Teaching Kids About Giving Gifts

Holiday Gifting

Little ones can easily become overwhelmed at this point in their social emotional learning journey by the amount of gifts they receive this holiday season! Parents always ask us teachers the same questions in regards to supporting their children during holidays: How many gifts are too many? With so many things coming from so many people, how can we help our children in this process?  How can I help instill the spirit of giving in my child? How can I help my child feel and show gratitude?

How many gifts are too many?

We all want our kids to feel happy and loved, but too many gifts can overwhelm young children. There is no “wrong” number of gifts to get; however, by limiting the number of gifts we give, it allows little ones to cherish the things they receive and enjoy them more. 

You can begin with a fun holiday activity for kids: encourage your little one to make a list of three things they would most love to receive for the holidays. Then, parents can add one present their child needs (for social emotional learning, or for daily use), and a book to read. This makes a total of 5 presents to open. Receiving the gifts on their list makes kids feel heard and loved and inscribing the book with a special message and the date helps build a memory that will last forever!

With so many things coming from so many people, how can we support our children in this process?

Oftentimes, extended family members and friends use the holiday season as an opportunity to show love through gifting. If possible, ask them to give experiences, rather than material items, to enhance the memory of the gift and avoid overloading little ones (or yourselves) with too many things. 

If your child is receiving a lot of gifts this season, have them choose some to put aside and mark a day on the calendar to open one per week or month in 2023. This gives them something to look forward to and waiting makes gifts feel more special! (Plus, this extends the holiday activities for kids throughout the year!)

How can we help instill the spirit of giving in our children? 

Little ones learn as much about giving as receiving during the holidays. While making a list of what they would like, encourage children to also make a list for the things they would like to give to others, whether homemade or purchased. Family members, friends and neighbors love receiving hand-made gifts from kids, such as art or cookies. The act of buying or making gifts allows little ones to feel pride in giving, and helps them build generosity and thoughtfulness at this stage in their social emotional learning.

The holiday season is also a fantastic time to learn about how to help those less fortunate. Toys for Tots, Goodwill, and food banks are all wonderful ways to show your child how to give to others this holiday season. Buying toys to donate, finding gently used toys and clothes around the house to give, and baking yummy treats for others are all great holiday activities for kids and ways to make the holidays bright for those in need. By allowing your little one to participate, you are helping them to contribute in a meaningful way and ingraining a generous spirit that will last a lifetime of social emotional learning.

How can we help children feel and show gratitude?

Sometimes it is hard for children to feel and show gratitude in moments of big feelings brought on by the holidays, such as excitement or feeling shy. It is great to remind your child to say thank you, but you can build their feelings of gratitude with thank you cards, another great holiday activity for kids! Have your child color, draw or write thank you notes on blank cards (or color in some free printable holiday cards as another holiday activity for kids). This helps your little one more deeply connect with their feelings of gratitude. It also allows them to spend time showing their thanks which will create habits of gratitude in the future, which is so important to their social emotional learning.  If possible, create a “Thank You Card” station in your home, with blank cards and envelopes, so your little one can initiate thanking others year-round on their own!

The holidays are filled with the spirit of giving! Children can learn a lot from both giving and receiving gifts during this magical time. Along the way, enjoy the memories being made together and above all your child will feel that family is the greatest gift of all.