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There are many situations where it's more appropriate to give a gift to an entire family instead of a gift to each individual family member. Some of these occasions are:
- When you don't know the family too well yet. In this case, a gift for each person can set too high of a precedent and might be awkward, so a gift for the whole family is a better choice
- If you do know the family well but they're hard to buy for as individuals (e.g. because they already have everything!)
- When the contact is mainly through the kids - for example, your child's best friend's family. In this situation, you might not know the parents well enough to pick out an individual gift for each person in the family. Getting a gift for the family keeps the pressure off
- When the contact is professional rather than personal - perhaps you know the parents on a professional level but don't know the kids at all
- If you simply aren't familiar with what items children of that age like (perhaps you don't have kids of your own) and you want to get a combined gift for everyone instead
- If you just want to switch it up and get a family gift because you feel like it. You don't have to have a reason!
The good news is that getting a gift for the entire family is not only much easier, but is also likely to be viewed as very thoughtful.They can see you're doing something that gets them together to have fun.
As an added bonus, this can become a lot cheaper for you than buying individual gifts. Even a somewhat fancy family gift is in most cases going to be cheaper than buying one ordinary item per person for 4 people, for example. It also makes it faster and easier to shop (ideal if you have a tight deadline) because you're just shopping for one present. It's such a relief to get this accomplished so quickly and easily!
Let's dive right in and take a look at cool family gift ideas. All of these are available at Amazon.
1. Turn any table (temporarily!) into a ping-pong table
Let them turn their kitchen table (or any existing table) into a place to play ping pong with this portable ping pong set. It has a retractable net which sets up across the middle of the table and comes with premium paddles and ping pong balls - everything they need to start playing!
Don't worry - after their session of play, when they want to return the table to normal use, they simply take the net down, retract it, and put it away ready for next time. They can play as often as they like. Imagine how much fun they'll have playing family table tennis championships.
Furthermore, the parents will be thrilled that their kids will be the envy of their friends! The parents won't have to come up with ideas of what the kids could do during playdates - ping pong is certain to be a hit.
2. "Would you rather?" book of silly scenarios for parents and kids
If the family doesn't have much space to play indoor games or to put a large item, then this fun and exciting Would You Rather? book for kids and parents is the perfect choice. This will have the whole family thinking and laughing together. They can break it out anytime they're bored, and it works for any time of day and in any weather.
3. Gravity Maze
This falling marble gravity maze game at Amazon is an excellent choice for families with kids aged around 8 and up. Family members get to work together to complete multi-level challenges, starting at beginner level. It's a fun game that is also a learning tool - everyone gets to build their planning skills and spatial reasoning, all while having a ton of fun.
Because this game keeps the brain engaged, it's a wonderful boredom buster. They'll love this!
4. Family set of walkie talkies
For those with younger kids - too young to have their own phone, for example, this set of 4 walkie talkies for the whole family adds an extra dimension of fun to hide and seek! Or turn the backyard into an adventure zone. Parents can give kids a scavenger hunt with instructions coming over the walkie talkies for what to find next! The kids love being sent on "missions". Now that I think of it, kids could even be given missions to clean up their toys via walkie talkie instructions and would probably be all too happy to do it!
My kids loved using walkie talkies outside when they were young - the thrill of being able to communicate while not seeing the other person just doesn't seem to wear off at that young age. Parents will love how this toy gets everyone up and moving.
5. Popdarts indoor or outdoor throwing game
These Popdarts are designed to stick with suction cup to smooth surfaces such as countertops, refrigerators, and so on. The idea behind this game is to place the target marker (which also has a suction cup) at the desired spot to aim for, and then everyone gets to throw their Popdarts toward the target marker. The closest dart to the marker gets 3 points, while every other Popdart that sticks is 1 point. They can play individually or in teams. This cool game works well for all ages.
6. Family fridge magnet word tiles
The family can endlessly re-arrange these fridge magnet word tiles to create poetry, give each other messages, and more. I love these ones because they're kid-friendly - no esoteric words and nothing with "adult content" unlike other brands geared towards adults. This will bring joy to the refrigerator door.
7. Outdoor ring toss game
This ring toss game is the perfect way to get everyone outdoors, bring out their competitive spirit and engage in fun! Although it's intended as an outdoor game, it's very portable. The family can take it to the beach, on outdoor camping trips, and so on. If the family has the space (a basement for example), they can play it indoors too.
Conclusion
Any of these gift ideas for a family are certain to go over well. A thoughtful present like this lets the family know you're thinking of them, and promotes the chance for them to bond as a family.
The added bonus of these Amazon family gifts is the ease and convenience of shopping - you can do it anytime and have it shipped directly to the family. Remember to mark it as a gift at checkout; it'll let you write your own gift message to them.
You may also like to check out my gift ideas for extended family members.
Finally, since the content of this page can change rapidly, the user should always be directed to the original page at https://goodkidsclothes.com/amazon-family-gifts/