Sign Up For Your Own Holiday Shop

Ready or not, the holidays are right around the corner. Cookies will be frosted, stockings will be hung, and gifts will be bought. All that’s missing is your very own Holiday Shop with Gifts N’ Things.

You don’t want to miss out on the perfect fundraising opportunity for your school this season – and signing up couldn’t be easier! Sign up by October 31st and you’ll receive our Cash Register App AND a bonus:

• 150 Lil’ Shoppers Shoppe Dollars or 5% additional profit on your Shoppe
• $300 Carnival Kit
• Giant 6’ Gift Stocking
• Pre-programmed coded cash register rental with 10% or 20% profit markup

All you have to do is select your dates, profit, and sign up bonus. Then it’s smooth sailing and happy shoppers!

You should expect your Chairperson Kit about 4 weeks before your sale, which includes everything you need to promote your shoppe. When the time comes to get shopping, your merchandise arrives with pre-priced tent cards making it easier than ever to set up. Bags and tablecloths are provided and merchandise is price coded to make checkout fast and easy.

When you’re done, use our simple inventory or no count inventory system to make returns simple and hassle-free. You’ll get prepaid UPS labels for easy and free product returns.

By fundraising with a Holiday Shop, children learn the joys of giving and the value of money. All gifts are supplied and designed by us, safety tested, and cost-friendly. Children will love that they’re able to join in the gift giving and parents will love that shopping has never been easier, safer, or more affordable.

We’re a family business with over 40 years of experience and we’re proud of our products and our volunteers. We’d love to add your students to our team of Lil’ Shoppers and make the holiday season a holly jolly giving time.

The Benefits of Running a School Holiday Shop

The holiday season is for spreading cheer, so start it right by shopping here!

The Lil’ Shopper’s Shoppe is a place where children discover the joy of giving. We have the highest quality gifts in the school holiday shop industry. We are also an affordable option, because 85% of our gift items are priced at $5.00 or less.

You’ll find something here for everyone on a child’s list: parents, brothers and sisters, grandparents, teachers, special friends – even pets!

Kid-Friendly Shopping

For many children, this may be the first time they experience the thrill of picking out their own holiday gifts for family and friends. With the help of parents and teachers, students can learn the value of money and how to spend it wisely. It’s a great way for students to practice the act of giving and begin thinking of others during the holiday season.

Peace of Mind for Parents

During the holiday season, parents can rest assured that their children will shop in a safe, non-commercial setting. Our top priorities are providing an environment that is safe and fun for the students. Children shop under adult supervision in a safe indoor environment. Volunteers help out, but never pressure the kids shopping to buy.

Administrators and Teachers Love It

The Lil’ Shopper’s Shoppe is a popular holiday shop service that’s risk-free and easy to run for the Parent Teacher Association or Parent Teacher Organization of a school. The Lil’ Shopper’s Shoppe was developed by listening to the needs of school administrators and teachers for over 40 years. Your faculty can teach their students about budgeting and spending wisely at the school holiday gift store. It’s a good opportunity to bring the real world into the classroom, starting at a young age.

We have everything you need to run a successful holiday shop. All a school needs to do is get volunteers to sign up – and it won’t cost the school a penny. There are no freight charges or hidden costs. The school only pays for the merchandise they sell!

Only Top-Quality Gifts

The Lil’ Shopper’s Shoppe offers only high-quality holiday gifts priced right for kids shopping. Many of the gifts were designed from input given by volunteers, teachers and students. There’s something here for everyone!


Like us on Facebook for the newest info and offerings from the Lil’ Shopper’s Shoppe.

Sports Teams Make Better People: Here’s How You Can Help

When you pitch in on a fundraiser for a local youth sports team, you’re not just helping finance the team. You’re giving kids the opportunity to grow into the best versions of themselves.

That’s because team sports are full of life lessons. They help build better people, and that’s something you can feel good about supporting.

Here are three ways youth sports help kids grow:

1. They Learn to be Team Players

When you’re on a sports team, you form a bond with your teammates. You learn how to be accountable, to know that your teammates are depending on you. A team sport can help kids see how their contribution, when added with others, adds to the success of the entire team.

That’s not so much different from adult civic life, where you also must get along with others in a team-like setting. That notion of responsibility and duty to others sticks with them.

2. They’re Happier

Research shows that young teens who participate in sports are happier than teens who don’t. They’re more satisfied with their lives.

That might be because team sports not only give kids a mission in their lives to work toward, but also a sense of belonging. Teams cut through social and economic divides, bringing children from all backgrounds together for the love of the game. Those friendships can carry on long after they’ve left the field.

3. They Gain Perspective

Any team must lose sooner or later. With sports, kids quickly learn how to weather losses. In this way, their coach becomes a life coach of sorts: giving the loss context, teaching them that failure is a part of life, and motivating them to bounce back.

Through sports, kids learn that winning isn’t the end-all-be-all. They also learn how, through a little practice and determination, they have the power to turn things around for the better.


Gifts ‘N Things helps kids succeed by teaching them how hard work can pay off - sports teach them the same lesson! To learn more about Gifts ‘N Things, visit our website.

Encourage Your Child to Volunteer This Summer

Now that school is out, parents will likely find themselves asking Now what?

You might travel as a family, or sign your child up for a summer camp, but you will want to consider how to make summer educational and meaningful as well as fun for your child.

As far as enriching summer options, the choices are endless. If you really want to bring meaning and growth to your child’s summer, encourage your child to volunteer.

Giving Back to the Community

Volunteering is all about giving your time and talents. For kids, the act of giving is vital for developing strong character qualities, including the ability to recognize and empathize with the needs of others and to give freely and without expecting anything in return. By developing these qualities, kids actually experience more personal success and do better in school – as well as build greater confidence and stronger friendships.

Growing as a Person

While some students may find comfort in the stable predictability of the school day, others may experience the burnout that comes from too much repetition. A summer volunteering experience is a perfect way for your children to break the routine and explore something out of the ordinary. Some students simply don’t learn best while confined indoors for long stretches. Volunteering will give students the opportunity to learn and explore while standing up, moving around and interacting more freely than is often the case at school.

In addition to getting out and about, students will grow from interacting with people from different generations, socio-economic backgrounds, and general life circumstances. They are likely to cross paths with people they otherwise wouldn’t have met if it hadn’t been for volunteering. They might learn about what life was like a long time ago from an elderly person they are helping, or perhaps, about customs and culture in another part of a world from an immigrant in the community.

Learn New Skills or Perfect Existing Ones

Although volunteering is about giving, you often receive more than you give in the end. This receiving may come in the form of new friendships, new-found inner strength, and in learning new skills. Some such skills will be tangible like learning or improving a musical talent, while others will be a little more abstract, like a stronger sense of self, better communication skills, and the ability to work better in a group setting order to achieve a common goal.


Help your kids get the most out of their summer break by giving back. Volunteering is the perfect way to grow, learn, and - yes - have fun. Not only that, but they’ll get plenty of practice for their school fundraisers!

Helping Kids Finish the Year Strong!

With less than 60 days to go in the school year (cue the dancing), there are still many weeks of lessons to get through, experiments to try, and projects to complete. So how do we make sure that students (and teachers) stay focused and stay hard-at-work through the spring?

Reassess Goals

How has your student been progressing toward their goals for the year? Even though there are months behind us, the weeks ahead are a perfect opportunity for striving to reach those goals, whether they’re academic, social, or behavioral. Hint: this goes for teachers and parents too!

Materials Check

Those crayon boxes are probably in tatters and those poor notebooks are likely a mess. Now is a good time to replace anything that needs it, even if it’s simply getting a new stock of freshly sharpened pencils. New goods can give a fresh bolt of energy to any classroom or student that’s feeling dull.

Get to Bed on Time

Although the sun is going down later and later, it’s important to stick to your routine and get kids to bed on time to be fresh and alert in school. The good news? Those earlier sunrises will help your kids wake up with a little less grumbling.

Go Outside

Do you remember the joy and gratitude you felt for any science project, book discussion, or field trip that took you out of the school when you were younger? Being in nature and soaking in some sun and fresh air is rejuvenating and can help get creative juices flowing. Whether classes are taken outside, playtime is extended, or kids (and adults) walk or bike to school, it’s a great time to take advantage of the nicer weather.

Set Expectations

Although everyone may wish they could check out for the summer in April, make it clear that there is still a lot to cover and accomplish during this school year. So crack open the windows, crack open the books, and keep the momentum going through these last few weeks!

5 Grand Ways to Show Your Appreciation for Teachers and Volunteers

Teachers and volunteers work tirelessly for our kids, spending hours putting together everything from quizzes to crafts to spelling lists. Try these creative and heartfelt ideas to show your appreciation.

1. Thank You’s from the Kids

All the work and effort these people give is because of the kids. Package the kids’ cuteness and gratefulness to make a special message that goes straight to the heart. Have the kids create a thank you video, interview them to see what they appreciate about that person, or have them recreate a scene or a skit that illustrates their feelings. Kids can also work together to create a gratitude flower with petals from each child, or a large handprint or fingerprint craft as a handmade gift.

2. Gifts They Can Use in the Classroom or Take Home

We all know that teachers often use their own money to get things for their classroom. Many teachers purchase craft supplies, decorations, or organization items like bins. Ask them to write out a wish list that you can distribute to other parents so their wishes can come true! Or invest in some great fabric or transparent bins that they can use in their room or take home if they wish. Practical, money-saving gifts can really make an impact while improving the classroom.

3. Decorations that Surprise Them

Sneak into their space and decorate like mad! Decorate their classroom door with a theme and their kids’ contributions, or dedicate a hallway to your volunteers or teachers by hanging items from the ceiling and decking out a bulletin board. If you have access to their classroom or the PTO/PTA room, transform it into something surprising and fantastic, like an underwater party, a royal castle, or a magical forest.

4. Options for Choosing Their Own Gift

Instead of another mug or pen, combine efforts with other parents to purchase a gift card so that they can purchase whatever they’d like. Another option is for schools that sell scrip — take donations from families and let teachers or volunteers choose the scrip gift card.

5. The Cute Gifts

Sometimes you have to just let the cuteness flow. Themed snacks, decorated gifts, and puns galore (like “Thanks a latte!” or “You are a tea-rrific teacher!”) will still bring a smile to the teacher or volunteer’s face. Pair your sentiment with a nice gift card, coffee, or flowers, and that person will surely feel your appreciation.

If you’re a school volunteer, a teacher, or a parent who is looking to thank others, please accept our gratitude for all you do for kids in your community. If we could send you all gratitude flowers, we would!

A Guide to Holiday Shop Volunteer Appreciation

Santa’s eaten all the cookies, selfies & group photos have been taken with loved ones, and your Holiday Shop is completed - Now it’s time for you to show the right appreciation for your volunteers!

We’re sure you noticed that volunteers keep the world spinning during the days of your holiday shop, so here are a few tips on how to keep them wanting to come back next holiday season while expressing your gratitude.

They’re Rockstars – Show Them

Your holiday shop probably had a few lines that felt longer than Santa’s naughty-or-nice list this season, and your volunteers brought their A-game to make it work. One way to show your appreciation is to break out that list of volunteer names, put them on cut-out stars, and hang them in the lobby or cafeteria. Inviting a few ‘lil helpers will teach them a valuable lesson in showing they care, express creativity, and also be a total blast.

Have an Awards Night

Everyone likes to get a pat on the back or a nod of a hat for a job well done. What better way to show you care by hosting an awards night for volunteers? Order some pizza, and send out an invitation to families that participated after getting your creative juices flowing for awards. Use your sense of humor and have the volunteers participate. A fun family outing is a great way to show the kids that hard work gets recognized.

3 Words: Volunteer Survival Kit

A sense of humor can go a long way and can be an excellent way to relieve stress after the weeks of planning and hectic execution. Start your kit by gathering pens, sticky notes, candy, highlighters, coffee shop gift cards, etc. Put them in a storage bag, label it, and include a small personable note expressing your thanks to the parents. The secret here is creativity, becoming an incredible investment towards participation in next year’s event.

The Classic Thank You Note

Different ways to show thanks come and go like fidget spinners & rompers. The handwritten thank you note is a timeless classic that never goes out of style. Be personal in your letter and create a narrative of the fundraiser. Frame any struggles in a light-hearted sense of humor and celebrate victories comprehensively. Send feelers out in your PTO meeting when you recap the event to get the whole picture. This will give you items to improve next time and showcase your competencies to use for next year, while also making a great outline for an amazing thank you note. Your group will be grateful for tackling 3 birds with one thank you note to express gratitude to your volunteers.


We hope that you can take some of these pointers and give them your own spin to show your volunteers how much you care. With a little creativity, these mementos can make a world of difference in volunteer participation, just like they’ve made a world of difference to your holiday shop and community.

If you found this helpful, be sure to follow us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on pointers and your holiday shop!

Boost Your Fundraising Energy, Quickly and Naturally

Let’s be honest, fundraising takes a lot of energy - not just physical energy, but mental energy, too! Keeping up with your child and helping them reach their fundraising goal is no easy task. One way to keep your energy levels up is to add some energizing items to your plate.

Some of these superfoods might be tough to pronounce, but don’t let that deter you! A simple google search will help you find several easy and creative recipes to help you enjoy these energy-boosting foods. Many of these foods can simply be added in the blender to your favorite smoothie! Plus, these foods are available at most whole food stores, co-ops, or local grocery store’s natural food sections.

Leafy Greens

The dark green leaves of kale, spinach, collards, and swiss chard are full of nutrients you need daily, as well as sustainable energy. Saute them for a quick side dish, toss them with other greens in a fresh salad, or blend some into a green smoothie for on-the-go fundraising energy.

Seeds

Seeds of many varieties–Chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, and hemp seeds–are perfect examples of great things in small packages! They’re rich in omegas and various minerals and will help boost your energy. Sprinkle them on salads, in smoothies, or toss them with Greek yogurt or cereal to kickstart your day. You can also mix some with granola for a quick boost during your fundraising event.

Seaweed

Spirulina is a form of algae, and along with other forms of seaweed, is high in iron and fatty acids. Spirulina also contains tons of complete protein (more than meat) which means it’s a great energy source. You can get it in powder form and hide it in all sorts of meals or smoothies!

Maca

Never heard of it? It’s a root vegetable native to Peru and it helps support your adrenal glands (which produce your stress hormones). Maca can help you fight fatigue and reduce stress, giving you more energy for the fun things in life (like FUNdraising)!

Pseudograins

Funny name aside, these grains are packed with energy. Amaranth, quinoa, buckwheat, millet, and wild rice are all technically seeds, but you can use them in dishes in place of grains for a more energy-packed meal.


Select a few choices from this list of superfoods and you’ll be sure to find that extra boost you (and your child) need to really succeed in fundraising. You’ll see great results in your energy, your health, and your fundraising goals!


For more fun tips and tricks, follow Gifts ‘N Things on Facebook.

Teaching Children The Joy Of Giving

The season of giving is upon us and children everywhere have an opportunity to express their generosity towards others. A great way to do that is with Gifts 'N Things. If your child is lucky, their school will be hosting a Lil Shopper's Shoppe where they can pick out inexpensive gifts to give their loved ones. This is a fundraiser for the school designed to help children discover the joy of giving.

At Lil Shopper's Shoppe, 85% of our gifts are $5.00 and under. Children can afford and understand how to purchase and give a gift even at a young age. This is a great opportunity for kids, beneficial to their understanding of generosity as well as how money works.

If your child's school is not hosting a Lil Shopper's Shoppe this holiday season, you can teach them the joy of giving in other ways, as well. To a kid, receiving presents is a huge focus of Christmas. Teach generosity by suggesting your child volunteer for Toys for Tots. Your child could give a toy in this program or help wrap and send out toys to other local kids.

Another great way to teach children the joy of giving is a giving tree. Many churches and some schools have a giving tree where you choose a family or child in need of toys, clothes, or other items and fulfill that need, placing the purchased item under the tree. This helps your child understand some people do not have the means necessary to celebrate Christmas receiving new toys the way they do.

Other ideas for volunteering and giving back this season include serving at a soup kitchen, donating to a coat drive, and volunteering at a food shelf. The holiday season is the perfect time to teach children the joy of giving. Consider some way you can have that meaningful impact in a child's life today.

On Monday, December 19th, we will hold our annual free holiday shop at New Bethany Church in Allentown, PA. The church's soup kitchen serves the poorest families in Allentown. They will hold a Christmas dinner on Sunday  the 18th, give gifts to the children, then invite them back on Monday for our holiday shop to pick out gifts for their families (and a little something for themselves as well).

Get Back into School Spirit with Gifts ‘N Things

With summer halfway over, it’s time to start thinking about the upcoming school year! Gifts ‘N Things offers plenty of items to help your kids get back in the mindset of school and encourage some school spirit.

Fall is often the busiest time of the year for families. Students, in particular, are thrown back into a full school schedule packed to the brim with sports, clubs, and extracurricular. How can you help your child feel school spirit and a sense of pride in the teams and clubs they belong to?

Gifts ‘N Things offers a variety of high-quality and personalized activewear to promote and unite school groups. You can design with school colors and mascots in mind. The versatility and ability to personalize make our active wear lines a hit with sports teams and school clubs. The affordability of Gifts ‘N Things items can also make it easier on the family budget if your child is involved in a variety of groups.

With a wide range of activewear, outerwear, and much more, you can outfit the entire team with tops, jackets, caps, and pants. And these options aren’t limited to students; our range of polos, knitwear, and customizable shirts will look excellent for teachers and parents who want to show their school pride on casual Fridays and at school events.

You can also get the whole family involved with some school spirit. Gifts ‘N Things offers a whole line of totes, cinch packs, travel bags, coolers, and more to represent your children’s team for when the whole family is on the go! Additionally, there are infant, toddler, and youth-sized active wear in t-shirts, polos, caps, activewear, and outerwear that will involve little siblings in school spirit. And with excellent sizing options in tall and ladies’ fit, there’s something to fit every body type. The whole team will look sharper than ever!

When it comes to repping the team, look no further than Gifts ‘N Things for your school spirit essentials! Take a look everything that Gifts ‘N Things has to offer to get your school year off on the right foot.

Back To Where We Came From: Moving Gifts ‘N Things to Kutztown

When Gifts ‘N Things moved to their Fleetwood warehouse from Kutztown in 2000, they never thought they would outgrow the 41,000 square foot space. However, the time has come! This summer, Gifts N’ Things will be returning to Kutztown to a new 73,000 square foot space.

“We’ve grown a lot the past couple of years and need more space. Last year we needed to rent additional warehouse space just to keep up.”, said owner Kurt Koehler.  Gifts N Things provides schools and other organizations with fundraising and holiday shop programs nationwide.

After mulling over whether or not they wanted to rent more space to keep up with the demands, Koehler said fate brought them the perfect space they needed. The owner of the building is Koehler’s daughter’s High School field hockey coach. The building had an indoor field hockey facility, gym, used furniture store, and other businesses in the space, but Koehler saw the potential for Gifts ‘N Things.

One day after watching his daughter’s field hockey game in the building, Kurt stated, “I spoke to Coach and her husband and told them I was looking for more space. They said they didn’t want to sell the building until Coach was ultimately ready to retire. The field hockey facility is on the second floor and I told them we just need the first floor of the building and that the field hockey space could stay there until they’re ready to retire.”

Keeping the field hockey space on the second floor sealed the deal and Gifts ‘N Things will begin moving into the space this summer. Koehler said, “Returning to Kutztown will be like going home because many of our employees are from that area.” Gifts ‘N Things currently has fifteen employees, and during peak season they increase staff to approximately fifty employees.

To stay up to date with the Gifts ‘N Things move, make sure to follow us on Facebook and

Instagram !

4 Essentials To Prepare When Flying With Your Kids

Getting on a plane for the first time for anyone can be frightening. Kids, especially, require some preparation. It is important to explain to them what the experience will be like, and think about how you are going to occupy them during the trip.

1. Airplane Books

Books are a great place to find worthwhile information. Since most kids love to have books read to them, go on a hunt for books with airplanes in them. This will not only get your kids familiar with airplanes but also help them to look at airplanes as a fun adventure to get from place to place. This is the perfect place to start when you know you have a flight with the kids coming up.

2. Kid-Friendly Snacks

The right snacks can get kids through almost anything! This being said, gather up your kids’ favorite snacks. It is smart to have multiple options so you can switch, depending on the length of your flight. Plus, having something to munch on may prevent your kids from having the “plugged ear” feeling.

    3. Games and Movies

Allowing your kids to watch a movie or play a game - depending on their age - will help your kids relax and maybe even catch some sleep while flying. Try finding a new movie to catch their attention or resort to a favorite to ensure they will be interested. This is great for distracting your kids if you find out flying isn’t their favorite pastime.  

    4.  Plan Carefully

The right planning can go a long way. Whenever possible, it is very helpful to consider your kids sleeping schedules when booking flights. If you strategically choose good flight times, your kids are sure to enjoy their flying experience a whole lot more.

Remember to educate you kids on how flying works through kids books and your own experiences. When you pack the right things, flying should go smoothly. These steps will ensure you are well prepared!

How to Prevent Summer Learning Loss

Summer break is a great time for children to relax before the upcoming school year, but it is very important to keep your children’s minds sharp and continue their learning throughout the summer months. Too often, the summer wipes a child’s mind of some of the lessons they learn during the school year. Here are some fantastic ways to prevent summer learning loss.

Creative Writing Assignments

Have your child make a journal and document their summer adventures. This will get them thinking creatively and will help fine-tune their writing skills.

Take Vacations - Small or Large

Vacations are not only great for family bonding and relaxation, but they can also be very educational. Whether you go somewhere near or far, each destination will provide a great opportunity for your child to learn about the history of the city you are staying in.

Field Trips

Visit local museums, historical sites, zoos, or libraries. Doing so will get your child off the couch and out learning about the community.

Storytime

Read to your child each night before bedtime. You can also create an on-the-spot story about an imaginative topic. Create characters and a plot. Then have your child create a story too. This will sharpen their imagination!

Encourage Interaction with other Children

Set up play-dates with other children. Getting your child to interact with other children will help their social skills and will teach them about getting along with others, which will help them greatly when school begins.

Cooking

Cooking will teach your children how to use measurements using various cooking utensils. This is also a great time to pull out that old family cookbook and teach your child about your family’s history.

Projects

Have your children assist you with any summer projects you may have. This includes crafts, home remodeling, or even planning for your upcoming school fundraiser!

Start this summer off right and keep your child’s mind sharp by trying some or all of the tips above. Come next fall, you child will be ready to return to school- maybe even prepared to teach their friends a thing or two!

Fundraisers Help your School and your Child!

Fundraising is a great way for any school or organization to raise money. Fundraising can help with a wide range of goals; whether you are looking to add a new playground, buy new books, or raise funds to go on a field trip. All of the benefits can often be overlooked. Here is a list of ways fundraising can help your school and child!

1. Improved Facilities

One of the most important reasons to fundraise is to improve your school’s building and equipment. Successful fundraising builds entire jungle gyms or playgrounds for schools! Schools can always use improvement and fundraising is an effective way to provide them with funds to make their goals a reality. Improving facilities doesn't just benefit the school, but the hundreds of students that use the equipment.  In turn, this helps create a great learning environment for everyone!

2. Increased Funds

Fundraising isn’t just for schools! Fundraising can benefit clubs, churches, sports clubs, and so much more. Does your team need new uniforms? Fundraising can help. Is your church going on a retreat and need some money? Fundraising can help. Is your band wanting to perform in a big parade? Okay you get the point, fundraising can benefit anyone who needs extra money and is willing to promote growth.

3. Parent Involvement

Parents are always looking for ways to get involved in their children’s lives and fundraising is a great way to get involved! Children want to win the cool prizes that are usually the incentives for the top seller and need their parents’ help. It can be a fun way to strategize and work as a family for a good cause.

4. Selling Skills

Fundraising helps children gain valuable skills.  Going door to door and talking to new people isn’t always easy, but experience with fundraising promotes self- esteem and is an excellent confidence booster.  It gives them skills that they will be able to use in the future and will teach them the importance of persistence.

5. Creates a Community

The sense of community that fundraising gives may be its best benefit. It is rewarding to see entire schools come together for a common cause and showcase their school spirit. It also creates team mentality and shows that with hard work, anything can happen. There is no better feeling than when a school reaches its goal and creates a better environment for an entire community!

As you can see, there are many benefits of fundraising! At Gifts N’ Things, we provide many options that satisfy your school or organization’s needs. We want to help your school reach its goal. We’d love to hear how fundraising has impacted your school!

Free Summer Activities

Do you feel like no matter what you do, it costs money? Summer has arrived, the kids are home from school for the season, and keeping them busy and having fun might feel like an expensive endeavor. Well, take heart my thrifty friends; for families trying to stick to a budget, there are a whole host of fun, free - or highly affordable - ways to fully enjoy all that summer has to offer.

1. Plant a Garden

Even for those with the least experienced green thumb, potting your own flowers, herbs and veggies - or creating a small raised bed - is a great way to celebrate the arrival of summer. Start from seeds or buy a few developed plants at a garden center. With a little TLC, your summer plants will add a lovely touch.

2. Lemonade Stand / Car Wash 

Many of us can look back on childhood and remember at least one entrepreneurial summertime endeavor. For this writer, it was definitely a lemonade stand. The great thing? Projects like lemonade stands and car washes become a source of great pride for kids. Plus, they don’t really require a whole lot of initial investment, and often end up being a great way for members of your neighborhood to get to know one another! And obviously, a little extra pocket cash is never a bad thing!

3. Backyard Art Projects / Show

Help the kids stay creative over summer break with group art projects. One cool idea we bumped into? Painting on plain, white sheets for “display” on a clothesline. Once the art has been completed, kids can invite friends over for a “gallery opening.”

4. Handmade Bird Houses / Feeders

This one’s a classic, and thanks to the wonders of Pinterest, there are more variations on the craft than ever before!

5. Backyard Scrabble

Here’s a really cool idea we found while trolling the web. Make words and spelling fun outdoorsy with your own homemade letter tiles...because, on a beautiful day, Words with Friends is much better in person!

6. Dollar Store Spray Bottles = DIY Squirt Guns

Think cheap squirt guns, only more durable in the long run. (Those cheap discount squirt guns tend to break on a dime). Added bonus: add washable paint to the bottles and spray them at bed sheets, pieces of poster board or big sheets of paper to create original outdoor abstract art for your “art show.”

7. Host a Neighborhood Baseball / Kickball / Wiffleball Game

You don’t need a ton of backyard space for a scaled-down version of baseball-diamond style activities. Gather the neighborhood together for a little physical fitness fun...just make sure you get plenty of water!

8. Visit The Library 

Air-conditioning is always a plus on the hottest of summer days, and lots of public libraries host a ton of free activities for kids all summer long!

9. Volunteer

Summertime is a great season to plot out a few days of the month to roll up your sleeves and help out the community. Organizations like Habitat for Humanity, for example, are ultra-busy during the warmer months, and are always looking for a helping hand. Check out your library for fliers from area organizations who could use a little manpower!

10. Bug / Amphibian / Other Critter Hunt

This is just always fun for kids. Find a nature preserve or park near your neighborhood, get out the jars and nets and see what you can find!


These are only a few of the many, many ideas for inexpensive summer fun. Have one of your own? Leave us a comment and tell us about it!

Time Management Skills for Kiddos

Time management is fundamentally a learned skill and an overall good practice for children and adults. The importance of developing good time management skills starts at a young age. From simply understanding the concept of time to juggling homework and after school activities, the benefits of having good time management skills are invaluable.

The best way to promote time management is through consistency. Start by integrating time management practices into your weekly routine. Don’t forget to balance work and play. It is easy to get caught up in the chaos of everyday life. Remember, kids still need to be kids.

Below are a few examples of time management practices to get you and your child started on the path to freedom and efficiency!

Invest in a Clock or Watch – This might sound like a “no brainer" but it is an important step in teaching time management to a child. Many people use their smart phones to track everything, including time. If you are a parent that falls into this category, invest in a clock for your home or a watch for your child.

Organization – Organization goes hand in hand with time management. Designate specific places for your child’s belongings. From clothes to toys, your child should know where everything goes. Tasks and chores will take half the time. Even backpacks need a place to live!

Instructions for the DIY BackPack Wall 

Charts – Charts can be a fun way to visually show the tasks that need to be completed. Start by creating a chart for morning or nightly routines. Eventually charts can be created for other weekly routines such as chores or homework. A good example is this free morning chart download from Illi Style. 

Calendars & Agendas – Create or purchase a calendar and/or agenda for your child. Teach children to write things down and prioritize their time. Break down tasks or activities into increments of time. Include start and end times. Don’t limit tasks to only deadlines or appointments. Include time for playing and relaxing. Eventually you can begin to color code activities, homework and tasks.

5 Tips for Your Child's Fundraising

Make Fundraising a Fun Learning Experience

Fundraising can be a daunting task, especially to young children and can cause them a great deal of anxiety. With a little push you can help your child be more comfortable fundraising and make it an enjoyable experience for everybody involved. To do this, Gifts 'N Things has provided the following tips to make your child's fundraising a fun and successful one.

1) Know The Product
One of the most important things when fundraising with children is that they know what they are selling. We don’t mean they know they are selling candy bars, but rather what is in the candy bar and how it tastes. This is impressive when a young “salesperson” can show knowledge of their product.

2) Go along for the Ride
Going door to door with your child is one of the best ways to have a successful fundraising campaign. By going door to door (preferably in your neighborhood), your child will be able to show their knowledge about the product with your neighbors and work on socializing with people they may not know that well. Most of the time they are more than willing to help support your children.

3) Buddy-Up!

When it comes to children and having to do something outside of their comfort zone it helps to have at least one other child with them. Our next tip is work in pairs or groups. This is a simple way to help make your child more comfortable and you can help the other children with their fundraising too.

4) Don't take over

Often times we see parents doing the selling for the children. Let your child do the work they are given to do. There is a good chance that they fundraising they are asked to do directly benefits them and is given to them for a purpose that cannot be achieved if you do it for your child.

5) Don't Bail Them Out

Our last tip is in regards to your top clients. More often than not, your family and close friends will be more than willing to help your child out. The great thing about seeking support from friends and family is that your child will be more comfortable around them. More often than not, parents end up buying too much of their children’s product. This does help your child meet the minimum requirements for selling but then you have an overabundance of something that cost you money. By setting limits on how much you will buy, your children will be able to know how much they must sell. Approaching close family and friends is a great way for your child to start tackling her or his additional quota.

By following the tips that we gave you you can make fundraising an overall successful experience for both you and your child. Good luck and happy selling!