Dear family,
What I’m about to say comes from a place of absolute love and appreciation, with a smidge of overwhelmed-mama desperation thrown in.
The thing is . . . we have a lot of toys.
I know you know this.
You step over them when you come to visit. You see them sprawled across our wreck of a playroom. You push them aside so you can sit on our couch. They. Are. Everywhere.
It doesn’t seem to matter how often I sort, organize, and donate my way through the them; the toys just keep piling up. And to be honest, with Christmas just around the corner, the thought of adding more to our already bursting collection makes me cringe.
When it comes to holidays and birthdays, I’ll be the first to admit we’ve fallen into a bad habit of buying our kids things just to buy them things. And you, our loving extended families, tend to do the same. I know these gifts come from a loving place, but honestly, many of them are used for about a week before being set aside and rarely touched again.
We have a playroom full of toys that are never played with, and for real—it’s stressing me out.
I get it. I know you love watching our littles unwrap packages on Christmas morning. Giving them gifts brings you joy, and I would never want to take that away from you . . . but something’s gotta give.
Do you remember last summer? Our son had been asking for a trampoline for over a year. It was a big ticket item that really wasn’t in the budget for us at the time, so we rallied the troops (that’s you!), and all of our relatives (that’s you, too!) came together to purchase it just in time for his birthday. We couldn’t have made his wish a reality on our own—but together with you, we did.
I’ll never forget the look of pure joy and gratitude on his face when he saw that trampoline waiting for him in the back yard. Even now—several months later—he asks to jump on it every single day, rain or shine. It is loved, used, and appreciated.
So, sweet family, this Christmas let’s follow our own lead.
Instead of wrapping a million random somethings and tossing them under the tree, might I humbly suggest we focus our efforts (and wallets) on quality over quantity? Instead of buying a bunch of stuff they don’t really need (or want), let’s pitch in to buy something really awesome for the kids.
I promise, it’ll be more fulfilling for everyone.
Here are some of the big ticket items topping Christmas lists for kids of all ages this year:
Trampoline
Trampolines are a hit with kids of all ages. This one has a basketball hoop attached for an added bonus.
Mini Electric Jeep
Your little ones will spend hours cruising around on their own set of wheels.
Playset
Bring the park home with this awesome play set. What better gift is there to incorporate imaginative play, exercise, and fresh air?
LEGO Rollercoaster Kit
This 4,000+ piece rollercoaster building set was the 2019 Toy of the Year. If that doesn’t convince you it’s the perfect gift for the LEGO lover in your life, I’m not sure what will.
Backyard Playhouse
Every kid needs a play house of their own, and this is one of the highest rated ones around.
Jungle Gym Climbing Tower
The jungle gym is the king of any good playground, and this version is even more impressive than the traditional ones.
Ultimate Play Kitchen Set
This kitchen isn’t called the Ultimate for nothing! The stovetop burners and ice maker light up and make sounds, the oven knobs turn and click, and the realistic appliance doors actually open. Oh, and the design is more impressive than my actual kitchen, so there’s that.
Nintendo Switch
According to its description, this game console is “one of the most versatile ever”, meaning that the gamer in your life will appreciate it for sure.
Apple AirPods with Charging Case
Give tweens and teens their own set of AirPods so they’ll finally stop borrowing yours. Bonus: the case doubles as storage and a charger.
Polaroid Pop 2.0 Portable Camera and Photo Printer
I’m not gonna lie, this camera might be making an appearance on my own Christmas list this year.
Razor Electric Scooter
Give the gift of wheels for the kids who are too young to drive, but old enough to cruise solo.
Foosball Table
If I have it my way, our house will be the hang-out house as our kids get older—which means an epic game room (complete with a foosball table like this one) will be a must.
At Her View From Home, we love sharing our favorite things with you! The recommendations in this post contain affiliate links, so we may receive a small commission if you choose to purchase any of them. You can check out more products we’re crazy about at our Shop tab, HERE.
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25 Experience Gifts for the Family with Too Many Toys
How We Said Goodbye to Mountains of Toys Forever
The Best Use of the Elf on the Shelf Ever (And Get Rid of Some Excess Toys to Boot)