Whether for the holidays, a birthday, or another special occasion, buying gifts for the kids in your life is a wonderful experience. Getting the right gift can be tricky, though. Television is so saturated with kid-centric advertising for all manner of products that it can be tough to pinpoint exactly what will make the child in your life smile the brightest. Today, we’ll take a look at three gift ideas that will inspire you to inspire them.

Avoid Paralysis by Giving the Gift of Choice

When faced with such a large market of options, as we are in any gift buying situation for a child, we often fall prey to what sociology researchers call the paradox of choice. This simply means that when we have too many options we often default to choosing none of them, or making the wrong decision. In the case of gifting, you may be tempted to resort to the old cash-and-a-card routine. This is an impersonal, unsatisfying gift to give and receive.

Instead of shoving money in an envelope, find out a general interest your recipient cherishes and purchase an appropriate gift-card which will allow them to get something for themselves which they will associate with you for years to come. Money easily gets lost or squandered, but a gift-card will ensure that the money goes where it should. You can buy gift cards to video game retailers for the gamers in your life, store-cards to a sports equipment retailer, or to craft stores for the burgeoning young artists in your life.

Inspiring Creativity

Kids change so much as they grow, but there is one thing children of all ages have in common; they are beacons of creativity. They love exploring their world and reorganizing what they’ve discovered into new and exciting ways through drawing, painting, coloring, and music. While these activities are certainly fun, they also contribute to cognitive and social development.

You can delight younger children with art kits including safety scissors, child-safe paste, construction paper and glitter. Canisters of colorful craft dough are always a delight. Older kids may appreciate something more exciting, like a musical instrument and lessons to help them express themselves. A painting set that comes with everything they need to get started makes a great gift for the artistically inclined teenager. You will enjoy watching their creativity blossom, and through your gift, they may discover a passion for something which will last a lifetime.

Presents that Get Them Moving

Kids have a remarkable capacity for zeroing in on the things they love. In this technologically advanced world, that often means games on their home computers or smartphones. It’s fine to enjoy a video game now and then but studies show that childhood obesity and the associated risks that come from a general lack of physical fitness,are on the rise.

You can help combat this problem in the lives of your own young loved-ones by giving them something which gets them up and about. Sporting goods including balls, tennis equipment, or even dirt bikes will get them moving more while enjoying their time at play. Even season passes to mini-golf courses or laser-tag arenas are a fun way to get them active. They get to enjoy a fun activity while you get the satisfaction of knowing you’ve given them the gift of a healthier life. What could be better than that?

Gifts From the Heart

A child’s world is filled with so many wonders it can be difficult to know how to engage them with a present. If you consider their creative and intellectual growth, need for physical activity, and avoid carelessness in your choices, you will undoubtedly find the right item. These are the gifts that come from your heart; those which don’t just give kids something to hold, but something to do and be.