This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CelebrateAmazingBdays #CollectiveBias
Summer is such a fun time of year for families, although there are the inevitable long and hot days that leave us asking “is it fall yet?” – one of the staples of summer is the birthday parties. There seems to be so many birthday parties during this season! Since all the birthday parties we go to this day seem to be to toddlers, or the 1-4 age range, that’s what we’ve been working on around here. And toddlers are really fun to wrap presents for. They could care less what is actually inside the present (mine would be thrilled with the empty box) but there’s some magic purely in getting a present to unwrap at this age! Here are some ways to make it extra fun:
(1) Seasonally appropriate and colored wrapping paper – for summer we go with bright colors. I love doing plain colored paper for this age so that we can find ways to make the packages fun on our own and get my own toddler involved with the wrapping!
(2) Stickers. Maddie Grace can’t really draw or cut out anything yet so stickers are the perfect way for her to get hands on with wrapping presents for her friends. These bright hearts from American Greetings kept her occupied for a solid 30 minutes and she loved that she was able to help me out.
(3) Washi Tape. This is a great way to add some pattern and contrast to the gift you are wrapping. Plus it’s easy and fast!
(4) Construction Paper Cut Outs. This is great for making simple shapes and images that toddlers will have fun identifying. I thought a sun and ice cream cone were perfect for summer and Maddie Grace agreed, and was reminded that she really needed some ice cream to eat while watching me wrap.
(5) The perfect card. Toddlers (for the most part) can’t read yet, so it may seem silly to even think about a card. But it’s a great touch and I love that American Greetings has some that will brighten up the day of a toddler even if they can’t tell what it says. My little one is Sofia the First obsessed (as many little girls are) so we picked out this card for her friends upcoming birthday party. Her friend won’t know what it says but I know she will be so happy to see Sofia and realize that the amulet comes off the card for her to wear as a necklace!
And brainstorming what to get a toddler for a summer gift? I always worry about adding more junk to a kids collection, so here are some ideas that both parents and kids will love:
(1) Building Blocks – Toddlers love building, and more importantly knocking things down. And moms love them because they keep the kids occupied in the air conditioning for a while.
(2) Bubble Machine – And some bubble mix to go with it because you can never have enough! Maddie Grace got one of these for her birthday back in April and every time we go outside she asks for more bubbles!
(3) Books – My go to gift regardless of the time of year is a few of our favorite books! I love encouraging reading (even at this young age) and always include the gift receipt in case they already have the books we pick out!
(4) Inflatable Pools – We spend a lot of time at our neighborhood pool, but it’s also fun to have a little kiddie pool for the kids in the backyard. It’s one of Maddie Grace’s favorite things in the world so we like to share the joy with her friends.
(5) Sprinkler Toys – If inflatables seem like giving the parents a little too much work, sprinkler toys are another fun gift alternative. These just attach to the end of a sprinkler and can create a little splash pad like action in the backyard! A great way for kids (and parents) to beat the heat.
(6) Sidewalk Chalk – This is another thing that falls in to the ‘you can never have enough’ category! Ours always gets broken, lost, or super bleached by the sun, so I know other parents will always love to add more to their collection for a great outdoor summer activity.
Bubby is always ready to party!
Once you pick the perfect gift make sure you grab some American Greetings wrapping supplies and the perfect card for your gift! You’ll find them at Walmart:
Check out the American Greetings social hub for more summer gift ideas and tutorials! What birthdays are you celebrating this summer? Tell me all about them below!
Leave a Reply