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!

At-Home Winter Activities for Kids – Without Devices!

During the winter months, it’s difficult to find activities to keep the kids busy, learning, and having fun without sending them to devices or screens. For something new you can do at home this winter, try these indoor and outdoor activities.

1. Snow Isn’t Just for Snowmen

If you’re looking longingly out your window and wishing for outdoor activities, you could build two snow forts for an epic snow battle, paint the snow using an emptied ketchup bottles and dyed water, or put on a backyard Winter Olympics, complete with long (snow) jump, best snow angel, or a backyard luge (sledding).

2. Go for a Winter Walk

The next time it’s snowing, bundle up and go for a stroll. Notice how quiet it gets when it snows, catch snowflakes on your tongue, and compare the shapes and sizes of the flakes that fall into your hands. It’s a good time to admire nature’s beauty while getting some fresh air. If there’s no snow in your area, kids can enjoy finding nature’s treasures and examining how nature changes during the cold months.

3. Read Your Favorite Children’s Book

Remember your favorite children’s book—perhaps The Chronicles of Narnia, The Little Prince, Where the Red Fern Grows, or Hatchet? Pull it out or get it from the library, and read a chapter or two aloud each night. Older kids can take turns reading a page or a chapter as well to practice their skills.

4. Have a Family Talent Show

Requirement: everyone has to perform! Choose a talent – from playing an instrument to telling bad jokes – and take turns showing off in the performance to remember! You can even take the time earlier in the day to create your own trophies for the winners.

5. Indoor Blanket Forts

Does this ever get old for kids? Help the kids hang up the biggest blankets you can find, and climb in with them! Read stories, pretend you are outdoor scouts in your tents, or just snuggle and tell stories.

6. Put on a Birthday Party—for Your Favorite Stuffed Animal

It’s someone’s birthday! Young kids will adore the chance to celebrate a favorite fuzzy friend. They can decorate with streamers, make a sign, wrap up a “gift” for them, and make them a birthday card. It’s up to you to decide if there’s a cake!

7. Have a Snack Taste Test

This activity is good for young kids to tweens and everyone in between. Set up an anonymous taste test of your favorite snacks and foods and let everyone rate their favorites. It’s a chance to talk about taste, texture, put a name to flavors, and discuss respecting others’ opinions. Plus, you may discover your family has a strong preference for one brand or snack over another. Set out foods like applesauce, noodles, condiments, bread, or cookies. Older kids can take part by being the organizers and may enjoy being on the inside track of the activity.


As the saying goes, “The days are long but the years are fast.” Enjoy these long days of winter, for the years with children go all too fast.

How To Get Organized After The Holidays

The holidays are a joyous time. All of that prep work and celebrating during the holidays brings joy and warm feelings to families all over the country.

Once they’re over, however, you might feel a little differently about the holidays. Remembering the organization and budgeting it takes to get your family back on track can bring feelings of a very different kind.

Getting back on track isn’t impossible, however. Follow these top tips for how to get organized after the holidays.

1. Clean out Your Refrigerator

After the holiday fun, you may have a lot of leftovers in your fridge. Not only do leftovers take up extra space in your fridge, holiday leftovers take the place of healthier foods. Instead of letting them take up space or ingesting the extra calories, take the time to clean out your refrigerator.

2. Ditch the Sweets.

They’re everywhere during the holidays so this one will be difficult to do, especially for
the kids. Although they (and maybe even you) may protest ditching them, your teeth and
health will thank you later.

You don’t need to throw spare sweets away. You could bring them to the office to share with coworkers. Another option is to teach your kids about community giving by creating care packages for those in need. 

3. Get Back on Your Exercise Routine

You might not have had time to exercise during the holidays. The season keeps many of us busy helping with school events and planning and hosting your own holiday parties. Now that the holidays are over, start again by making small goals, then gradually increase your goal until you’re back to your pre-holiday workout routine. Get your family involved by visiting local rec centers or gyms to play family-oriented games together.

4. Get Plenty of Sleep

With most holidays, you may begin to lose sleep. You and your family have so much fun, you don’t follow your normal bedtime routine. Your kids may protest at first, but getting everyone on the same bedtime routine as soon as the holidays are over will benefit everyone, including yourself.


Now that you have these great tips to get organized, you and your family will feel like your pre-holiday-selves in now time.

When it comes time to fundraise for your school or prepare spring events, contact Gifts ‘N Things. We have everything to keep you organized, no matter the season.

Life Skills Your Kids Learn From Fundraising

You might perceive fundraising as a pesky part of your child's schooling. When the catalogs of products roll out, it can be hard to envision much more than the work it will take for your child to raise the money expected of them. But hosting a fundraiser is more beneficial to your kids than you think. Here are some life skills your kids learn from fundraising.

Customer Service

Assisting individuals as they pick out which items they would like to purchase is a task most everyone in their lives have done at some point. Great customer service requires knowledge of the products, patience, honesty, politeness, and the ability to follow through on promises. What better way for your child to learn how to deliver great customer service than fundraising? This is a stepping stone to what will likely be a skill needed in their first job.

Financial Responsibility

Oftentimes, fundraising is one of the first opportunities your child has to experience handling a significant amount of money. Besides this, the important aspect of financial goal setting is introduced. Be sure your child takes on as much financial responsibility as possible during the fundraising process. They will gain a lot of confidence when it comes to dealing with money and learn some hard earned lessons about achieving, or not achieving, financial goals.

Communication

Communication skills do not develop in a classroom alone. Fundraising will surely advance your child's communication skills. It is not easy to ask adults or strangers for contributions. It is not easy to have the courage to speak in uncomfortable situations. Fundraising offers these life lessons for your child if you simply let them to take charge. You will be impressed with how poised your child can be speaking to an adult if you allow them the practice.

The next time your child's school begins a fundraiser, approach it as a learning opportunity for your child. Remember the positive aspects it will bring as it forces your child to grow into a more sophisticated and capable person.

Defeat Summer Boredom with These 7 Outdoor Activities

With summer fast approaching and school graduations abound, children will soon be heard collectively sighing, “I’m sooooo bored.” Though they won’t have classes and homework to keep them busy, that doesn’t mean they have to sit around all day like zombies forgetting everything they learned during the school year. Here are 7 FREE summer ideas that you can do with your children to help keep them active and entertained.

Go on a Quest

Did somebody say scavenger hunt? No? How about BEACH SCAVENGER HUNT?!? Head to the nearest beach with this list and have a scavenger hunt. With items like “something made out of metal” and “three different kinds of shells”, your trip can be informative while also adventurous. Bring an extra bag or two and help clean up any trash while you’re there. This will teach your kids conservation as well as keep them busy!

Camping at Home

Have an unexpected day off? Put the tent up in the yard and have an impromptu camping trip without the hassle of packing and travel.

Paper Airplane Contest

Help your kids learn about what makes airplanes fly and have fun at the same time. Check out these downloadable designs for some fast and easy paper airplanes and hold a competition in your backyard when the projectiles are complete.

Backyard Sock Puppet Play

Hark! Is that a young Shakespeare I hear? Follow these simple instructions to turn an old bed sheet into an impressive theater curtain. You can also find tons of cool puppet ideas on Pinterest. Let your kids write a script, pop some popcorn and enjoy the show!

Be Kind

With advancements in technology and instant entertainment abound, it is easy for children (and adults) to become self-absorbed. However, it’s also easy for us to be kind to our fellow man and give selflessly. Teach your children about acts of kindness by putting together care packages for troops, organize a food drive for your local food shelf, or set up a community cleanup project.

Paint the Town (or just your driveway)

Kids love to color. Sidewalk chalk is an incredible outlet for this. There’s little to no inside mess. Okay, this idea might cost a few dollars, but it is completely worth it. There are several recipes for sidewalk chalk, and when thinking about getting more bang for your buck, it is cheaper than buying boxes of it from the store. Plus, cleanup is a breeze. Just wait for the next rain storm.

Neighborhood Olympics

Do you have the next Usain Bolt or Michelle Akers living near you? Organize a neighborhood Olympics with fun races and obstacle courses and give prizes for the top spots.


School might be out for the summer, but that doesn’t mean your kids need to stop exploring, learning, and being active. Take some of these fun ideas and get busy with your kids! When the time comes again to get busy raising funds for your favorite organizations, visit Gifts ‘N Things for everything you’ll need.

Asking For Donations Safely and Effectively

With the school session upon us, many parents are reminded that fundraisers are an integral part of the year. Whether your kids need to raise money for new sports equipment, uniforms, transportation costs, or supplies, fundraising is important to many school programs. Parents, however, tend to dread the fundraising season because they fear having to ask friends and family for donations—much less strangers. Here are a few tips to help ease you through your school’s fundraiser and make the fundraising experience more fun for you, your children, and your potential donors:

Do Your Research

When it comes to family and friends, it is rather easy to know what interests them. Focus on items that you know they will be using and will be interested in. If your brother or sister isn’t very adventurous, help your child steer their eye towards something for the home. If your aunt and uncle love cooking and baking, show them the newest kitchen gadgets that will make their time in the kitchen easier and more fun.

Image by arrathoonlaa via Flickr

Practice Makes Perfect

As with any presentation, it is important to know what you’re going to say and how you’re going to say it–especially if your kids are the ones presenting. Sit down with your children and have them rehearse their presentation while pretending that you are their audience. Fumbling over words and phrases will distract your potential donor, while a well-spoken delivery may just snag an extra donation or two. Let them know that a few mistakes are okay and that confidence will go a long way.

Make It Fun

While your delivery may be well rehearsed, it shouldn’t sound like an automatic proposal. Switch up your delivery method to keep the mood light with smiling, involved parties, or throw in a joke or two to break the ice with more walled off individuals.

Image by Mike G via Flickr

Involve The Donor

If you notice that the donor is eyeing up a particular product, ask them what their opinion is on that item and LISTEN. People often want to have their voices heard and this is especially true when in a sales pitch. Find a common ground on items and ask them to speak their mind. This is an important lesson to teach your child not just to successfully fundraise, but to become better communicators.

Asking for money from friends and family is not often easy. Asking for money from strangers can be downright uncomfortable, but if you and your child follow these steps you might find that some of the stress is lifted and fundraising is more fun. Your child may even come home with a few extra prizes because of their success!

Look to Gifts ‘N Things for your next fundraising program. We have many different programs to choose from, you’re bound to find one that fits your needs.

How to Throw a Kid-friendly New Year's Eve Bash

With the holiday season winding down, you’ll find you are turning focus from the Holiday season to New Year’s Eve. For those of us with children, New Year’s Eve parties are not all-night, champagne-filled bashes followed by a morning spent in bed enjoying the day off work. So how do you plan a memorable New Year’s Bash for you and your kids? We’ve got a few ideas:

For the littlest ones to 2nd grade, waiting until midnight will take them way past their curfews. Have a mock countdown that ends at 7 p.m. so they can get to ring in the New Year as well. Try a few of these tips:

• Bring your costume clothing and play dress up
• Fill balloons with ideas for fun games. Pop one every half hour so you will have exciting activities to look forward to enjoying
• Make your own noisemakers to ring in the New Year

For 3rd to 4th graders:

• Set up a tent in your living room and camp indoors for the night
• Grab all the pillows and blankets from around your house and create a massive pillow fort
• Compile your favorite photos from the year and create a memory matching game
• Search for your family’s best memories in a memory-filled scavenger hunt

For 5th to 8th graders:

• Grab a stack of newspapers, and have everyone create their own “Things I Hope For in the New Year to Come” collage
• Kick in the New Year with a movie marathon of your favorite movies
• Go stargazing and wish on shooting stars
• Create a celebratory balloon drop for when the clock strikes midnight - your kids can dress up as their favorite celebrity and do their best impressions

Encourage teens to celebrate at home:

• Set up karaoke in the basement and prepare to sing your heart out
• Create a festive photo booth, and props worthy of the best selfies
• Kick back at a bonfire with hot chocolate
• Prepare for a midnight countdown with sparkling juice and sparklers

Entertaining kids of all ages? Try:

• Build-your-own hot cocoa bar
• Decorate-your-own cupcake bar
• Write a list of all the best memories you had this year with family and friends
• Ring in the New Year with a dance party

The possibilities for throwing a kid-friendly New Year’s Eve Bash are endless. For even more ideas, check out these 100 Great New Year’s Activities to Do with Your Kids.

From all of us at Gifts ‘N Things, have a happy New Year!

Get Creative with Your Gift Wrapping This Holiday Season

For many people, finding the perfect present for a loved one can be just as fantastic as receiving one. Get creative with your gift wrapping supplies and skills this holiday season, and check out all the great options Gifts ‘N Things has in store for you.

Variety and Versatility

For every season, holiday, and celebration, Gifts ‘N Things has different holiday themes, winter scenes, and year-round prints including rustic, glamour, sophisticated, superhero, princess, sports, kids, color and pattern, animal, romance, party, and many more.

The decorative wrapping supplies found at Gifts ‘N Things also serve a variety of purposes beyond gift wrap. From the heavy duty material to the enormous selection of color, design, and sheen, Gifts ‘N Things decorative wrap can be utilized in art projects, to cover textbooks for students, and to decoratively protect shelves and storage. You can even find theme decorations to complement or accent your holiday décor at home.

Value Sets

There are great deals on every page of our Perfect Presents and Winter Wonderland brochures, but check out these excellent opportunities to make the most of your gift-wrapping this season.

Duo-Rolls are a hit this season! Made of extra heavy paper, crafters love this durable and versatile decorative paper. Duo-Rolls are comprised of two papers rolled onto one core. This means you get to benefit of more square footage, more textures, and more bang for your buck!

The Everyday Flat Wrap Value Pack, with 50 square feet of assorted wraps, offers 25% more paper than a standard roll. Preselected designs save you time and money.

The Jumbo Roll Wrap offers 60 square feet of reversible and coordinating wrap. This makes for better savings and colorful surprises. And with a variety of more bundled deals, you can find the perfect fit with extra deals in gift wrap, tissue paper, and bows.

Personalize Your Present

Don’t miss this year’s Chalk Board Roll/Table Runner. Use it as gift wrap and write messages, greetings or doodles for your loved ones. Try it out as a fun and festive addition to a party. Use it as a table runner or message board for friends and family to write messages on.

Accessorize and ‘Garnish’

In addition to gift wrap, you can find gift cards, tags, bows, ribbon sets, and a trove of treasures at Gifts ‘N Things. Creative gift wrapping goes beyond the wrapping paper you choose. Consider choosing a gift wrap that doubles as a present. Wrap a wine bottle in a scarf or monogrammed tea towel, or use a tote or decorative basket as a gift bag.

Consider using items that will double as a “garnish” for your gift. Use natural elements like pinecones, acorns, or a sprig of pine needles to add a woodsy touch, old skeleton keys or small lockets for a vintage touch, or trinkets and charms for a personal touch. It’s the little things and thoughts that can create the most joy.

It may be early in the holiday gift-giving season, but don’t delay the joys of gift shopping and present wrapping until the last minute. Get started today.

Having a Succesful Year of Fundraising in 2015

The first month of 2015 is nearly over, and for most organizations, the new year marks a time of rebirth and renewal. Businesses, schools, and nonprofits alike utilize January as a pivotal starting point for new ideas, goals, and trends to increase their fundraising efforts over the next calendar year. So what are the best ways to approach 2015, fundraising-wise?

According to The Non-Profit Times, visual storytelling will be crucial to being successful while fundraising this year. “Organizations will have to find creative and innovative ways to engage supporters in a world full of distractions, and visual components are key,” says Rich Dietz, senior product manager for digital fundraising at Abila Software in Austin, Texas. Previous research indicates that people process visuals at least 60,000 times faster than text, meaning if your organization is looking for engagement, creating something eye-catching is necessary.

Another opportunity to be on top of your fundraising game this year is to be aware of donor’s wants and needs. Most donors are interested in knowing directly where their contributions end up, and as GuideStar points out, there’s a simple formula for how to talk about your strategy in a successful, communicative way.

The “MPI formula,” created by Gail Perry, focuses on three fundamental parts of any fundraising conversation. These basic questions are:

• M: How much money your organization wants to raise.

• P: What project will fund.

• I: What impact your fundraiser will make.

Perry says the initiative works because it requires your organization to define a concrete goal, connect to donors specifically, and inspires communication about your project and what it will accomplish. Successful communication between volunteers, donors, and leaders is key in establishing trust between your organization and the people who help it, which usually results in more investment in the long run.

Another key in having a good fundraising year is understanding your audience. While audiences differ depending on the organization, it has been documented by the Huffington Post that sixty-four percent of donations are made by women, and seventy-seven percent of people in the United States believe everyone can make a difference by supporting causes they care about. Do some research on your audience to cater to your target demographics, and see the difference in your donations.

Last but not least is looking at the role technology plays in your fundraising efforts. The Pew Research Center states that more than ninety percent of all Americans own a cell phone, making it the most popularly used form of technology to date. But is your organization utilizing it the way it should be?

Larger organizations, like nonprofits and schools with larger budgets, will benefit from using responsive design on their website -- allowing users to seamlessly browse from either smartphones, tablets, or computers. Smaller organizations can also use technology. Social media, like Facebook or Twitter, is a great way to draw attention to your fundraiser without spending more money than you can afford.

Of course, there are numerous ways to have a successful fundraiser, and these are just a few trends worth noting as you create your goals for the upcoming year. It is worth pointing out, however, that organizations willing to embrace new ways of thinking and take risks often benefit the most from new trends and research.

We wish your organization the best of luck in the new year, and hope to help you with any and all fundraising you plan to do in 2015!

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!