What to consider when buying the perfect gift for my children and 5 gift ideas for your children according to their age.

It's Tuesday, party time at Expat Kids in Eindhoven. Today I bring you some recommendations to consider when buying a birthday present for your children. I also bring you 5 ideas of recommended gifts for children according to their age.

Every time we have to find a gift for the kids (whether it's a birthday at school, celebrations, visits or Christmas parties) we think about what to get them. Sometimes it becomes a headache, but here are some tips to keep in mind and 5 recommendations of toys to give as gifts.

First, it is very important to keep in mind that when selecting gifts "less is more" and that they should be useful and aligned with the child's needs/tastes and with our own educational philosophy.

Secondly, how about keeping the following words in mind when selecting a gift for children. Learn, share, enjoy and discover.

following on from the above here are some recommendations according to the age of the children to take into account when buying.

• From 0 to 6 months, they need toys that help them to distinguish textures, shapes and colors. We recommend rattles, cot mobiles, rubber dolls, teethers or mats that allow them to do activities.

• From 7 to 24 months," continues the expert, "babies are in the midst of discovery, they recognize certain objects and their properties and have better motor functions, which allow them to be more independent. Balls, rag dolls, musical instruments, stuffed animals and ride ons are recommended.

Take care: Until the age of 2, it is advisable not to buy toys made up of small parts, as children at this age, due to their colour and size, can put them in their mouths.

• From 2 to 3 years old, they awaken great curiosity and interest in manual tasks. Therefore, a good gift can be play dough, board games, puzzles, costumes and pedal cars or tricycles.

• From 3 to 5 years is an important stage for developing motor skills. Progress in this cycle includes fine motor skills, for which games of skill are useful; but also gross motor skills, for which physical activity items such as bicycles or skates are recommended. Toys that encourage learning and creativity, such as stories, Legos and puppets, are also recommended.

• From 6 to 8 years old, it is necessary to develop their analytical skills and curiosity for learning, and games with experiments, pieces to assemble and glue together are ideal.

With these in mind, today I bring you 5 recommendations for gifts for children of different ages. So let's get started.

My first recommendation for gift ideas for children according to their age.is for Toddlers and that is Melissa & Doug Giddy Up's multi-sensory horse.

This multi sensory horse toy, features many textures and sounds, including a rubber horseshoe that clicks and turns, rattling reins, and a crinkling mane and ears. Squeeze the ear to hear neighing and galloping sounds.

For more than 30 years, Melissa & Doug has created beautifully designed imagination- and creativity-sparking products that NBC News called “the gold standard in early childhood play.”

   Photo from Amazon gallery

My second recommendation is Smart Max try me, with this gift, they will discover the magic of magnetism, practice their hand-eye coordination and stimulate their creativity and imagination.

This set contains 23 game pieces: short and long rods and metal balls. Enough to make numerous 2D or 3D figures. With the supplied instruction booklet you can start playing.

All pieces can be connected and fitted together very easily thanks to the magnetic rods and metal balls.

 Smart Max is a great brand for children, their toys are a universe of high quality magnetic construction products. Their products are strong and safe, and lend themselves to spectacular creations while being fun even for young children. 

   Photo from bol gallery

My third recommendation is the primary science lab set from Learning Resources is another great gift. With this primary science lab set, kids will want to get hands-on.

This best-seller from Learning Resources includes all the tools needed to conduct real-life science experiments as young scientists follow the ten clean-up activity cards. The clean-up activity cards are ideal for cleaning up science spills.

Learning Resources has been helping parents and teachers build generations of amazing kids since 1984.

From ABC and 123 to fine motor and STEM skills, their educational toys give kids the building blocks they need to succeed in school and develop a lifelong love of learning.

This company sees the importance of learning through play, which is why they offer a range of different toys and games for ages 18 months to 12+.

   Photo from Amazon gallery

 

My fourth recommendation for gift ideas for children according to their age is Bresser Junior Astroplanetarium Deluxe.

Your own planetarium at home is no longer just a dream! With the Astro Planetarium you can project the starry sky onto the ceiling, and this even according to the actual time and day. Thanks to an integrated motor even falling stars can be shown.

Planetarium with motor function, shooting star function
automatic shutdown after 30, 60 or 120 minutes, size of projection 1,6 x 2,1 m with 2 m distance 1x bright white LED moved picture with 2 motors, focus adjustment with focus scroller, simulation of the night sky on the wall or ceiling, can be adjusted according to day and time, more than 8.000 celestial. 

Bresser, Since almost 60 years they offer telescopes, binoculars, spotting scopes, rifle scopes, night vision devices, microscopes, magnifiers, weather stations and other outdoor products - worldwide.

  Photo from Bresser gallery 

My Last recommendation is Janod Endangered species, educational puzzle. This giant cardboard puzzle has 200 pieces and critically endangered species as its theme. The puzzle contains a textbook to get acquainted with the wildlife species and understand the reasons for their extinction. In addition, there are 50 cardboard animals to assemble and place on the puzzle. The name of the species is mentioned on the back of each figure.

Janod is a French brand specialising in the creation of traditional toys and games from wood and cardboard. It has stood the test of time by adapting to the needs of children discovering its toys for the first time, and the memories of their parents who have grown up with them.

 

   Photo from debijenkorf gallery

I hope these recommendations will be of great help to you and that you will find the perfect gift.

See you next week, and remember always have courage and always be kind.

With Love,