Do children need lots of toys to have a fun childhood? The research actually shows that they don’t! There are so many alternatives to buying kids toys that are more beneficial instead.
Instead of toys, kids need lots of time to be creative, ask questions, and just simply explore the world around them! I think homeschoolers, and unschoolers specifically, have really figured this out. By keeping our children’s toys at a minimum, we are actually allowing them to expand their own creativity.
Our culture today has become so consumeristic and so many things are geared toward our children. The marketing tells us that children need so many different things, all the new toys, and even their own playrooms filled with all their things.
But really, when our kids are drowning in toys they lose their interest in imaginative and creative play. When our children are given the time to be bored with a few items to be creative with, it gives them a chance to be the curious kids they were designed to be!
There are so many benefits to having minimal toys for your kids! And there are practical things that your kids need that aren’t toys instead. If you don’t know where to start, these are the best alternatives to buying kids toys.
Let’s check them out…
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Experiences
Our kids want to experience the world! Take them to the beach, the museum, the aquarium, the zoo, the mall, the amusement park, the arcade, the ski hill, the playground, the swimming pool, the library, the creek, the petting farm, the apple orchard, the corn maze, the bowling alley, the community garden, the nature trails, and I could go on and on.
There are so many unique experiences for our children to experience if we just stop purchasing toys and spend our money on these things instead! In fact, we set aside a fun for our children called their “Adventure Fund.”
It is an actual bank account where we deposit money they have been gifted and then use it on fun experiences throughout the year! You can read more about it in this blog post.
Focus on getting out of the house and doing some of these things with your children! They range from free to a bit more expensive, so do what fits within your family budget and then save for bigger events.
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Pets
Have you ever considered buying your child a pet? It could be a gecko, hamster, dog, cat, chicken, rabbit, or fish to name a few more simple ones!
A pet is a fantastic one of the alternatives to buying kids toys because it teaches responsibility to your children. They have to learn how to love, care for, and keep this pet alive.
But it also lets them have something uniquely theirs. They can name it, take it on walks, go on adventures with it, and more. Of course, be sure your child is the appropriate age to care for the pet before bringing it home. You don’t want the animal to be neglected by your child, as that would defeat the purpose.
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Books
Reading with our children is incredibly beneficial to their minds! It helps our children fall in love with literature and become better readers themselves. And, when they are better readers, they can read about anything and learn so much about the world!
Like toys, children don’t need to be drowning in books either. So having a large bookshelf with age-appropriate books is a great one of the alternatives to buying kids toys.
There are so many resources online with book lists for children of specific ages. There are also so many places to purchase cheap books for your children. This could be the thrift store, thriftbooks.com, bookoutlet.com, Facebook marketplace, or just visiting your local library and borrowing books for free each week!
Instead of purchasing toys for your children, consider purchasing books for them to keep the spark of learning and reading alive in them!
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Educational Items
Educational games and puzzles are more favorite things for our family to have in the house. You can also find these so cheap at local thrift stores or even from friends who have outgrown them!
When children regularly play board games and work on puzzles, it helps develop the area of their mind that focuses on problem-solving and strategy development. It teaches them to think outside of the box and try new things.
I would encourage you to invest in several educational games and puzzles that are age-appropriate for your child. Instead of doing a family movie night, have a family game night instead!
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Invest In Their Interests
Does your child love to fish? Buy them all the fishing supplies they need to get really good at that skill! Maybe your daughter is really into sewing. Buy her a sewing machine and fabric and let her explore her interests for hours and hours.
If your child loves to bake, get them their own baking dishes and ingredients. Let them bake in the kitchen for hours each day to get good at various recipes. Or perhaps your child is really into snowboarding. Take them to the local sledding hill and let them practice.
Discover what your child is super interested in and then supply them with everything they need to master that skill!
Instead of buying your children all these one-time-use toys at Christmas and their birthday, set aside that money to invest in their interests throughout the year. It is discouraging children to explore their interests when we don’t have the funds to jumpstart them on it.
Even though your child probably doesn’t say it, they want you to provide them with the tools and items needed to explore things that really interest them!
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Art Supplies
Craft and art supplies are another one of the great alternatives to buying kids toys. Crafting is a fun way for children to be creative and one that is necessary for their development.
This could be as simple as finding old dishes at the thrift store and creating a mud kitchen in your backyard. Or it could be buying all specific crafting items to follow a specific tutorial on how to make a specific art piece.
I think crafting needs to be both unstructured and structured at times! Have some structured time where your child can make whatever they want with the craft items you have stored away. Then, have other times when you teach them a specific tutorial to hone in on specific skills.
Either way, spend your money on craft supplies instead of silly toys this year!
These are our family’s best alternatives to buying kids toys! Which is your favorite? Let me know in the comments below!
Kelsey at GoodPointGrandma
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