A warm welcome to everyone coming from Moms Favorite Stuff! I hope you’re enjoying the festivities leading up to Toy Tuesday, December 8th.
If you’re just now joining us, we’re having virtual play time (or a blog hop) and sharing our favorite toys, toy trends, and places to buy them for the best bargains of the year.
After my tips on making Christmas Day more fun for everyone,
learn how to enter to win a $250 gift card
AND a $500 in products to your favorite charity or school!
I have 3 boys, two of which are only 22 months apart. There can be some serious competition and disappointment on Christmas morning if I neglect to keep a few things in mind while toy shopping. Therefore, I thought I’d share with you my philosophy on Christmas toy buying which makes Christmas morning more fun for everyone.
The Tip Junkie’s Christmas Toy Philosophy: Limit your gifts to 4-8 (depending on cost) for each child. Make sure there are a variety of good quality toys so nothing breaks and there’s plenty to do throughout Christmas day. This ensures no one is disappointed or is bored an hour after opening presents.
1. First, know what your child wants. I take into consideration my boys’ wish list and their likes and dislikes. You can have the best variety of toys imaginable but if it doesn’t cater to their special interests then it’s still a no-go.
2. Next, I like to make sure my boys each get:
- Something to build
- A video game to play
- A toy for their imagination
- An item to build on whatever they are collecting
- Something to play with outside
- A board game
- A big gift from Santa
Any of these qualities can be combined for one toy. For instance my boys’ favorite Christmas gifts have combined “something to build” with “a toy for their imagination”. Having a wide range of toys expands their uses, creativity, play time, and excitement throughout the day.
Things to Build: Marble Run, K-nex, Bionicles
Favorite Video Games: My Sims Agents, Star Wars Legos, Mario Kart
My Favorite Toys We’ve Collected: Anything Star Wars, Imaginext, Legos
From Santa: Santa gifts are usually large and go for the shock value. I don’t go overboard on price but I do try to make it fun and unique.
Other options to consider:
- Art supplies: to paint, draw, or create. Play-Doh, Pixo’s, and craft kits
- Electronics: MP3 player, DS, radio, spy gear, watch, Funkeys, computer game
Entertaining Toys:
5. I try to keep things fair:
- The same number of gifts or price range for each child.
- Size matters with boys! So I make sure each kiddo has the same number of “large” wrapped gifts. Even if I have to put a toy inside a larger box. {{evil laugh}}
- Same number of items in stocking and I try to have larger items next to stocking for shock value when the boys come down the stairs.
So what’s your toy buying philosophy? Feel free to leave a comment which automatically enters you to win a $250 gift card. Details below.
Huge thanks to Bill Me Later for organizing such an informative and fun play time. Feel free to check out all the blogs participating and their favorite toys and money saving deals. They’re worth the read.
What is Toy Tuesday?
Toy Tuesday will occur on December 8th and is a one day sale event held over on Bill Me Later’s website. You’ll find all kinds of amazing deals to wrap up all your holiday shopping from these stores:
| Toys R Us | Walmart.com |
| eToys | Mercantila (trampolines) |
| FAO Schwarz | Drugstore.com |
| Little Tikes | HP.com |
| Overstock.com | MacMall |
| Step 2 | and more… |
Bill Me Later wants to get YOUR attention and to do so they’ve not only come up with a really fun campaign that introduces you to some new bloggers and new toys, but they are putting up some serious CASH and discounts!
Bill Me Later has made it really easy to enter to win a $250 gift card AND $500 in products to the winners favorite charity or school. They aren’t messing around and are taking good care of everyone involved. They’re buying some toys from Wal-Mart for my boys AND they’re paying YOU some hard core cash to get your attention.
A $250 gift certificate to FAO Schwarz and a
$500 product donation to the school or charity of winners choice.
Share what toys you are most excited about giving this year
or your toy buying philosophy in the comments.
This giveaway will only last until midnight Saturday (CST).
P.S. Toy Junkie’s, tomorrow head on over to Bargain Briana for her toy tips and another $750 in giveaways.
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Comments
Legos! Legos! Legos! My son spends many hours “playing” with the Lego catalog throughout the year.
My kids are still babies, but I know all your tips will coming in handy! Thanks!
I am so excited to give my family a wii this year. We may be a little behind in the wii scene, but I think this will be a great gift. We can all play together. We got each of us a game that is centered around our own interests. And we can all be a little more active with the fit games. I hope it turns out as good as I imagine.
this is some neat ideas.
I am making an effort to “READ THE LABELS” this year. Each buyer needs to take responsibility to closely examine toys for health and safety.
This Christmas is going to be very different because we’ve had no money coming in from a job source, just dang school loans. So, this year, I have limited funds and I’ve made my two boys homemade sock monkeys. I hope they LOVE them because it’s slim pickings. But I’ve decided I can give them 12 Gifts of Christmas this year. for the 12 days of Christmas, I am giving each of them something special we can do together. I’m excited to give them my gift of love, time, memories, laughter and joy! Merry Christmas.
my favorite toy for giving is probably not a toy, but we love to give books . The simpler toy the better. What could be better than a BALL. Merry Christmas
Wow! What a generous giveaway…we like to buy our son one or two really nice toys to help him not feel overwhelmed with toys and appreciate each one. This year he is getting the Melissa and Doug piano! We also think it’s important to have a small number of toys out at once. We rotate toys so that he is able to really focus on and play with the ones in front of him. Any extras are donated to charity.
I appreciate the list of gift types to buy, with 2 boys myself – being fair is the name of the game! Thanks!
I personally shop for things on my childrens list. Usually the gifts they ask for along wth 1 thing they didn’t but I know they want. That’s the 1 from Santa.
Every yr 1 child gets the BIgger more expensive gift. Usually close to the $200 range. We can’t afford to get them all expensive gifts this yr no one really wants anything expensive so we are getting a family gift. (either a Big Screen tv or a Wii)
Getting the kids something that they really want like a train, or bendaroos depending on the personailty of the child I just know what is going to keep my kids busy. 1 is creative, 1 is active, 1 is in to video games and the baby well he’s just into playing with everything everyone else has. And large Trucks.
I get my children what they are interested in and they are busy for weeks.
Great ideas, thank you!
Great Tips TJ, all the ones you mentioned are how I always did my childrens shopping. Now I buy for Toys for Tots kids and try to apply the same ideas.
And think of the older kids since so many buy for the younger ones.
I got my 2 and 4 year old boys the bounce back remote control car! I’ve wanted to get them ones that do not have big huge metal antannes. I hope they work!
For my 4 grandchilden, I always choose a book and a game. I then make each of them something special, mittens and scarfs are always a favorite since they all live in Maine and may find themselves outside making snowmen or snowangels!
When buying a gift for a child, I think the best gifts are ones that they’ll be able to enjoy for awhile (rather than those that will only entertain them for an hour or two and then they’re over it…) — the “classic” toys are always great gifts!
Great site with great ideas! I just discovered it today, but I’ll definitely be back! Thanks.
I’m excited to see the Tag reader junior, I’m hoping one of my family member is going to get it for my daughter.
What a generous giveaway… any school or charity would be grateful for such a gift!
Our gift-giving tradition is to give each child 3 gifts, just as Baby Jesus was given 3 gifts. With the abundance of presents received from family and friends, we are trying to focus on the true meaning of the holiday this year.
We have 5 grandsons ranging in age from 1-9. I always check the for age appropriate toys by reading what it says on the box. If it doesn’t say and I’m not sure I don’t buy it. I also ask the ones old enough to know what they want and I check with Mom and Dad so I don’t duplicate! (The 7 year old has figured out to tell each person something different, pretty smart!) Also, we like to surprise each family with a “family gift” like tickets to the zoo or a seasons swimming pass…something they can all do together and enjoy!
We have several fun traditions for Christmas. One of them came out of desperation. I had a child who loved to shake, poke and peek at her gifts. So I came up with secret code for the gifts. Each child get a symbol (a tree, snowman, snowflake, ect) assigned to them that only I know. So on each gift I only draw their symbol marking who the gift is for. They love trying to figure out what their symbol is for that year. It just adds a little more anticipation.
We definitely try to buy the same number of presents for each kid…never thought about the size of the gift but that is a good one to also go by. Thanks!
Oh man. Good ideas. I also have three boys. Thanks for the thoughts. We try to get some things the boys can do together, usually games or things they can build. Santa always seems to present his loot in a signature way stickers and notes. We always give a “gift to Jesus” too the night before as we commit to a better year.
I try to make sure that at least one present for my grandchildren can be used creatively. Blocks, art supplies, etc. are perfect.
debbie
I try to buy at least some gifts that encourage family time. We always get some board games, puzzles and crafts that we all can play together. It is so nice to see all of my kids playing together!
I love making gifst, so I try to have at least one homemade gift I worked hard on to give to my kids. I made my very first quilt this year… and I can’t wait to give it to my son.
I am looking forward to giving my little grandson some legos from the “City” Collection. He loves to put things together!
I am excited to give my son Mario Kart for Christmas. He is a mario head and i know he will be so excited!
We try to buy creative toys. For our 1 yr old we are buying a set of architectural wooden blocks to add to our family’s block set. I am also trying to limit the number of packages this year, because I want the kids to be able to enjoy each one.
I don’t have any kiddos of my own yet, but when I shop for my 2 and 4 year old nephews, I always ask myself: How heavy is it? Can it be thrown across the room? Will it hurt if it hits you? And how bad will it damage the wall when it is thrown ?
i’ve never felt the need to do the equal size/same number of gifts as my children are not used to comparing/counting. between my three children they receive several gifts each and they rang from board games, art supplies, video games, music, clothing, books, etc. their stockings are over flowing with small personalized gifts and a few candies that i know each of them likes. Santa always takes the stockings from the hooks, over flows them with goodies and lays them on a special unwrapped gift (or on occasion it’s been a ‘group’ gift).
sigh….i {heart} Christmas.
happy holidays,
Amy W.
I have five children so we pick a few items from their list I do alot of bargain shopping! This year we bought alot of games for family game night that we are gonna start in the new year!!!
We try to do one gift for each child that they need (like a sweater, etc.) and then one gift they would like. Mostly though, it is doing things with them. Its been a hard year financially, but memories are more important than things after all!
This year things are tight but we want to make it an awesome Christmas! I have been thinking about Christmas more seriously lately and how it is the memories not the gifts! But with kids it is important to listen closely to what they want and not what you want them to have. My 5 year old wants Frosty the Snowman from Santa–that is not what I would have chose but that is what he will be getting because that is what will make him happy and have a magical moment! Creating new tradition is what this year has been for us!
This Christmas we’ve decided to purchase mostly educational toys. Our boys are homeschooled so anything educational to add to our class is a plus!
Blessings,
Wendy
Great ideas. thanks so much for sharing these.
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