No-Waste Gift Ideas: Classes

This year, instead of buying the little ones toys that will fill the house, start them on a new hobby. Leah, one of our readers, gives a great example of what this could look like:

“With two growing daughters who are 4 and 6 years old, the list of items they actually need seems to get a bit smaller as they get older. Sure there are plenty of items they want and their list of interests seem to expand daily. Their actual needs are very basic; they have food and roof over their head, clothes for growing bodies, friends, physical activity, creative outlets and lots of learning opportunities. Truly, that’s all they need and there are simple ways to meet those needs.”

As a mother and reader of deliberateLIFE, Leah knows that there is a better option than buying more gifts and recognizes the struggle that parents have to balance the needs and wants of her children. “For every new movie or attraction, there’s an entire line of merchandise. I desperately wanted to get back to the simpler days of pulling out a few puzzles, reading and doing ABCs. I had to think of a way to decrease the stuff that entered our home on Christmas and birthdays, then our youngest became old enough to take the same classes as her sister. Suddenly, our monthly budget for their weekly activities like swimming, gymnastics, soccer and dance, was almost the cost of our food budget; so I asked their grandparents to give a series of classes as a Christmas or birthday gift. The joy my girls experience and the confidence and skills that are built over time are far greater than any enjoyment they will receive from the toys and games received. Plus we get some great pictures to send home to the grandparents. Thanks grandma and grandpa!”

Give new experiences to your little loved ones this year and watch them blossom. Your investment in classes also supports the local economy and encourages connection between you and your neighbors – win, win, win.