The Easiest Way To Holiday Shop For Your Children

As parents, we want to give our children everything in this world, we want to provide them with what they ask for within reason. While it's recommended to buy toys that help in learning and development, we tend to buy things they've been asking for most during the holiday season. Below is a simple approach to follow to make our holiday shopping easier.

The simplest way is to shop for things that follow these four categories: Wants, Needs, Wear, Read. You don't have to stick to the philosophy of just one item per category but it's a great method to implement to make sure the holiday gifts are both something useful and something they'd like. Let's expand on each section to get a sense of the things you could gift in each area.

Wants

For this category, you get to have a lot of fun. Perhaps, they want an elaborate dollhouse or train set that they've been eyeing for a long time. Expensive video game systems or anything else you wouldn't usually buy on a typical Target run falls into this category. This category is also useful when other people shop for your child. It's like putting together a wish list. This is especially useful for yourself too to indicate to your partner what you want for the holidays. You might be eyeing the most popular perfumes or a pair of boots. You can be specific with your list. The holidays can be stressful for mamas, and we deserve to get a treat too!

Needs

You know your children's needs best. Does your child need a new snowsuit or new winter boots? These are the types of things you can buy from this category. You can also include big-ticket items like a "big kid bed" if your toddler is transitioning out of their crib or toddler bed. You can even get your family members to help get the items in this category too. When you buy from this category, you'd know the items will be used and not wasted.

Wear

While some items in the "needs" category can also fall into this category - let's face it, children run through and ruin clothes pretty quickly! So, you can go for items that they could wear a lot, something trendy or you can make it seasonal. Since the holidays occur during wintertime, the wear category could include warm, winter clothing like mittens, scarfs and toques. 

Read

The holidays are all about making memories with our loved ones, and that includes our children! Studies show that reading with one another can be beneficial to children's language development. Instilling a love of reading and learning in your children is helpful for the long run. So feel free to splurge in this category! The more extensive your child's library, the more diverse the selection is for them to choose from - and you! We've all been there reading their same favourite book night after night, and as much as we love it, it can also get old! Books are great options for other people looking to buy a gift for your child during the holidays. You might even want to consider a gift card from your local book store so the child can choose a book on their own - it also eliminates the chance of getting duplicates that you would have to return or donate.

Utilizing the want, need, wear, read method of shopping will save you a ton of time, energy, and money. As parents, sometimes it might seem like we don't have enough of one or all of these categories. So, if you're feeling overwhelmed this time of year, as many can, try implementing this method for a more effortless shopping experience. That way, you have plenty of time to enjoy the time with your kids and other loved ones, which is what the season is all about. Have a Happy Holidays!