High-tech Toy Alternatives: Why and How to Buy Unique Gifts for Kids

It is not mere old-fashioned wont to rethink the high-tech gadgets we indulge our youth with today. But finding unique gifts for kids, which do not produce physical evidence of disdain and leave you feeling vintage, can be difficult.

Why Unique Gifts for Kids and Low-Tech Toys are Important

Adults increasingly find the world of text-messaging and Play Stations, left unchecked, are contributing to an ill-equipped generation, one that lacks innovation, social skills and concentration.

How often does a child actually see their BFF in RL and what do they do when they buddy up, play a RPG in silence? (That's best friend forever, real life, and role playing game respectively, for the scarcely uninitiated).

Unique gifts can make a difference if they inspire the mind to creative heights, help kids communicate effectively, teach life skills, and reinforce self-worth - or at least preempt long trances and tendonitis. In this sense, classics are now unique in today's entertainment world.

Unique gifts for kids? Low-tech toys? What, no lower case "i" in front the name? Exercise? Interaction? Manual skills?

Perhaps this seems like a nice, but lofty, goal. "My kids find these unique gifts and classic comebacks, well,...boring."

Why High-Tech Kids Reject Unique Gifts

Peer pressure aside, kids often select high-tech games out of boredom, they do not know what else to do.

With 500 channel Tivo households, whereas each person over the age of five owns a PC, are we surprised?

If pressed, most younger kids would prefer to bake cookies with mom or work in the garage with dad, than save Sponge Bob for the 248th time, but no one asks.

We understand the whys behind unique gifts, but how do we find unique gifts that won't generate the oh-so-disappointed look we fear?

How to Find Unique Gifts and Low-Tech Toys Kids Enjoy

If your unique gifts bombed in the past, don't despair. Age and interest-dependent, a variety of approaches are useful when selecting unique gifts for kids.

Unique Gifts for Kids Tip: Play off of technology.

If the child's favorite past time is a camera phone, consider expanding the hobby. Unique gifts include frames kids can create or design.

Can't tear the kids away from their favorite web site? Consider the site content for unique gift ideas. Music? Try a music trivia game or musical instrument. Fashion? A fashion design kit allows them to explore their artistic side.

What if shooting bloody three-headed monsters is a favorite pastime? A game magazine subscription works for starters but, with a little more research, you may find the child really does possess other interests. It may take a few unique gifts to find out just what this is, admittedly.

Unique Gifts for Kids Tip: Treat kids like adults.

For arts and crafts consider unique gift purchases where the adults shop rather than the toy section. The quality is better, the authenticity isn't lost on the child, and kids feel their talent better recognized.

Whether it's jewelry making, painting, needlework or pottery, look for unique gifts that are age appropriate but offer scalable challenge.

If interest is questionable, start small with your unique gifts. Concerned about an item's care? Relay this to the child but note that kids who neglect their toys will often treat their "grown up stuff" rather well.

Unique Gifts for Kids Tip: Game lovers need playmates.

We know kids love games but oftentimes lack a viable playmate. Overtly childish games go unplayed and long or difficult games make for limited opponents. Games that older household members can enjoy with the child may make the best unique gifts.

Fast-paced word games like Boggle offer low-tech fun and an expansive vocabulary is not required.

Card games make winning unique gifts, particularly traditionally-deemed adult games. Rummy, Phase 10, Hearts, even Poker, make variably good choices for unique gifts.

Classic games provide good low-tech gift considerations, especially the interactive sort, such as Twister, Clue, Pictionary and the like.

A high-tech game may work. However, if it performs most the tasks or is a single-player game, this defeats the benefits more unique gifts provide.

Unique Gifts for Kids Tip: Life skills made fun..

Some of the best unique gifts involve cooking, sewing, gardening, and tools -- even if parents lack interest in these areas.

Unique gifts for aspiring cooks include a personalized apron, a kid-friendly cookbook, or a fun kitchen gadget - think ice cream maker or fruit dehydrator.

Sewing offers a plethora of unique gifts to choose from. Less complicated creations (hair accessories, book covers, etc.) make good entry-level fare. Throw in some glitter glue, neon fabric paint or their favorite motif fabric for additional inspiration.

Mechanical skills can be developed with toy models and transformers but for winning unique gifts don't overlook real tools for the whiz kid in your midst.

As for gardening, whether it's a Chia Pet, cactus or a terrarium, these unique gifts can ignite kids' interest in horticulture.

Unique Gifts for Kids Tip: Remember the standbys.

Beloved unique gifts may involve an untapped hobby. Favored unique gifts include microscopes, telescopes, chemistry sets, bug collecting kits, pottery wheels, rock polishing kits, leather or wood working kits, fishing or sports equipment, train sets, kites, shadow boxes, and wooden doll houses.

Conclusion - Can you win with unique gifts?

Whether you are a parent, god parent, family member or friend, you have the capacity to expand the beloved child's world with unique gifts and low-tech toys that do more than cater to passive, mindless play.

If you try to fight technology's hold head on, you are likely to lose. But with some creativity and a bit of luck, unique gifts and thoughtful purchases will loosen the digital grip.