5 tips For Choosing A Toy Gift For A Kid You Don't Know

Articles on Kids | Topics: kids, kid

by Vivien Orr

Buying a gift for a child you don't know can sometimes prove quite overwhelming. It can lead you into a state of panic or embarrassment. Panic that what if you don't get the child the right gift? You should remember there is no real wrong gift; at least you were thoughtful enough to buy a gift in the first place. You can experience embarrassment and question your choice if you don't really know how old the child is. It would be horrible if you get them a four year olds gift and they were ten. Making a quick call to the parents can help you with figuring out their age. If you are stuck with this dilemma, be sure to use these five tips to help you choose the right gift for a child you don't know.

Talk To The Parents

Ask the age of the child. You want to get the right age group toy for the child. Better make sure you know the gender of the child also. I don't think a little boy would be too happy receiving a Barbie car for the occasion. Nor would a little girl be too happy to receive a Matchbox car set. Don't get young children toys such as a Bionic set, it'll be too complicated for them and the pieces will probably just get lost.

Use Gender To Help You Along

Even though it may sound sexist, gender can really help you choose a great gift. If the child is a boy, try Matchbox cars. All little boys love to crash the cars together or have car races. Lego's is another great toy gift. It's a kid's fascination to see how high he or she can get the Lego's to go before they will tip over. Girls love Barbie's. What little girl wouldn't want to fantasize about being that beautiful when she gets older?

Choose Via Color

Bit of History

I feel free as a bird. I’m in a unique position because I’m the boss. I buy what I like. I initiate things. I can experiment with all kinds of things I think the kids might be interested in. Nobody interferes. For me, it’s no chore to go to work. Most people never get to do this at any time in their lives.

—Sarah Houghton, U.S. librarian. As quoted in Working, book 9, by Studs Terkel (1973)

Ask the parents what colors the child likes. Get them a toy that is colorful and that will light up their eyes. If the child hates blue don't get them a toy that is completely blue. If the girl hates pink, don't get her a pink baby that she can cuddle. Try putting together a small bag of things that are of their favorite color. For instance, if they love red, put in a red fire truck, a red sucker, a red shirt, and red socks. Children love themed gifts. Just be sure to get their color choice right so it will be personal and appropriate.

Current Choices

Make sure the toy is current. Get the child something that is new, such as a toy that has just been released. This way you can almost be certain they don't already own one. You don't want to get a girl a Barbie car if she already has one. She won't be thrilled with that. If she has a car already, get her a Barbie jeep. You may have to ask the parents on this one as well. A boy is not going to want a football, if he has two of them already. Get them something that they can enjoy with their friends or that will give them hours of entertainment amongst themselves.

Don't Overspend

Don't spend an arm and leg when shopping for a child you don't know. You can get inexpensive toys that last just as long as, or longer than, toys that are more expensive. You can go to a dollar store and get a coloring book, crayons, and balloons for fewer than five dollars. It's a gift that can be unisex and it will give the child hours of unforgettable entertainment. I've come to realize that the more expensive a toy is, the less the child really has interest in it. Smaller children are classic examples. You can pay thirty dollars on expensive toys and they will toss them aside within five minutes. You get a package in the mail and they'll want the box it came in. They will build a fort or a clubhouse from it and cry when you try to throw it out. It's the child's imagination that really makes a toy work. The more the child can do with the toy, the better they will like it.

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Please note: All personal opinions expressed in the "5 tips For Choosing A Toy Gift For A Kid You Don't Know" article belong to the contributing author and are not necessarily shared by FamilyBabyKids.com.

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