Balancing how to keep minimal without disapointing the kids.

[hidinginthenightgarden]

I am trying this year to only buy things I am absolutely sure the kids will love and get lots of use from. They had their birthdays this month and I did the same then.
My problem is that DD age 3 will get a few "bigger" toys due to the fact that everything comes in huge boxes for toddlers whereas DS age 6 will get the same monetary value but it is going to look very little in comparison. He just turned 6 and wont understand that they have the same. Last year I bought a giant pillow to bulk up his pile but it has just been shoved in his room ever since.
I don't want to buy for the sake of it but I don't want him to be disappointed either. What would you do?

My kid are young too - 3 and 6 (or will be at Christmas) and we don't balance by money for this very reason. I tend to buy like for like presents and stop when the budget is used up. I probably won't do this when they're teenagers but it works for little people. :)

I would try for same number of parcels. Go for inexpensive books and craft sets. They will make for equality of quantity on the big day if one is getting expensive main present and you worried doesn't look same to small child. The books are usually all read at bedtimes over time and the craft sets come out on rainy days ext so not buying for the sake of it. I have stored any 'too much' out of child's bedroom and produced when child a bit off colour or other times when an extra 'treat' seemed a good idea.

Mine are 4 and 7.

I make sure they have the same number, but not the same monetary value.

My 7 year old is happiest if he gets something he asked for, no matter the value (toy soldiers for his recent birthday - he was thrilled).

He was also thrilled to get money in a card to spend how he likes within reason

However this year I am really struggling with what to do buy as they seem to have everything.

The 4 year old is easy - I could buy loads of stuff. The 7 year old only wants a Nintendo Switch. We'll probably buy the switch but as a family present. I refuse to buy it for the 7 year old only. Consequently, no idea what to buy for him.

I would give the Switch to the 7yo. But it's something that must be shared.

There's likely to come a time when the 4yo wants a different console.

I try to keep a minimalistic home but I do love Christmas and all that it brings. I’ve found the best way to handle the influx of new toys is to have an enormous clear out before Christmas. I ask the children to put anything they no longer want in a pile and we take them to the charity shop and I’ll do the same through the rest of the house. The day we do this I’m going to take the DC to the supermarket and we’re going to fill some bags for the food bank.

I bought a plastic crate with lid last year and filled it with arts and craft stuff for my 4.5 year old - paints, brushes, sand art stuff, cardboard, glitter, feathers, glue. whatever i could get my hand on cheaply. It looked fantastic all wrapped up and the best bit is we still use the stuff I bought and it comes in all the time for school projects and the like.

A beanbag?