Handing out gifts to kids

[eeyoremom47]

My family & I are going done Christmas week and I would like to give random children these neat Disney paks I found at Halloween time. The have some stickers, a small coloring book, and a couple of colors. I got princess, Cars and I think Mickey. Would it be ok to hand these to kids?

 

[Gracie09]

We teach our kids not to take presents etc from strangers. So it would not be welcome inmy family and you would get a firm but polite no thank you

 

[mandi1590]

I would ask mom and dad first to make sure its ok with them. If its ok with them I say go for it.

 

[My2CrazyGirls]

Just ask the parents first...say you wanted to spread some pixie dust and made up some goodie bags. Just make sure they don't contain food items....

 

[My2CrazyGirls]

And welcome to DIS, I see this is your first post!

 

[DCbride]

I think that it was nice of you to think ahead and buy items and to want to give them to kids. On more than 1 occasion I regifted a Disney balloon to a child on the day we were flying home.

But, as the pp mentioned some parents would not welcome a stranger offering gifts. Maybe instead of randomly offering to kids in the park you could offer the parents the gift at a sit down meal. Just say something like "I noticed how well behaved your kids are. and thought they might enjoy XYZ while waiting for their meal." And give it to the parent.

I would be thrilled at someone's thoughtfulness.

 

[jennylyn_b]

If it wasn't wrapped so I could see what it was I would have no problem with my dd accepted one of these. It's very nice of you. Have a great trip.

 

[tinkerpea]

We have given out glow sticks and stickers etc when we have gone, we have children with us and its them who normally do it,
I've not come across a parent that's had a problem yet.

I would just ask the parent 1st and say you was handing out these little gifts would it be ok for their child to have one.
Many will be fine with it,

There is a HUGE difference between somebody giving a child something while the parents are with them at a place like this, where your most likely never to see the person again, and say handing out sweets or gifts alone in a park while your at home!

I mean our children know not to take from strangers when they are not with us, but if I was with them and somebody offered them something I could clearly see was ok I would have no problem and have indeed had this done before.

I think its very nice of you.

 

[DreadpiratK]

We have given out glow sticks and bracelets to kids during the fireworks without any problem, we usually just keep it low key, approach the parents and ask if it's OK to give them to their kids, or hand them to the parents themselves. When they see that we're with our own kids who also have the same thing, they are usually very happy to take them, especially because it ends the begging for the overpriced glow toys on sale.

The other way that tends to work is to have your kids hand them out, if they are old enough. Parents tend to be less suspicious of children and women giving away stuff, or at least of families doing it together. A single man handing out gifts can look odd (sad commentary on our society, isn't it?) but a couple with kids of their own just enjoying themselves and giving things to other kids around them because they have extra shouldn't raise any red flags with anyone.

Come to think of it, we did have one time when a father rather brusquely said NO and dragged his kid away while glaring at us like we were trying to sell something, but I think that was just a mis-understanding.

On the other hand we were in line HM one time and the little boy behind me was kind of whimpering because he was scared of the dark, so I pulled out a glow stick and gave it to his father for him, and he was so delighted he completely forgot to be scared of the ride. The parents were so grateful!

If anyone says no thank you, just smile and move on, no big deal.

 

[disneypolybride2008]

i would keep one with you and give it to the parents of a cranky child. Say on the bus, if someone's child is having a meltdown, offer it to the parent.

we were in the big que for the Voyage of the Little Mermaid. A boy and his mom were sitting on the floor. The boy had a light up Mickey toy and DD2 just loved it. The mom was telling the boy to let my DD play with it. I said no thank you, that it is the little boy's toy. Then the mom says it is ok and takes the toy from the boy and hands it to my DD. It really bugged me. I said no. Then the she undermines me and gives MY dd the toy. I let her play with the toy rather than make her cry by taking it from her.

Then on another day we bought the exact toy for DD. She was holding it in her stroller playing it while we were eating dinner in MK and an older child, about 7, comes over and tries to take it from DD2, not even saying anything. Soon after he mother called her away from our table.

 

[eeyoremom47]

Thank you all so much for replies to my question. Yes, I will ask the parents first before giving the small gift. I'm going to share a little a background as to why I want to do this. This trip was suppose to to be a celebration of my youngest son graduating from collage, (he gradurates tomorrow with double majors and minors) and the up coming birth of his baby, my first grandchild, but in September, they lost the baby. So instead of feeling sad, we want to share the joy of the season with other children. It will be just a Mom with her 3 grown sons & daughter-in law. I'm sorry if I offend any one with this but I needed to share as. To why I want to do it. I'm also a teacher of children with autism, so making kids happy is something I love doing. Thanks

 

[taterheads]

There is a whole thread about doing this. It's called pixie dusting and it is fine!!! As a rule, ask the parents if it is ok to give a gift first. Pixie dusting tends to work best when you pick the "right" moment too. So kids handing glow sticks to other kids at wishes, or in your case with the sticker/ coloring packs (especially since you don't have kids with you to bestow the gifts) I agree with the earlier poster who suggested you possibly asking parents if it is alright to give them to a child who is waiting for a meal at a restaurant. That is a great time that your gift would seem appropriate. If you offered to my child in that type of atmosphere and asked me first I would be more than happy to accept and would be grateful. happy pixie dusting!

 

[rachellm]

I like the idea of giving them out at meals.

They sell those packs year round, we always have a collection in the diaper bag to use at restaurants

The problem for me would be - if someone gave me kids that in a park line or a bus, they'd want to use it. And that's not an easy time/place to color! With a glow stick or stickers, kids can look at them immediately. The little pack would be something to carry and save for later.

 

[mousehunter3]

Our last night at the resort, we blew up glo in the dark balloons we had brought with us and my kids handed them out to other kids around the pool and in the outdoor movie area. They had so much fun doing it and it was fun to look around and see all the kids playing with their balloons. Some kids would not take the balloons and I just told my kids to say okay and move onto someone else. It is one of the most memorable parts of their trip!