There are times when I do homemade birthday gifts and times when I have to get something on the go. Saturday was one of those days when I bought a gift on the way to the party. I had no idea what that gift would be until I began walking the isles at Target.
Toys didn’t seem right. The three-year-old birthday girl is leaving in 12 days to live in Norway with her family for one year. So the toys, most likely, would get left behind and she wouldn’t see them again until she is four.
So I started thinking about what she might bring on the plane, and on the go, across the world. She’ll be living in a 1200 square foot apartment with her family of five, being entertained by her a work-from-home dad. I immediately thought of things to keep her busy, and possibly help them all out.
In the busy box is a drawing pad, glue stick, kid scissors, foam stickers, pipe cleaners and pompoms, Kid Made Modern crayons and Kid Made Modern tape. The contents of the box added up to about $25.
My kids didn’t help pick out the gift, but it did meet their approval. Meaning my oldest daughter told me “it was a really good gift.” As I predicted, it was parent approved too!
Before we carried the gift into the party I decided to share it with you, and do a little mini photo shoot with my iPhone. That’s why the photo looks like it was taken in the front seat of my car – because it was! Truly an on the go gift, on two different levels.
All the kids liked it so much when the gift was opened, it gave me the idea to gather up some supplies we have at home and make up some busy box craft kits for my own kids.
I bet you could easily do the same. Feel free to share some of the ideas of what you put in your versions. I’m thinking buttons, googley eyes, beads, popsicle sticks….the options are plentiful.
It reminds me of this sewing kit I made for my niece, using all extra stuff I had on hand.
