Do they need another plastic toy this year?

Kittie Butcher, Michigan State University Extension, and Janet Pletcher, Lansing Community College -

There are many benefits to sharing your time and energy with children.

Photo: USDA, Flickr Creative Commons
Photo: USDA, Flickr Creative Commons

What do you get for the kids this year? Whether you are buying gifts for a three-year-old or a teen, consider giving a gift of your time.

A grandmother of our acquaintance invited one of her grandchildren to visit for a few days last year. During the visit, she taught her granddaughter to cook a few things. Nothing too difficult—no soufflés or hollandaise sauce or baked Alaska. They created a few main dishes and a dessert. When her parents came to get her, she made the dinner for all to enjoy. Better yet, Grandma had a couple of days to spend with her granddaughter on her own and the granddaughter had some nice one-on-one time with Grandma.

We often hear adults speak fondly of the time they spent with their grandparents learning how to sew or construct a dog house. It is a powerful experience connected to a special memory for them and can become a hobby they enjoy in the future.

Spending special time with a relative gives children individual attention separate from the rest of the family. It helps build and enrich relationships with family members. The security and affection children feel when they receive special attention also supports social and emotional growth. It is not only the activity they shared that was important, but the quality time they spent together.

If you are thinking about giving a gift of time, consider teaching a skill you already know and love such as painting, baseball, fishing or gardening. You could also plan a trip to take together. If you are not comfortable supervising children on your own, you could plan an event including the parents. Your role is to support the parents spending time with children. Another idea is to purchase a membership to a venue such as a museum or the YMCA where you can go with the children and enjoy some together time.

There are many rewards for spending time with children, but one that family members may enjoy the most is that it builds memories for you, too.

If you would like to explore more activities for spending time with children, Michigan State University Extension suggests the following websites:

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

Did you find this article useful?

You Might Also Be Interested In

Tag List
  • caregiving,
  • child & family development,
  • early childhood development,
  • family,
  • msu extension,
  • social and emotional development
  • follow us on youtube
  • follow us on linkedin
Michigan State University
  • Spartans Will.
  • © Michigan State University

MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer, committed to achieving excellence through a diverse workforce and inclusive culture that encourages all people to reach their full potential.

Michigan State University Extension programs and materials are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status or veteran status. Issued in furtherance of MSU Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Quentin Tyler, Director, MSU Extension, East Lansing, MI 48824. This information is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names does not imply endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not mentioned.

The 4-H Name and Emblem have special protections from Congress, protected by code 18 USC 707.

We comply with the Federal Trade Commission 1998 Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).