Gifts for Kids: 3 Reasons to Choose One Gift This Year!

Birthdays and holidays are occasions full of joy – and one big gift can bring even more excitement to big day! From toddler to teen, it’s never too early to teach your kids strong values around gifting and show them how to value quality over quantity. The best gifts for kids are the ones that teach them gratitude. Here are three reasons group gifting is preferred by kids, parents, and our planet!

Better for kids’ development

Studies show that fewer toys actually cultivate more creativity, playfulness, and social skills amongst kids — and the less they have, the more they play! Further, fewer gifts nourish self-confidence, imagination, and problem-solving abilities, while helping families avoid the negative implications of too much stuff, such as lowered attention spans and decreased joy.

Additional studies show that broadening the definition of gifts to include experiences such as a family trip or swimming lessons can also boost kids’ intelligence, generosity, and gratitude. Experiences also give kids the most meaningful gift of all: spending quality time as a family, which will be cherished longer than any toy.

Talking to your child about what one gift they’d like for their upcoming birthday can empower them to thoughtfully consider what they need, learn the value of saving and giving back, and appreciate their gifts longer.

More sustainable for our planet

5 billion pounds. That’s the amount of returned goods each holiday season that is likely to end up in a landfill, according to reverse logistics company Optoro. And in the returns process, 15 million tons of CO₂ is emitted. Pretty nuts, right?

When we asked children about the gifts they received for their last birthday and holiday season, kids resoundingly agreed that there were only a couple of gifts that they liked and regularly played with. What happens to the rest? Here’s what Ryan and Joseph, ages 9, told us last fall:

Joseph: A lot get thrown out

Ryan: …or are in the attic

Joseph: …or my brothers just destroy it

Ryan: …and the presents I don’t really
play with get lost

With the lifespan of toys shorter than ever, it’s up to us to be more intentional with our buying behaviors. Did you know that more than half of returned gifts cannot be restocked, and that half the paper consumption in the US is for gift wrapping? Additionally, since most toys cannot be recycled, unwanted toys are essentially destined for landfills that have a distinct impact on the environment and global warming.

By choosing to only buy one meaningful gift, you’re replacing 20 small plastic toys with one big one that kids will cherish for a long time. Plus, you’re decreasing the amount of wrapping paper and packaging that is tossed in the trash after every birthday and holiday. 

Parents are onboard with extending their values to gift-giving. Here’s what mom Amelia told us:

Amelia: Our family works hard to minimize our environmental impact and we ask family to echo our values through their gift choices. Presently couldn’t possibly have made that easier for my son this past holiday season through their gifting platform.

Makes parents lives a whole lot easier

Whether you’re dealing with returns after getting three of the same Monopoly sets, or having to figure out the perfect gift to get your child’s classmate, a group gift simplifies the process for receivers and givers alike.

On the side of the gift receiver, parents have more control over what their kids are gifted and can minimize clutter around the home. Parents can avoid receiving hundreds of dollars of small plastic toys and spending hours returning duplicate and unwanted gifts. Instead, they can choose to set up a group gift to share the cost of a larger and more meaningful gift with friends and family. The icing on the cake: group gifting presents a great opportunity to teach kids valuable lessons around intentionality and conscious consumerism.

A parent named Meredith shared her take on Scary Mommy:

Meredith: “So, please don’t buy my kids more toys. I’m begging you. I spend hours going through toy boxes and cleaning stuff out to donate. My kids don’t miss them. They might complain in the moment, but I’ve yet to hear them say, ‘I really miss that purple squishy ball I got back in 2010 from Grandma.'”

On the side of the gift giver, parents can spend less time searching for the perfect gift for their kids’ friends – which in an average class may mean shopping for 20 birthday parties a year. Also, gift-givers can feel confident that they’re not wasting money on unwanted presents that will end up in the basement or next summer’s garage sale.

Here’s why parent Mikhail loves Presently’s group gifting experience:

Mikhail: “My wife and I have three kids and for each of their friends’ birthdays, we’re always stressing to figure out the right gift. Presently takes all the guesswork and complexity out for us as gift-givers (and receivers) and makes our lives significantly easier.”

The best gifts for kids

So for your kids’ upcoming birthdays, we encourage parents to adopt the Presently mentality around gift-giving: one child, one gift. Gift better, together. You kids, family, and the planet will all appreciate it. Set up your group gift here.