Something lovely happens between 6 and 9: children read on their own (or nearly), understand rules, make up long stories and want to do "grown-up" things. It's a great age for gifts that don't end when the paper comes off, but start there.
Here are ten ideas that get played, read or lived, many of them together as a family. There are no brands or prices: these are kinds of gift, so you can pick what fits your child and your budget.
Before you choose: three quick questions
- What do they do when nobody suggests anything? Drawing, building, asking questions, running, collecting… That's the best place to start.
- Will they use it with someone? Gifts that are shared with family or friends tend to last longer.
- Does it fit in your home and your calendar? A plan for a Saturday can be a better gift than an enormous box.
1. An adventure around the city
At this age they love feeling like explorers. A gift that turns a walk into a mission, with clues, a map and something to discover, gives them a real plan to do with a grown-up, and a reason to see their city differently.
It can be a treasure hunt you put together yourselves (here's how to plan a scavenger hunt in Madrid) or notebooks that are ready to take out.
2. A book that's a little too big for them
Between 6 and 9, first readers sit alongside children who devour whole series. A good trick is to give one book to read together, with short chapters and a few pictures, and an easier one to read alone. Local bookshops are great at recommending if you tell them what your child likes.
3. A board game for the whole family
Cooperative games, where everyone wins or loses together, work really well at this age: nobody gets upset about losing to a sibling, and you practise deciding as a team. Look for games that last 15 to 30 minutes and rules you can explain in five.
4. A kit for making things by hand
Air-dry clay, a small loom, bracelets, painting on stones, cardboard models… What matters is that the result is theirs and can be shown off or given away. If it comes with an afternoon set aside to try it, even better.
5. An explorer's notebook
A nice notebook, a good pencil, a magnifying glass and a little bag for leaves or stones. With that, any walk becomes an expedition: drawing what you see, writing down questions, sticking in treasures. If you'd like ideas for its first outing, there are eight games in screen-free family walks: observation games.
6. A plan with a date in the calendar
A handwritten voucher for "a morning at a museum", "a picnic in the park" or "climbing up to a viewpoint" is a simple gift that gets looked forward to. Madrid has museums, parks and plenty of family activities; check each place's official website before you pick the date.
7. Something to collect
Stickers, stamps, badges, minerals, postcards from places you visit… Collecting teaches them to sort, compare and tell a story about every piece. An album or a box with compartments turns any collection into their own little museum.
8. A simple instrument
A harmonica, a ukulele, a xylophone or a pair of maracas need no lessons to start playing with sound. Making up a family song, even an out-of-tune one, counts as a plan.
9. Something for moving around outdoors
A new ball, a long skipping rope for several jumpers, a frisbee, beach bats or a kite. They're cheap to keep going, they get the whole family outside, and they work just as well in the local park as on holiday.
10. A gift that comes with a letter
At this age, getting a real letter, with an envelope and a stamp, is an event. You can write it yourselves, or hide the present and leave the letter as the first clue. The mystery is part of the gift.
One more idea: Paseo y Pista
We make paper adventures for exploring Madrid as a family. The Madrid pack has four illustrated notebooks with clues and missions (El Retiro, Puerta del Sol and Plaza Mayor, the Royal Palace and the Temple of Debod, the Literary Quarter), a Christmas story to read on a walk through the lights, an illustrated map, a passport with stickers and the cards for the grown-up, all in a kraft envelope ready to give.
It's made for children aged 6 to 9 with a grown-up, without a phone and at your own pace. The Christmas pre-order is open until 15 November, with delivery before Christmas. For more ideas at this time of year, see Christmas gifts.
Good to know
- Better when shared: many of these gifts work best when a grown-up tries them out with the child. Think about the time you're giving, not just the object.
- For Three Kings or a birthday: plans and adventures can be given with a letter and done another day, when the weather is good.
- No pressure: it doesn't need to be big or expensive. What gets remembered is usually what you did together.