“What do the kids want for the holidays?” asks Grandma.

Parents give blank stare

Many a mom and dad will tell you that the far-off look of the unknown is their all-too-often reaction to the generous grannies or grandads, inquisitive aunts or uncles and well-intentioned friends who inquire about holiday gift ideas. Reality is that kids seem to have it all. What else could they possibly need?

According to Joshua Becker, WSJ best-selling author of The More of Less,

• There are 300,000 items in the average American home (LA Times).
• British research found that the average 10-year-old owns 238 toys but plays with only 12 daily (The Telegraph).
• 3.1% of the world’s children live in America, but they own 40% of the toys consumed globally (UCLA).
• The United States has upward of 50,000 storage facilities, more than five times the number of Starbucks (SSA).

Sound shocking? Probably not to most of us…as we clean up the toy-scattered living room for the 12th time this week.

Experiences provide more lasting happiness than material possessions, according to researchers Thomas Gilovich and Matthew Killingsworth in the Journal of Psychological Science. “Our experiences are a bigger part of ourselves than our material goods,” Gilovich explains. “You can really like your material stuff. You can even think that part of your identity is connected to those things, but nonetheless they remain separate from you. In contrast, your experiences really are part of you. We are the sum total of our experiences.”

With this in mind, the gift of an experience seems like an all-too-logical solution to the holiday gift-giving conundrum. The zoo, theme parks, pottery classes and SWIM LESSONS (Hello! You knew we were headed there!) are just a few ways to offer children activities that they can enjoy throughout the year without adding clutter to the chaos.

But only one of those gifts saves lives. While many experiences offer entertainment, the gift of swimming is a creative way to combine the fun that tots want with the life-saving skills that they need. And bonus gift-giver points from mom and dad for providing year-round, indoor activity where they can burn off some cabin fever!

For 27+ years, Aqua-Tots Swim Schools has been committed to saving lives worldwide, one swim lesson at a time, and offers year-round, indoor swim lessons as early as 4 months old. May our experience enrich your gift experience this holiday season. Contact your local Aqua-Tots Swim Schools today for gift certificate opportunities.

Share now with the grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends and gift inquirers in your life!

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