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They say the hot thing for the holidays this year is gifts under $30.
How about gifts for free?
Here are some free ways to treat your children to thoughtful gifts that will enrich and entertain them.
Scratch is a 100% free programming environment for kids. It was developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a grant from the National Science Foundation. But kids don't care about its pedigree. They like it because it's easy to get started, fun, interactive with other kids, and grows with them as their skills and interest grow. It runs on all major computer platforms. Take a look at Scratch.
Alice is another free environment, created by Carnegie Mellon. It teaches animation and programming in a 3D environment. According to the website, "In Alice, 3-D objects (e.g., people, animals, and vehicles) populate a virtual world and students create a program to animate the objects." Take a look at Alice.
Does your child have a computer or iPod? Numerous great podcasts for kids can be downloaded for free. For younger children, try StoryNory, which has fairy tales, original stories, and even Alice in Wonderland available as downloadable podcasts. Older children can find many classic (out of copyright) books for free download on Librivox. Free podcasts on many subjects can be found at Kids Learn Out Loud. Science buffs enjoy Pulse of the Planet.
Most free podcasts are searchable using iTunes, which can be downloaded for Mac or PC. The key to making this a gift is to do the research that most kids will be too impatient to do. Find audio books and podcasts about subjects that they love or interests you share in common.
Are you a childless woman with a large collection of costume jewelry from the past, or are you a mom with a friend who might have old jewelry? Girls (and boys!) who are interested in jewelry may give new life to your old cast-offs. Look through your jewelry and give a child a special gift of something that was meaningful to you many years ago.
Fire stations welcome visits from families during downtimes, and they usually give free stuff like plastic helmets and badges. Call your local fire station to see if they're up for a visit.
Heddi Craft of the Educational Resource Center of Santa Cruz suggests giving families big boxes that you received appliances or furniture in. See her blog to learn about her idea.
Museums make their free days intentionally on days when the fewest people are available to come. Do you have a personal holiday day at work? Plan it for a child's favorite museum's free day and make a day of it with a picnic in a nearby park.
What children crave most from their working parents is just time. Kids just love to receive coupons for your time. Either write something specific -- This is a coupon for one free trip to the beach! -- or let them choose the activity.
Or even more generously, give your child a full day. Make a card for your child in which you give the child (one at a time if you have more than one) a full day starting after breakfast and ending before dinner. The child gets to plan the day, within reason. Nothing the child plans is allowed to cost any money, and it can't be impossible, dangerous (unless you like that sort of thing!), or too far away to do in a day. Pack a lunch, hop in the car or on the bus or train, and give your child the free present she craves the most: yourself.
See also: DIY toys make great gifts
More ideas for free presents for kids? E-mail s...@sukiwessling.cm
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