Selecting the appropriate gift takes some thought. One key to choosing the right gift is considering the child's interests, skills, and strengths. The current market contains numerous skill toys, books, software, and other gift items. Particularly given the trend toward "learning" toys, it should be easy to provide both hours of fun and entertainment and to get the approval of parents and teachers. There is nothing worse than feeling as though you've given an inappropriate gift which won't be played with or worse - will be re-gifted at the next holiday.



Kids are naturally drawn to toys, games, and hobbies that challenge them and play to their strengths. Every child has a preferred method of learning, whether visual, verbal, auditory, or physical (kinesthetic). Your challenge is to recognize the appropriate method and select a gift accordingly. Kids who are more artistically inclined might enjoy crayons, stickers, markers, gel pens, designer paper, colored pencils, scissors, sidewalk chalk, watercolors, homemade rubber stamps, "how to draw" books, calligraphy sets, or origami instructions and colored paper. An art supply gift not only encourages youngsters to use their imagination, it can also prove you with the opportunity to spend some quality time with them.

Books have always been a great gift for all age groups. Many different types of kids" books are available in the market, everything from musical or "squeaky" books for toddlers to short stories for preschoolers to adventure tales for older children. The most important part of choosing an appropriate gift for a child is to understand the nature and interests of the child before making a selection.

When in doubt, ask. Ask the child (as subtly as you can), if they're not your ask the parents or if you have friends or acquaintances with similar age kids ask them.

Today, you can also find many electronic gifts for kids that are attractive while many of these are useful tools for improving the knowledge and skill level of the child some should probably be avoided. Computer games that help kids become more familiar with computers are readily available, but so are mind-numbing, repetitious and even violent games. Choose with care when looking at technological toys. What may seem a harmless diversion may prove to be a tool for wasting hours.

Whatever you choose, you will get great joy when you find and give a special gift to a child.