…that aren’t garbage. Or toys.
When I was a kid, my dad traveled a few times a year for work. He always brought back souvenirs for my sister and me, which was ridiculously exciting to my little hoarder self. Postcards, t-shirts, stuffed animals, plastic travel mugs, tiny statue replicas… You name it, I had it.
I love what my dad was trying to do – generate a fun surprise for when he got home. And it was wonderful!
But the stuff.
Oh my.
Going on a trip, and wanting to buy your children/grandchildren/nieces and nephews/nanny charges something? Great! Here’s some suggestions on how to do that without clogging up their room with stuff.
Washcloths or towels. Especially those kind that come all compressed into a little brick and then revive when you wet them. It’s super fun to make them grow, but then you have a very useful item left over. Those washcloths are actually really soft and big! Bonus: easy to fit in your suitcase!
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| These adorable washcloths are from Grandma and Grandpa’s trip to Hawaii. I don’t know what “A Coconut Named Bob” is about, but it’s SO CUTE an SOFT. Big L enjoyed wetting them and watching them “grow.” |
A pen/pencil or eraser (for school aged children.). They can can use it at school and tell their friends about their cool relative who went cool places. And it is consumable. Rulers and folders are also good possibilities!
Candy/regional snacks. Does your location have a particular packable food item that kids would like? Saltwater taffy from the coast? Fudge from Michigan? Maple sugar candies from Vermont or Canada?
1 T-shirt, 1 size too big.
Because they are already wearing their current size, so obviously mom and dad have dealt with their current wardrobe and they have enough clothes. The shirt will get more wear if it is an intentional part of their next wardrobe.
Because they are already wearing their current size, so obviously mom and dad have dealt with their current wardrobe and they have enough clothes. The shirt will get more wear if it is an intentional part of their next wardrobe.
A book. Now, I am a softy for books – it is the one area of my home I have yet to purge. That being said, a book about the cool place you went (at an appropriate reading level, of course) might be a perfect souvenir.
A useful item they can grow into. For example, if your special child is almost ready for a water bottle, or a plate, or a baseball cap, or their own cocoa mug. That way is not an extra of that item, but it is the one the child uses daily because his/her parents know they already have one.
Any other great ideas for souvenirs for minimalist kids? Leave them in a comment! Happy travels.