AA Gifts & Baskets Idea Blog

Archive for the ‘Kids’ Category

Just as there are books for every subject, there are also a fitting book gifts for every occasion!  At All About Gifts & Baskets we carry a large variety of book gifts for men, women, young and old!

Check out our selection of sympathy book gift baskets.  An appropriate book selection, like a Footprints In The Sand  flip book containing inspirational quotes for each day, is surrounded by items to help soothe the grieving soul.

If your favorite bookworm is celebrating a birthday, we have a birthday book gift for them!  Many of our baskets give you a choice of popular best sellers to include along with delicious snacks like butter toffee popcorn, cookies, pretzels and more!

It’s never to early to start Baby’s own library!  We carry a large variety of baby gift book baskets for the new arrival!  Many of our baskets also include other essentials for baby like toys and plush animals.  The parents will appreciate a gift that enhances “together” time!

Best of all, we carry a variety of book baskets that can cover any occasion – even no occasion!

Reading to your child everyday is one of the most important things you can do for your child – and it should start even when they’re a baby! A baby listens to everything that is said to them and stores it away.  You can broaden their vocabulary more quickly by reading stories and poetry . In fact reading to your child everyday can very easily develop into lifelong enjoyment of a fantastic hobby for your child.

You might think that your child is not interested in reading, but there are several ways to spark their interest with a little patience and injection of fun into the process. If kids feel like they are being forced to read, then they will dislike it. But if you start the process at an early age, reading can become second nature to your children.

Make sure you are aware of your child’s interest, and choose books accordingly. A field trip to the library is a great idea, then they can choose their own books. You may be surprised to find what your child wants to learn about!

Praise and compliment your child’s reading abilities, to build their confidence level and increase their enjoyment of reading. If reading makes your child feel good, they will continue to do it!

One of the most successful techniques for teaching your child to read is the show and read technique. This is where you read to your child while pointing at each word as you read so that your child can see the words and repeat them. Doing this on a daily basis will not only help your child learn to recognize words, but it helps with their memory skills as well!

When a child sees a word and hears it being pronounced at the same time, they will in time learn to recognize the word, how it is said, what it means and how to use it in a sentence. This can take many repetitions, but they will get there.

Remember – reading is one of the best gifts you can give your child, because that skill will help them develop into a successful student and adult!

There are plenty of get well gift baskets on the market, but if you have the time you could create a personalized basket just for them to cheer them up and make them smile.

Any kind of container will do for the basket. You could choose a small laundry basket or plastic bin.  Check the kids bedroom/storage area of a store like Target or Walmart for fun totes, baskets, etc.

First of all, let’s think about food. There are plenty of healthy snacks that kids love like fruit snacks, crackers and granola bars.  Fresh fruit and drink pouches could also be included.  And if you really want to put a smile on their face, you could add their favorite candy!

Reading books and activity books make great gifts to put into the gift basket. A coloring book could keep them busy while they’re stuck in bed.  Don’t forget the crayons if you go for this option.

Playdoh and clay make great activities for a sick child, especially as they have the time to put some thought to it (and can get some help from you). Some masterpieces can be created, in this time of illness, to put in a place of honor for all to see.

There are plenty of children’s movies on DVD that you include in the gift basket. Or maybe a tabletop game like chess, mini monopoly or scrabble that you can play with your child while they are ill.

Last, but not least, don’t forget the cuddly plush animal – an essential friend in the recovery process!

A basket loaded with Easter fun!

If you have a special little ones who live near or far,  we have great Easter Baskets filled with fun activities and delicious candies made just for them!

Imagine their surprise when they open a package bursting with activities, goodies and even a plush Easter Bunny of their very own.

A great choice is the Bunny Hugs Easter Basket.  We have either a boy or girl version that both include an 8″ plush Easter Bunny, 35 page Peeps coloring book, candy corn, Starburst fruit gels, jelly beans, fruit scented bubbles, 3 milk chocolate bunny pals, pastel magic spring, Nerds candies and spring fruit Skittles.

The girl version includes a 3 piece Candy Necklace gift set and the boy version includes a Sports Themed candy set.

Check out our complete Easter Basket selection at All About Gifts & Baskets!

A great birthday party theme for both boys and girls is pets!   You could focus on one particular species like puppies, kittens, horses, etc or use all types of animals in your theme.

Below are a few games and activities that would make the day even more memorable!

Pet Adoption Set up a pet adoption center with small plush animals and let each child “adopt” one. Give each child a shoe box to create a home for their new animal. Provide colorful paper, sticky backed craft foam, craft foam flowers, glue sticks, scissors etc. The children can cover and decorate their very own pet house to take home.

Animal Make-Overs Let the kids become the pets! When the children arrive give them an animal ear headband of their choice, or let them make some of their own! You can use felt ears on a plastic headband, or use construction paper to create bunny, kitty or puppy ears. Use fake feathers if they would like a bird headband. You can complete the look by drawing whiskers and noses on the children with face paint.

Hopstacle Course Players will hop like bunnies through an obstacle course you’ve created with pillows, boxes, chairs etc.

Lilly Pad Hopping Like musical chairs! Make fabric or felt lily pads and place them in a circle. Play music while the kids hop from pad to pad. When the music stops everyone has to find a pad. The frog without a pad is out! Take one pad away and start again.

Pin the Tail on the . . . Monkey, Bunny (use cotton balls), puppy or kitty.

Little kids loves trains – especially little boys!  There are so many fun ideas to bring a train theme to your party games, decorations, food and more!

How about making a cupcake train?  One idea is to frost each cupcake a different color, connect each “car” with licorice and use Nilla Wafers as wheels.

Below are some of my favorite train themed games and activities to make your little one’s birthday a hit!

Coal Toss Decorate buckets or shoe boxes like trains. Have each child toss “coal” (balls of tin foil, rolled up black socks or beanbags) into the buckets. 3 in a row or the most coal in wins.

Station Stops A fun idea is to create different “Stations” for each child to stop at. Tape up a sign giving each station a number. You can even pass out “boarding passes” for each child to take to the stations. Some examples of stations are:

1. Cookie Decorating Station
2. Punch/Soda Station
3. Tattoo Station (have Temporary Tattoos for the children to put on)
4. Coloring Station (Lay out color sheets from coloring books or printed from your computer).
5. Train Painting (Buy wooden train ornaments from your local craft store and set out water paints for each child to paint their own train).

Follow the Locomotive Line up the kids with the birthday child at the head of the train. Turn on some fun music and have the birthday child lead the “train of people” by making creative moves that everyone must follow (e.g., jumping, hopping, skipping, spinning, rolling on the ground, waving arms and any other fun gestures.