toys that end up in the garbage

With a five-year-old around the house, garbage has a weird way of piling every second of the day.  Most toys, especially the tiny ones, usually end up as garbage.  They look so attractive in their display packages in the store but when your kid starts to unwrap and play with those teeny weeny parts, you can be sure that they will comprise the day's garbage in a matter of minutes.  Of course, you try to keep them for a while before realizing that the kid is no longer interested in the toy or toys and they just add up to your mountain of toy garbage.  Cheap dolls especially always end up mangled, their body parts nowhere to be found.  Toy kitchen sets, bowling sets, tea sets, beach sets, doctor's or nurses' set, make-up set, and a lot more most likely end up as garbage.  Toys that are especially Made in China are frail and break very easily so they get thrown away very quickly.  Big and durable toys are ideal because they get to last and get to be seen very easily.

gift ideas for kids

The season for giving gifts is just a couple of months away and before we know it, it will be here and making last-minute decisions relative to gift-buying might turn out exhaustive and unpleasant. So why don't you do your shopping this early so you won't have to squeeze yourself through in the midst of overcrowded places? Or fall in line and the line is like the length of the entire wall of China, this can really be exasperating. So what do you do now? Simple. Try to start shopping now, two or three gifts at a time and note down the names and the stuff you have bought so you do not have to buy again.

Gifts for kids vary according to their age. For 11 to 14, consider any of the following: cellphone, bracelet with her initials, trendy bag, cool shirt or blouse, money (always welcome gift), pair of nice rubber shoes (but get the right size), pants. For ages 8 to 10: clothes that fit them, money, comic book, cellphone. Toys for ages 4 to 7: kids this age seldom appreciate clothes. They'd always prefer toys. In buying toys, see to it that they are toys that have educational value. There are a lot of these in stores.

What's in the loot?

Middle of this month we plan to start buying kids' stuff to fill the loot bags. My granddaughter's birthday is on the first week of August and it is going to be a very simple one in school with her classmates.

So basically what we need are kids' snacks, maybe birthday hats, balloons, a layer of cake, and loot bags.

Since we only intend to have the food catered, the only thing that we need to worry will be what to put in the loot. I have considered stuffing the bags with the following: tablet candies (they love this), some chippies, small toys, pencil, crayons, stickers. I know that I should have a toy or two in there because kids go crazy over these things. But of course I need to choose those that are inexpensive in order to fit our budget.

Any suggestions are welcome.

gifts for kids

Finding the right gift to give to a kid can be a whole lot of problem. First, you need to ask yourself this question:

Are we giving a gift to the child or the mom?

Very often we buy a gift with the mom in mind. Will the mom appreciate my gift? And so we make the mistake of pleasing the mother but making the birthday child sad because she does not like the gift you bought for her. Remember, kids are very spontaneous and honest with their feelings. They will say what they want to say. If they do not like your gift, then expect them to say it in front of you. Yes, they will do that.

I had experienced this embarrassment with my own kids when a godmother of my child came to deliver her birthday gift to my daughter who was celebrating her 5th birthday. It's a good thing that this godmother was a classmate and a good friend of mine. If not, my embarrassment would have reached the heavens.

My daughter excitedly opened the gift and found a very beautiful dress. It was a party dress and I really liked the gift but my daughter did not. She uttered something which was very embarrassing. Upon seeing the dress, my 5-year-old kid said, "I don't like it" in front of the giver. I felt like melting.

See what I mean? Rule number 1: Know who you're giving the gift to. If it's a child, know her age and gender. Children seldom appreciate such gifts as a pair of socks, undies, dress, t-shirt---it's the duty of the parents to buy their children these personal items.

During my granddaughter's 4th birthday, a number of friends and relatives gave her clothes like blouses, dresses, pants---- but only one blouse fitted her---all the rest were two sizes too small for her. So don't and never make the mistake of buying clothes if only for that reason.

Children love toys. But make sure that you don't give toys that are not advisable for their age. Read the instructions written on boxes and containers of toys---they usually will tell you whether it is fit for children of a particular age.I would never suggest giving toy guns or toy knives to boys, no. Let us help make this world a more peaceful place to live in. Choose toys that have educational value. Again, consider the age of the kid. Do not give a scrabble to a 4-year-old.

Some children love books or coloring books but again you need to consider the age of the child. Do not buy a Harry Potter book to a 4-year-old. Children's books also have age levels so look for them and buy those that fit the birthday boy or girl..

Giving the right gift is an art. You need some creativity in order to come up with a gift that will create that magic sparkle in the kid's eyes.