To encourage the kids to spend their Xmas money how I feel is more suitable?

[ChocolateCoins19]

Not so much ds he's a teen and will use his towards designer type clothes that I draw a Limit on

The 7 Yr old and nr 2 Yr old had a lot of toy store vouchers.. Haven't fully counted but in region of 200. Plus a bit of cash

The 7byr old got a switch for Xmas and a couple of games but isn't on it loads so no point in spending loads on more games. Plus can download games with some Dow load vouchers

Both younger ones have so many toys. The 7byr old only plays with the same few and despite always wanting stuff when she's saved or been given it. She doesn't play it. She likes to just know it's there.
2 Yr old has far too much its now been divided to GPS houses.

Anyway we got a house this Yr.. 1st garden
I got a few pre owned bits end of summer.. Freebies, play house, ride ons and mini slide

I said to dh maybe encourage them to use vouchers for garden toys.. Goal post, swing ball or whatnot for the older one.
Not so sure about younger one as I know some people have brought for her upcoming 2nd birthday
DH thinks they should choose what they want which I know will be more dolls, ponies etc that will absolutely not get played with.
I said on dry days they can go out in garden wrapped up and they'll have the selection. The garden is big so lots of room for all their things

@Chocolatecoins19 Mr Frosty wasn't that great, to be honest. My friend had one, and it was a lot of work for very little reward.

Unlike that train set. That was excellent.

I think you need to do some (polite) spelling out to the generous voucher buying rellies.

Explain that the dc get overwhelmed with too much stuff, it stops them valuing anything, you are trying to build responsible attitudes towards plastic use, you want them to get more fresh air & exercise/have fun day out opportunities etc.

Suggest that if the lovely generous family members wanted to buy/pay towards a Merlin pass/NT membership/activity holiday then this would be sooooo much more appreciated by the dc & they'd love the fun of sending grandma etc photos of the fantastic activities she'd paid for (or invite grandma etc along if they'd enjoy it).

Worked for me when my dc were little & PILs kept bombarding them with vouchers...

Honestly, if that won't work I'd be inclined to show the kids some brilliant outdoor play stuff & say 'shall we use your birthday vouchers for this?'. The 2yo won't have a clue & the 7yo will probably be delighted. If the logistics of that mean selling the vouchers & using the money, I'd be fine with that, after I'd let each dc choose ONE piece of tat to spend a tenner each or whatever on.

Sorry, xpost - I see you get Merlin passes from them already!

But I think you can definitely frame it as you want to spoil them, fab, but here's what they'll honestly appreciate & remember SO much more than plastic toys all the time.

I could but wouldn't be yet. Baby due. Paternity pay. TeenDs birthday this week. So could do without the expense for sake of it.
Plus bulk buying for others kids is hard as I like to buy what they like not random stuff.

They already have all the consoles they got for Xmas plus games.

If I brought vouchers off them to buy the garden stuff for birthdays it wouldn't have as much use this Yr. As toddler getting her stuff. The 7nyr old birthday isn't till sept so weather changing.

Anyway we're off to. Toy shop Now and see what they want if anything indoors and out.

Yeah great idea. I will spell it out for them this year and hopefully they'll understand

I hate plastic waste.. When we looked at play houses I said we'll. Get pre owned, same with slide etc..

Were getting a wooden climbing frame custom made in the spring as a late present for 2yr old and early for 7 Yr old. As they'll both use that. And it's not plastic so will last.

You can bulk buy presents for parties and put the equivalent cash into the kids bank account. The puzzles you donated etc could have been party gifts going forward.

It was nice to give some to toy appeal but you would have been better off selling them and giving half to charity and half to your daughters bank account for their future.

Don't go down the same route with garden toys as it sounds a lot and if they have too many choices out there, they will not play as too many choices overwhelms children and has been shown to affect them negatively.

Your 7 year old has toy fatigue hence all the unopened ones and it will get worse, how can she appreciate so much?

Going forward talk to the grandparents and other family members, as this can't continue and it's actually wasteful.

Also save some of the presents the older one doesn't want for the younger child's birthday and Xmas for the next few years, a good toy is still a good toy, they don't expire.

The wooden climbing frame sounds like a good idea.

I think its a good idea as they will be using said garden toys throughout the Summer and if they have so many toys that some are at GPs houses then I would defo do the garden thing.

Wooden climbing frame sounds great

2yo won't give a monkeys
7yo you could suggest garden equipment. Perhaps go to the park and say how nice it would be to have a slide at home so you can go on it whenever you want. But if he says no I want to spend it on this very specific Piece of plastic tat which by Easter will be forgotten about then let him. as annoying and a waste that it will be

Eh op I meant buy the vouchers off them and then use the vouchers now not wait fir their birthdays. Garden equipment should just come out of the household budget.

They’re not garden equipment, they are garden toys.

YANBU to get them to buy a larger item that they will use more rather than lots of plastic tat that won't be used.
So something like trampoline, bike, scooter, basketball net, paddling pool would be used more.
Maybe keep hold of vouchers until nearer the summer.
You could perhaps take them up to get couple of small items.

I really don't want this to come across the wrong way, but do they get alot outside of christmas/birthdays? you say you got lots for the garden already, that might be why theh arent interested in wanting more. my dds only get gifts at Christmas/birthday so it's always been easy to add bits to an Amazon wishlist that they ask for throughout the year. then I guide people to that.

could you try a wishlist next year and say maybe one small gift to open from the list and either cash or vouchers for days out? maybe local cafe/softplay/zoo/cinema/swimming pool?

or if they want to give them vouchers for toys Amazon vouchers? much more choice - clothes, toys, films or bits for their room and it's very exciting getting things in the post with their name on 😁