Experiences are Better Gifts than Toys!
posted on Jan 14, 2020
In today’s materialistic world, ‘giving’ equals loving. Most parents today prefer pampering and showering their children with exclusive gifts in an attempt to showcase their love for them. It has, in fact, become a trend today to give a gift for every occasion, and even children love it too. However, the question is why ‘giving,’ or rather ‘loving,’ should be symbolized through gifting toys, clothes, or just material stuff. Why can’t it be something more valuable like experiences and cherishable moments?
Haven’t all of you experienced at some point in life that real joy doesn’t come from material possessions? Of course, we do understand that children love toys and other stuff, and there is no wrong in buying them. But still, do those expensive and extraordinary gifts you buy your kids give them the real happiness or give them something memorable for years? No, definitely not!
The fact that all the joy from materialistic gifts and toys fades away quickly cannot be denied. Statistics reveal that on average, a child owns around 200 toys but plays with only 12 of them on a daily basis. Even the most anticipated gift ultimately settles down under a chunk of unused toys sooner or later; nevertheless, memories from experiences tend to get fonder and valuable over time. This is why we, at Gurukul The School, believe that instead of giving toys or material possessions as gifts to children, giving them any sort of life experience can be more rewarding and valuable, both in the moment and long afterward, taking a forever place in their memories.
What happens when you focus on gifting experiences?
It is no surprise that gifting experiences create lifetime memories, bring more happiness, helps build vital life skills, and over and above everything else, give meaning to the gift. Experiences of every kind are important for children for their healthy social and psychological development. In fact, sharing good family times and undergoing different experiences is drastically important for a child’s well-being. Experiences can be linked to better family bonding, a sense of identity and security, higher rates of learning, lower rates of violence, and fewer behavioural problems in children.
Experiences are emotionally fulfilling
Unlike the material possessions, experiences that children get is much more intrinsically fulfilling. The reason why experiential gifts are highly regarded is that they tend to be more emotionally evocative and socially connecting. When you give an experiential gift, it elicits a strong emotional response. For instance, think of the fear-filled awe of safari adventure, or the calmness of the spa treatment, or the excitement of a rock concert – all these experiences generate a more intense emotional impact on the young minds than any material possession can ever do.
Good experiences bring along with them utter happiness
Experiences can provide more lasting happiness than toys and have the ability to contribute to the happiness of self and others. Taking a child to charity homes or letting them volunteer into any community activity can be a great experience for them to connect with the world and share their happiness and bring smiles to others. Happiness kicks in when you plan for family trips and social events. Especially, the anticipation leading up to the upcoming experience itself has the potential to give in a dose of dopamine in the young, adventurous minds.
Experience can be skills-building
Consider giving your child an experience that is not only valuable but also aids in skills building. Any hobby or recreational activity your child loves can be on the list. Whether it is horse riding, music instrument, painting, pottery, or any activity, such experiential gifts can help develop a new hobby or build a new skill in children and lead up to give an engaging experience.
At Gurukul The School, ranked among the top ten CBSE schools in Ghaziabad, we firmly believe that memories are the sum of all the experiences of the past. As such, any thoughtful and rewarding experience gifted to children can create priceless memories and aid in instilling in them valuable skills that last a lifetime. This is the reason why, we, at Gurukul, lay more emphasis on experiential learning rather than rote learning. We strive to instil a learning process that sustains the personal excellence of each child and evolves them into responsible global citizens. Our mission at Gurukul The School is to nurture the creative minds of children and enrich their curiosity to help them become the most valuable resources and hope for the future.