{"id":7198,"date":"2017-04-07T06:00:36","date_gmt":"2017-04-07T10:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.elfster.com\/?p=7198"},"modified":"2023-02-10T14:02:50","modified_gmt":"2023-02-10T19:02:50","slug":"art-music-just-case-gifts-keep-around-house-creative-birthday-gift-ideas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.elfster.com\/blog\/2017\/04\/07\/art-music-just-case-gifts-keep-around-house-creative-birthday-gift-ideas\/","title":{"rendered":"Artful Just-In-Case Gifts to Keep around the House for Creative Birthday Gift Ideas"},"content":{"rendered":"

I\u2019m in elementary school and opening the hallway closet in my childhood home, which can mean only one thing\u2014it\u2019s time for a birthday party! The hallway closet is a magical place, stuffed to the brim with colorful wrapping paper, bows of all colors, gift bags, and the most glorious bounty of them all: a neatly stacked pile of white boxes, each holding a miniature porcelain doll. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Kids can never have too many crayons | Image courtesy Etsy seller BeeLovelyBotanicals<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The dolls are presents waiting to be selected, wrapped, and given as a gift to one of my friends on their birthday. Every year my mom would stock up, buying ten or so of the dolls for celebrations, choosing a different colored dress each year so none of my friends would ever be disappointed by a repeat.<\/span><\/p>\n

When I was a kid, dolls were de rigueur, but these days I try to keep more stimulating, creative gifts on hand for kids; I\u2019m always excited when my children are given toys that require active participation. When they give out presents and birthday gifts, I want to make sure what they\u2019re gifting is interactive and inspirational. I also like to keep gender-neutral toys that aren’t blue or pink on hand so I can give them to any kiddo regardless of their gender expression\u2014and don’t have to stock up on two colors of every item.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now that I have my own gift closet full of artistically-stimulating toys, when celebrations come knocking, my kids and I just swing open the door and pluck out a present that is sure to encourage creativity and personal expression, no frantic trip to the store required.<\/p>\n

Choosing Gifts That Inspire Expression<\/h4>\n

For kids, toys are tools. When my daughter was a baby, you could just see the wheels spinning in her mind every time she lifted her favorite popsicle rattle and tried to put it in her mouth. Her first toys taught her the basics, from motor skills to spatial reasoning. Older now, she and her brother both use toys to express themselves, whether that means inventing new worlds in their head while they play with action figures or laying their imaginations out on paper with the help of some paint. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Rattles instrumental in baby’s development | Image courtesy Etsy seller TheFoxintheAttic<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I was forever breaking crayons and running out of my favorite colors of paint when I was growing up, so when I got a present that refreshed my art supplies, I was ecstatic. I loved opening a present and finding a colorful array of crayons or colored pencils inside\u2014and I can still remember the fresh, soothing scent of a brand new pad of drawing paper just waiting to be filled with color. It didn\u2019t matter if it was something I already had, either, because I knew I would need a replacement sooner or later. And having a plethora of art supplies in the house means <\/span>your kids can make their own gifts<\/span><\/a> for other people as well. <\/span><\/p>\n

I was also quite musical as a kid and loved getting new cassettes to play in my boombox (I know, that ages me…). My sister and I used to belt out <\/span>Annie<\/span><\/i> for hours on end, much to my parents\u2019 chagrin. And, I got pretty good at the theme from <\/span>Titanic<\/span><\/i> on my elementary school band recorder before upgrading to the clarinet. Both physical art and music helped me work through my emotions growing up; as a <\/span>shy, introverted kid who got nervous about parties<\/span><\/a>, having these outlets helped me to express myself in a way I wasn\u2019t necessarily comfortable doing through talking and social interaction alone.<\/span><\/p>\n

Whether it\u2019s sketching, singing, or making 3D versions of <\/span>their favorite Minecraft designs<\/span><\/a>, all kids have some sort of artsy outlet that lets them express their imaginations and inner selves. Keep a few of these toys in your gift closet so you always have last-minute presents that nurture hobbies and help little ones explore their most authentic selves:<\/span><\/p>\n

For Miniature Monets<\/b><\/p>\n

Ages 3-5<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n