Because my husband and I live at a distance from Kai, I’m always looking for ways to let him know we’re thinking of him. I don’t want to depend on gifts to show this, but once in a while, it’s fun to send him something small through the mail or to give gifts when we visit. These are some things I bought this spring.
- Spring shoes and sunglasses. Spring is here, which means warm weather is on the way! Among other stores, Old Navy sells inexpensive, colorful flip flops like these. My friend recently mentioned that she found a pair of two dollar purple clogs for her granddaughter at a dollar store. I found some Spiderman sunglasses for Kai at Walmart, but lots of other stores carry kids’ sunglasses too.
- Puzzles. Puzzles are easy to find and great for kids’ cognitive and motor skill development.
3. Kinetic sand. Like playdough and slime, Kinetic Sand is great for creative sensory play and fine motor skills. It’s slightly sticky – kind of like damp sand from the beach – and easier to clean up after than regular, dry sand. I bought a small container of purple Kinetic Sand from Walmart. When I showed it to Kai, he knew exactly what to do, because his parents bought him a Kinetic Sand Construction Kit at Christmas. He played with the old and new sand, as well as the kit, for a long time.
4. Twinkle lights. Twinkling lights make any room cozier, including your grandchild’s room! I ordered a string of star lights from Amazon to go with the space theme Kai’s mom created in his room.
5. Water games (or other toys from your childhood). Don’t forget to introduce your grandchildren to the childhood games you loved. Before cell phones and video games, my brother used to have a water game like the one pictured above. Having grandkids gives you an opportunity to play these games again. 😉
What inexpensive, sugar-free gifts have you given your grandchildren that they love?
These are all great options! And all things you can do/use with your grandkids, too. He sure loves his thoughtful and fun Nana!!