As children get older, they will start to realize that practical gifts can be as great as toys, video games, and money. They might get there with clothes faster, but they will soon learn that the necessities can be as good as anything that will break in a few weeks could be. For kids young and old, gifts that improve their health not only shows you care, but shows that you want to make an investment in their well being. Here are the top 5 healthy gifts for kids this year:
- Smart Toothbrush
The Beam smart toothbrush uses a smartphone app to help keep track of a child’s oral health and activities. The app and toothbrush communicate via Bluetooth, and the brush itself holds about three weeks’ worth of information. This brush will help the child know how long to brush using a light up display and the ability to play a song while brushing. The song can help the child brush longer and keep track of the amount of time he or she brushes. If oral health is a continuing issue, the toothbrush can also forward information to an email account to then send to your dentist. This toothbrush is relatively cheap at $25 in stores, with $4 for replacement heads. The toothbrush runs on AA batteries.
- Water Bottle
If you are looking for something that is super budget friendly, or you do want to get a special child in your life a toy and something healthy, a water bottle is a great idea. There are many different types of water bottles. You can get ones that keep the water cold, one that filters tap water, or personalized bottles with his or her name on it. Getting someone a water bottle that they really like will encourage him or her to drink more water, which helps keep plaque and bacteria levels in the mouth low.
- Kidliga Dishware
Kids will be excited to eat well balanced meals with their own Kidliga dishware set. The set uses the stamped on pattern to show portion sizes and the accompanying book, Sammie & Sax in the Land of Quinoa: The Search for a Balanced Meal teaches kids all about healthy eating and includes recipes and a teaching guide so it continues through later in life.
- Cookbook
Going right along with the dishware, buying your child a cookbook will help him or her understand what is going into everything we eat. Talk to the child about healthy foods and what impact sugary foods has on oral health. Many cookbooks show how to make sweeter foods in more healthy ways by using Stevia or applesauce as a sweetener. Cookbooks are available at any big box retail store, online, or in book stores. If you want to make it really special, including tooth-healthy copies of some family recipes in the back of the book.
- Play-Doh Doctor Drill ‘n Fill Playset
For children that aren’t quite at that age yet where they understand receiving healthy gifts from Santa, try the Play-Doh Doctor Drill ‘n Fill playset. This will allow children to understand the importance of teeth, and what can happen if they don’t take care of them. It can also work to help ease you child’s fear of the dentist, because they have been one! It’s a fun, easier way to acquaint them with the idea that someone is going to be looking inside their mouths.
Sometimes a healthy gift isn’t practical or it isn’t really what you want to give, but it is the best option for either your budget, or the future of the child. It is also a great way to hint about a particular health aspect.
