As the winter holiday season quickly approaches, and parents start to wonder what will be the best gift or hot new toy trends, I am going to provide an alternative to consider. If your kids are anything like mine, they are over-scheduled with school, activities, lessons, practices and homework. This often results in the most meaningful interactions between parents and children taking place in the car, on the go, heading from one activity to another.

Consider, instead, giving the gift of time and experiences. This idea can be as affordable or expensive as you make it. Set aside a special time for a “Mom, Dad and Me” day. Take a day off from the daily hustle and bustle. Ditch the screens (this includes parents) and spend time talking, playing a game, making a meal or working on a project together. Go on an adventure, take a family vacation, discover something new about the place you call home. Pretend to be a tourist in your own city. What must-see and must-do activities would you recommend to a first-time visitor? The gift of time and experiences can be an affordable alternative to the hot new toy that will go the way of the fidget spinner in just a few short months.

A Few Great Family-focused Resources

– Use your Library card to check out the Discovery Pass. This pass offers free tickets from some community partners.

– Get outside and visit one of the Toledo-area Metroparks.

– Visit the Toledo Museum of Art.

– Take the family to the Toledo Zoo & Aquarium; membership pays for itself in just two visits.

Books to Enjoy

Interested in staying closer to home? Check out one of these great books for ways to interact as a family:

What better way to involve the whole family than a fun, hands-on science experiment? This book is full of simple experiments that can be conducted both indoors and outdoors using a variety of household items.

Kids love to be in the kitchen. Spend time together reading a recipe; then measure, mix and bake. While waiting for your treat, take time to talk about food, where it comes from and why it is important to maintain healthy eating habits.

A unique art series that is perfect for kids of all ages and abilities. This hands-on process based series is sure to spark the creativity in any young artist.