of “I’m not sure if you have a Christmas gift in mind for _____, but I think she would really love a special scrapbook of our summer vacation made by her Aunt!”
Some people will still balk at the idea of giving something homemade vs. buying a new item. However, opening yourself up to gift ideas like these could greatly reduce your intake even if don’t completely eliminate the toys and clothing coming in. Consumable items are great, but if somebody still really wants to give a toy after the suggestions, I say let them and don’t stress about it. 🙂
Jamie says
We have the same problem. Grandparents and aunts and uncles are very generous with gifts!
My mom got my 4 boys a family membership to the children’s museum. We use it almost every week. We have also used it at the St. Louis Magic House through their reciprocal program and got discounts off the price of summer camps.
My sister got the boys pass cards to the YMCA to swim or play at the splash pad. We don’t live close enough to warrant a membership, so the pass cards worked perfectly.
I’ve also gotten 3 months of karate lessons for a child and a season of baseball for another.
I also request the grandparents make a deposit into the kids’ ESA instead of getting a bunch of presents. They are more than happy to do this (although I dont think they cut back on the presents any, haha).
linda says
When my son was young I had a laundry basket of toys at each of the grand parents house. It worked well because when some of my sons cousins came to visit they had toys to play with.
Jamie says
I have the same issue, minus the space problems. Grandparents roll their eyes when I say I keep the boys’ wardrobe to 7 outfits and 3 pajamas and two pairs of shoes. The mother-in-law loves shopping for the boys but a lot of it gets put in boxes with the tags on to be used by the next child in line. She says she never got to spoil her own kids like that b/c they didn’t have the money, but now money isn’t an issue so she likes to do this for grandkids.
Anyway, my mom got my boys a membership to our children’s museum. We love love love it. We use it almost once/week. We can also use it to other museums and got discounts on summer camps.
My sister got the boys pass cards to the YMCA and we’ve used those to swim or play at the splash pad. We don’t live close enough to warrant a family membership so the punch card worked perfectly.
I’ve also gotten karate lessons for 3 months for one boy and I always request the grandparents put money in the kids’ ESA for Christmas rather than spending a bunch of money on presents.
Julie says
I love the magazine subscription idea. National Geographic Kids is also a great magazine idea. My boys both loved it when they were young.
Lara says
My 3 year old son got a gift certificate to a local puppet theater and he loved the experience! I know some regular play houses that also periodically put on kid friendly shows. Some orchestras put on kid concerts as well.
Christie says
I asked my parents to buy me a zoo membership for my daughter’s first birthday this June. She gets in free since she’s under 2, but the membership allows me to take her every week. That gift certainly gets more use than so many of the other gifts she received!
I love the idea of dates with other family members. I used to give my niece and nephew date days–they got to choose a place to eat and a place to go. The most fun one that I remember was lunch at Chick Fil A with letting her play as long as she wanted in the playland, followed by a trip to Target to just look around the whole store with no timetable. I think she chose a small item from the dollar spot, but otherwise a great day for both of us!
Amy says
What about starting a collection of something? For example, a train set to which a new piece can be added. How about a video or CD or book series? They still can buy an item, but it has a bit more meaning/usefulness.
I know other people whose grandparents give money for savings for college or a trip.
Whatever you do, be cautious of stopping the love language of a grandparent (giving items may be it)… Will harm the grandparent/relationship more than the annoyance of the toys.
Mei-Lyn says
We have some friends whose parents started giving them one Adventures in Odyssey album each for Christmas. I think they have them all now, which is a lot of fun! They’re especially great for road trips.
Ashley P says
I got a new AIO album every Christmas growing up, too! Now I have a large collection that I can share with MY son! 🙂
Christie says
Very much agree with this point! If giving gifts is really important to your family, use the one in, one out rule. For every toy they get, have them pick something to donate or pass on to others. Gives them the opportunity to be generous as well.
Jessica says
Before having kids, my husband and I agreed that we didn’t want kid toys to spill out of their room into the rest of the house. We made a rule that it has to fit in their bedroom as far as storage goes. My two girls share a small bedroom (9×9).
The toy in/toy out rule is what we do in our household and I love the idea that my kids are excited to donate their toys instead of becoming possessive over their belongings. It gives me a chance to have talks with my kids about the amount of children in our country and in the world who are growing up without toys.
It warmed my heart the other day that my 4 yr old picked up her favorite Barbie and told me that she’d like to donate it to someone who doesn’t have toys and then added that she needed to find a cute outfit to don the Barbie in so that it will look good for the next owner.
When they were younger, I would do “sweeps” and get ready a box of toys to donate while they slept. They never even noticed that the toys were missing.
As for the enormous amount of clothing they receive, we know lots of younger children and my kids get excited to donate the clothing they’ve outgrown (even items they’ve never worn) to their younger friends : )
It’s a great way to practice/learn giving.