Thrifty Thinking: Guest Post

Simple Gifts: Saving Money on Your Child's Entertainment

If you have young children, then you probably know that they want all the latest gadgets and gizmos. This is perhaps true of everyone, even adults. Benjamin Franklin once said, "Old boys have their playthings as well as young ones. The difference is only in the price." In other words, Franklin was trying to suggest that the older we get, the more expensive our tastes are, although the desire for toys and play still remains.

But the most important lesson that our 21st century selves can take away from Franklin's little quip is that the desire for play can actually be satiated by relatively simple things. And simple things are far cheaper. You probably are well aware of the phenomenon. It's the usual story, one that I myself experienced when I was a young girl, only a couple of decades ago. You get your child the latest, high-tech device for Christmas or some other holiday, the child is entranced by it for a few weeks or months, and then she loses interest completely.

Advertisements have become increasingly sophisticated such that companies target very specific groups of people, including young children. While this means that there are far more specifically tailored toys for your tots than there were, say, half a century ago, this also means that most of these toys are invented only to sell.
Since a young child's attention span is pretty short, it makes absolutely no sense to purchase expensive toys. Children are surprisingly happy with simple things.

Some examples of economical but enjoyable toys that keep children enthralled have been around for a long time. Sidewalk chalk, bubbles, jump rope, and Lego sets are just a few. Especially for kids who have not yet entered school, some of the most exciting toys are the ones they invent themselves. Who can forget the pet rocks, the mud pies, and the houses made of sticks? To me, these were the playthings that I found of most value when I was child, simply because I could choose to create them. After the million Barbies and accompanying accessories and the countless electronic toy gadgets, the toys I remember most I purchased for free.

Consider your own childhood memories before running to the toy store. It may just save you a lot of wasted money.

By-line:
This guest post is contributed by Alvina Lopez, who writes on the topics of accredited online colleges. She welcomes your comments at her email Id alvina.lopez@gmail.com .