Gift Guides #4: Kids

Today we're onto the fourth post in my Christmas Gift Guides series; kids! Personally I've been buying for my step-kids, but you may be shopping for your own children, younger siblings, nieces and nephews, or even the children of friends. I think it can be quite hard to know what a child will like, particularly if you don't spend a lot of time with them, since their tastes and preferences can change almost overnight! That said, I think I've got quite a few fairly safe options on this list, so hopefully you'll find something to inspire you.
1. Bluezoo Pink Cat & Dog Top Pinafore, Debenhams, £12.80-£13.60 2. Personalised Jigsaw, Photobox, from £9.99 3. The Top Gear Years, Waterstones, £5.59 4. Fuzzy Face Magnet Game, Dotcomgiftshop, £2.95 5. Mister Maker Craft Set, Amazon, £14.89 6. Traditional Wooden Skipping Rope, Dotcomgiftshop, £2.95 7. Shopping List Game, Amazon, £4.49 8. Children's Kitchen Utensils, Not on the High Street, £12.50

I'm very much the sort of person who goes gooey over baby clothes, and with friends who've had a beautiful baby girl quite recently, I couldn't resist buying her a little dress for Christmas. I adore the heart pockets on this pinafore dress! Jigsaws are always a good choice for little people, improving their fine motor skills and spatial awareness, and Photobox offer the option of printing your own photo onto one; you could get a family photo or a snap of your family pet printed for your little ones to enjoy putting back together. Teenagers can be even harder to buy for; books, I say. They may think they don't like reading, but in my experience it's just a case of finding a book that interests them - even if it is about Top Gear... Magnets seem to be a source of endless fascination in our house, so this Fuzzy Face game should provide a fair amount of entertainment, whilst also teaching them about science! Craft sets are a great way to interact with kids and let them be creative, what could possibly be more fun than gluing everything together!? This sort of craft set is really great for letting their imaginations run wild - although I'd also purchase a messy mat and some aprons to go with! Perfect for slightly older kids, a skipping rope teaches co-ordination skills and helps them burn off energy - I'm a proponent of anything that keeps them active and helps them sleep. I'm a massive lover of educational toys and games, and actually bought this shopping list game for our littlest for her birthday at the start of the month; it's been a huge hit and is great for working on their memory and spatial awareness, as well as the idea of "taking turns" - and only buying what's on the list while shopping! Finally, I think it's really important to teach kids from an early age about food - where it comes from, what goes into it, and so on. The only way children can grow up with an understanding of a healthy balanced diet is if it's taught to them, and letting them get involved in the kitchen is the perfect way - our little ones love to help out with "mixing" and stirring, so these child-sized utensils would be ideal. They're always very pleased when they get to eat the end results - "We helped with the Yorkshire puddings, didn't we, Jess?"

Are there any children you're buying for this year? What sort of gifts have you chosen? I'd love to know if you found my suggestions helpful!

xo

My December advertiser is the beautiful Sarah from Small'N'Hot, I'd love for you to pay her a visit!