Gift Ideas for Kids: No Batteries Required!
What happened to the good ole’ days when toys were just toys? No batteries required. Well this year, we’re bringing them because I’m tired of buying all those batteries, ya’ll!
Toys like these are attractive to me for several reasons: 1- no batteries are required, 2- they are are very open-ended, meaning that they can be played with in several different ways, 3- kids love them, 4- they make great gifts for those hard-to-buy-for kind of kids, and 5-most of them work well for multi-ages; making it a hit for more than one kiddo. For all of these reasons (and more), these gift ideas for kids work well for any occasion!
Gift Ideas for Kids - Infants to Toddler
1. Stack and Roll Cups
2. Shape Sorter
3. Soft Blocks
4. Puzzles (any puzzle by Melissa & Doug has been a favorite at our house!)
5. Stacking Peg Board
6. Pound and Roll Tower
Gift Ideas for Kids - The Engineer
1. Zoobs– SOME of their sets DO require batteries, but the basic sets do not.
2. Magformers
3. Wooden Marble Run
4. SMARTMAX Magnetic Toys pieces
5. Automoblox
Gift Ideas for Kids - The Artist
1. Folding Lap Desk
2. Stencils
3. Easel– The IKEA easel is the cheapest one I’ve seen. We love ours!
4. Water Color Paint
5. Play, Draw, Create-Reusable Drawing and Magnet Kits
6. Playdough Tools
Gift Ideas for Kids - The Imagination
1. Dress Up Clothes
2. Food Sets
3. Car Ramps
4. String Games
5. Cash Register (solar powered!)
Gift Ideas for Active Kids - No Batteries Required
1. Stomp Rockets
2. Nerf Ball
3. Ball Pit/Tent
4. Crawling tunnel
5. Indoor Trampoline
So, enjoy skipping the battery aisle and the absence of the, “I need new batteries!” mantra from the kids (I know you won’t miss that). You can also feel better about helping the environment. A win-win for everyone! No Batteries Required gifts ideas for kids are definitely the way to go, no matter the occasion!
Play Up Your Child’s Imagination and Creativity with “No Battery” Toys
Remember that thing you played with all the time when you were a kid?
It was with you from sun up till sun down.
You didn’t buy it at any toy store… it was free.
And it’s what could turn an empty box into a dollhouse or a broom handle into a light saber.
Where can you find this long-lost treasure? It’s still with you – if you take the time to encourage it…
Your imagination – would your childhood have been the same without it? And do you ever feel like our children’s generation is really missing out on the simple, creative joys of life?
It’s amazing how a little perspective can add wisdom and common sense to your whole parenting mindset, isn’t it? Her response gave us the belief in ourselves as parents, to trust our own instincts rather than the commercials and magazine ads.
Why battery-powered toys are not eco-friendly toys
When you choose toys that allow your child to think for herself, you’re usually doing the planet a favor as well. The environmental downside of battery-powered children’s toys is worth considering:
Battery waste: Americans go through close to 150,000 tons of battery waste every single year. Most of these batteries contain heavy metals, many of which are toxic to make and toxic when not properly disposed. They can be recycled, which is preferable to sending them to the landfill, but this requires yet more energy.
Toy waste: Once the batteries run out (some are built right in) or the toy breaks (and unlikely become not repairable), it turns into a pile of plastic, metal, toxic waste.
One of the best times to make an impact on your child’s toy box is when his or her birthday rolls around. No Battery Birthdays can add fun – and a little challenge – to your gift giving routine. How can you make a Battery-Free Birthday that’s a blast?
25 Battery-Free Gifts for the Imaginative Child
Do you have a hard time selecting the perfect gift for your children? Over time, I have become much more choosey with the toys I buy for my children. I look for quality and durability wherever possible and I also consider how active or passive a toy is. Magda Gerber used to teach that an active toy makes for a passive child (the toy does the work for the child at the push of a button) and a passive toy (battery-free toy) encourages the child to create the play for themselves.