At Golden Road Arts, the holiday season is a time for spending time with family, creating art at home, unwinding after a busy year and, of course, gift-giving. Anyone with kids will undoubtedly recognize the changing trends in toys and gadgets – and the search to track down the latest hot item. But in truth, the best gifts are typically the ones that give long-lasting value throughout your child’s development. Here are our five favorite gifts for children that will last a lifetime.
Top 5 Gifts for Kids That Will Last Forever
Most of these gifts won’t cost much, but they can add value and meaning during your child’s early years.
1. Time
Of course, spending quality time with your kids is important throughout the year, not just during the holidays. A parent’s undivided attention helps build a child’s self-esteem, improve communication skills and deepen family bonds. These and the many other benefits will help a child throughout their development and accompany them into adulthood.
2. Knowledge
Sure, kids love toys, video games and other fun gifts, but consider getting them some meaningful books as well. Cultivating a passion for reading during childhood is incredibly valuable, helping kids to develop literacy, empathy, imagination – and a positive association with learning. And reading to your child is another way to spend time and build a strong bond during the early years.
3. Art
While you’re never too old to begin creating art, for children, starting young inevitably plays a vital developmental role. Young kids start with crayons and finger painting before moving on to markers and paintbrushes. After building their skillset, teens can often create detailed animals or characters using map pencils and gel pens. We recently covered the most popular types of winter art projects, and they offer the perfect introduction for children to develop a passion for art.
4. Experiences
Rewarding experiences are gifts that live in a child’s memory. Visiting a museum or national park, going on a camping trip, attending a sporting event or watching a theatrical production are experiences that offer education and entertainment in equal measure.
5. Skills
One key reason why kids need art in their lives is the ability to develop creativity, hand-eye coordination, storytelling and other crucial skills. A gift for your child could be lessons for guitar or piano, a class on how to perform first aid, chess lessons, learning to play a sport – there are many choices.
Give Your Child the Gift of Art Education With Golden Road Arts
Golden Road Arts is a Hillsboro-based non-profit 501(c)(3) offering high-quality art lessons to children. To see our wide range of instructional guides and art literacy content, browse our free art lessons. You can also support the development of more art tutorials and in-person live events by donating or purchasing from our art gallery.
