Then he got into a conversation with a friend who could not think of what to give your son for his birthday and realized that the problem was urgent. The main difficulty is that all children are different. And while my child was gathering a football team, he was sitting at home and reading about the rare butterflies of the North Caucasus.
It turns out that there is no universal recipe for choosing a gift. But I will talk about my father’s experience and observations.
See More: Original Birthday Gifts for Dad
How to Choose a Gift
Just Like Others
There is a strong competitive spirit in the children’s team. Children want to play on an equal footing with their peers, to attract the attention of friends. It often happens that if you do not have a toy, like everyone else, you are not invited to play. Therefore, if a child wants a toy “like Vitya from kindergarten”, just give it to him.
Consider Interests
Look what your son is doing. A lot can tell about his interests: posters, videos that he watches every day, lifestyle, and friends. All this is a storehouse of gift ideas for my son. If a young naturalist grows up in a family, then there is no need to give him skates and a stick. A plant reference book, a herbarium collection box, or an ant farm would be more to his liking.
Consider Age and Time of Year
Give only what is interesting and necessary for the child right now, and not for growth or the next season. Giving skis in the summer is a bad idea. Like a 16+ video game for 12-year-olds.
Occasion
An expensive gift given on a holiday with animators will be remembered for a long time. But it’s not worth parting with such festivities: gifts for Sons’ Day, for example, can be symbolic.
Collections by Age
1–3 Years
What to give your son for a year? Toddlers explore the world around them playfully, and so that the little explorer does not get hurt, the first toys must be safe. Harsh sounds and bright acid colors can frighten the child, small details can end up in the mouth. Interesting gifts:
- A developing board (business board) with simple mechanisms (buttons, zippers, plugs, sockets) trains the fine motor skills of an inquisitive baby.
- Pool with balls. A holiday can be every day! Even an adult will not refuse to take a “ball” bath.
- Music book. The child can choose fairy tales by himself by pressing the buttons. Only there is one caveat: mom and dad will also have to learn all the fairy tales by heart.
- fabric tunnel. It does not take up much space, and the child can decompose it himself. It will be fun for the child to crawl on it and play hide and seek.
Here the child is getting older, and the list of his opportunities and interests is growing. You can donate:
- Balance bike or tricycle. It remains to teach the child to ride, and you can arrange family “rides”.
- Electric car. Serious gear for serious kids. Attention: to drive a mini-mobile, you need to get a license from a mini-driving school!
- Play-Doh modeling kit.
- Lego Duplo constructor.
- Children’s play sets. A young doctor, a firefighter and a policeman will be delighted with the gift.
- Musical toys. Find your kid’s favorite cartoon character.
If your son is going to his friend’s birthday and you don’t know what to give, make a symbolic present like a small car, and give your parents a certificate. They know best what their child needs.
4–6 Years
Boys believe that at the age of 5 they are already quite adults and can decide for themselves what gift to receive. True, they can want everything at once. Rather, make a list of gifts that is acceptable to you and ask your child to choose one. A good gift will direct the mischievous energy in the right direction, teach new skills, and not let you get bored.
- Game complex. Home or street (in the garden of a country house). The battery of young fidgets is always charged, so they can tumble, ride down a hill, and climb anywhere they want all day long.
- Robot pet. Such a little friend at first will replace a child with a real pet. The boy will learn to care for, respect, and love a pet.
- Cars. Almost every boy would like his collection of cars. But cars alone are boring. We need a racing track! With it, you can arrange competitions, and run cars at high speed along steep turns.
- Bicycle or scooter. Walking in the park can become a favorite family Sunday vacation. And the ability to ride a bike will develop coordination.
- Creative boys can be gifted with a painting or sculpting kit, a giant coloring book, a synthesizer, or something from the DIY range.
- Constructor. Lego has been set not only for toddlers but also for older children. So right after Duplo, you can buy Creator, City, Friends, and Ninjago.
7–12 Years Old
The guys spend a lot of time at school, in circles, and sections. But still, there is time to relax with family and chat with friends. Choose a gift based on the hobbies and temperament of the child, or directly ask what all his peers are playing now. For example:
- Blaster NERF. If the son has many friends with a similar arsenal, then they will arrange a “nerf” battle, comparable in scale and intensity to the best action movies.
- Puzzle constructors. Of these, the child will be able to assemble, disassemble and reassemble complex structures. For example, a magnetic neo-cube will develop logic and abstract thinking.
- Board games. It can be a role-playing game based on a movie or cartoon. Or good old dice games.
- Something related to your favorite characters. Is your son a Star Wars fan? Gift a Lego Death Star or a laser sword.
- A set for experiments, a microscope, binoculars, a telescope – if the son is fond of science.
- Walk to the trampoline center. If you hire an instructor, the child will learn how to perform simple acrobatic elements.
- Holiday with animators. For example, your favorite cartoon characters.
- A day at the amusement park. Although not every such park can be compared to Disneyland, the thrill can be experienced everywhere.
- “Simple Dimple”, “Pop It”. What, you don’t have them yet?
13–15 Years Old
Young people at this age begin to spend more time with friends than at home. Some like to walk and give themselves, and their appearance a lot of time. Others are more interested in gathering teams in online games and spending their free time in battles. Here’s what was on my list when choosing a gift for my eldest son:
- Fitness bracelet.
- Anti-theft backpack with a combination lock.
- Thermo cup with individual design.
- Gaming laptop or console.
- Tablet.
- The in-game currency in a computer game.
And my friend took his son to the barbershop for his 15th birthday to get a cool haircut, and then they went shopping together.
16–18 Years
At the age of 16, almost adult opportunities open up before the guys. For example, go to a driving school, get a license and even drive a car (in the presence of adults). But children grow up at different speeds, which must be taken into account. And while some are saving up money for the first car, others are driving this very car in virtual reality glasses.
Collections by Hobbies
Athlete
- Attributes of specific sports, and teams.
- Sports shoes, clothing, ammunition.
- Sports nutrition, dietary supplements.
- Shakers, thermoses, thermos mugs.
- Tickets for the games of your favorite teams.
Creative Nature
- Musical instruments.
- Tablet for drawing.
- Equipment for creating electronic music.
Lover to Read
- Collectible editions of books.
- Audiobooks, digital and paper books.
- Electronic books
Gamer
- Gaming keyboard, joystick, mouse, headphones, microphone.
- Skins for items in your favorite game.
- Virtual reality glasses.
- Collector editions of games.
Lover of series and Movies
- Tablet.
- Subscription to services for watching movies and series.
- Movie tickets.
- Merch with your favorite characters.
music Lover
- Speakers, audio systems, and record players.
- Wireless headphones.
- iPod.
- Subscription to music services.
- Tickets for a concert of your favorite band.
Gifts-emotions
Material gifts are quickly forgotten and replaced by others. A truly memorable gift is an impression.
- The feeling of flying: skydiving, wind tunnel, helicopter, or hot air balloon flight. A person of any age will get an unforgettable experience.
- Diving, a day at the water park. A great gift if the water beckons more than the sky.
- Quests.
- Hike to the shooting range, and play paintball.
Gift for Adult Son
Tip: It’s best to ask your son before buying. Otherwise, you can make a gift that does not correspond to his interests and lifestyle. My parents did just that, asking: “Tomorrow is Son’s Day, what to give you”? I had a problem with storing my motorcycle outside for a long time, so I said without hesitation: “I need a motorcycle cover.”
Choosing gifts for a son, on the one hand, is difficult, but on the other, not. Sometimes it’s enough just to ask what the child is interested in, how he spends his free time, who his friends are, and what he dreams about. And then the idea for a gift will come to mind itself.