The American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) The American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA)
Print this page Helping Kids Make Holiday Gifts

As the holidays get closer, our children will be inundated with more and more messages about stuff—especially toys and other play products—they can hope to receive as gifts.

According to The Handbook of Children and the Media, kids are exposed to more than 40,000 advertisements a year on television alone, not including product placement.[1] Even young children learn to ask for what they see advertised. Various studies have cited the “nag factor” as responsible for 30% to 40% of sales of some children’s products and services.[2],[3],[4]

With all this focus on getting, are kids thinking about giving? November and December are ideal times for adults to focus children’s attention on thankfulness and doing for others rather than wanting for themselves. Before making a wish list for their own holiday gifts—or even instead of it—parents can help kids make a manageable list of people to whom they want to give a gift. Then help children think about simple gifts they could make for people on that list, with the emphasis on the extra special meaning of a gift made especially for a sibling or grandparent or aunt or uncle.

Helping your child make gifts does not need to be complicated—it’s really just playtime with some fun and meaningful outcomes. What are some gifts that work well for your little elves to make with their own hands? Here are some ideas:

  • Holiday ornaments. The possibilities are as numerous as the types of materials you could use. You can buy preassembled kits for making ornaments or you can use the arts and crafts materials you already have at home. Almost any safe material—paper, cardboard, fabric, felt, salt dough, and much more—can be dressed up to decorate with a bit of paint, glue, glitter, and imagination. Find a recipe for salt dough at http://www.kidsdomain.com/craft/saltdoughgifttoppers.html. Another great idea: try making simple origami ornaments shapes, add some glitter if you want, and make a hanger out of ribbon.

  • Baking projects. The holidays are a great time to get out the rolling pin and cookie cutters. Whatever your child’s age, you can find an appropriate role for him in mixing, rolling, cutting out, or decorating cookies or other treats.

  • Framed photographs. Always a big hit, help your child pick out a photo she would like to give and offer ideas for how to frame it. Cardboard covered with fabric and “jewels” glued on? A paper plate decorated with painted macaroni? Magnets glued on the back to make it part of the refrigerator art gallery? Possibilities are limited only by the imagination.

  • Books. Creating a book to give is another activity that can fit a wide age range. Whether your little one simply picks out pictures for you to cut and glue and then dictates a “story” or your older child creates a recipe book with illustrations or something in between, a handmade book can become a treasure for the lucky person who receives it.

You can find many more ideas for homemade gifts online or by visiting toy stores or arts and crafts stores. Remember, the real point of making holiday gifts with your children is to have fun and leave your kids with the message that it’s more important to give than receive. If you make it an annual tradition, you will create not only gifts, but memories of creating them together that will last forever.

[1] Kunkel, D. “Children and Television Advertising” in D.G. Singer & J.L. Singer: The Handbook of Children and the Media. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2001.

[2] Buijzen, M. & Valkenburg. “The Effects of Television Advertising on Materialism, Parent-Child Conflict, and Unhappiness: A Review of Research. Applied Developmental Psychology, 24, 437-456.

[3] Morales, E. “The Nag Factor: Measuring Children’s Influence.” Admap, March 2000.

[4] Western Media International. “The Fine Art of Whining: Why Nagging Is a Kid’s Best Friend.” Business Wire, August 11, 1998.

Provided By Susan J. Oliver, Tropomedia
This information is provided on behalf of the toy experts at your neighborhood toy store.

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