What ages get neglected/who would you buy for?

[shortbun]

We are going out tonight to shop for unknown children and we're taking the toys/gifts to a local TV station tomorrow morning for their big "toy" drive. My family thinks teens get neglected at this time of year in deference to tots. What do you think? I'm thinking we're going for older kids gifts.

 

[pat fan]

That is so awesome of you. I have heard that it is the teens that get short-changed in toy drives because teens, regardless of their financial situation, all want the same type of things. Video games, ipods, game systems etc.... and they are much more expensive than a dolly,little tykes toy or that type of gift. Bless you for passing on your good fortune

 

[ckay87]

We had a giving tree at church where cards were hung with first names and ages of needy kids. You take a card and buy for them. After the first week, the tree was still filled with cards for teen boys. We took 2 for teen boys. One boy, bless him, asked for boots and a backpack,which we bought him.

 

[Lynn CC]

I voted 10 and up. Teens get forgotten about, so I always buy video games for older kids and fun gadgets that both male and female would like.
Your only a Teen Once

 

[Wish I lived in Fl]

The teen gifts are the most in need here also.

 

[HoneyPooh]

Definitely the teens. My son works at a Harley Davidson shop and of course they are doing a toy drive. I asked him to look in the box and tell me if there were any gifts in there that he thought a teen would like because teens get forgotten. He looked at me like I was nuts, but after he checked the box he told me I was right and most of the toys in there were for very small children and babies. He learned something new from mom! I gave him some money and he and his girlfriend went out and bought a couple of teen gifts, one for a girl and one for a boy to put in there.

 

[golfgal]

We have our distribution day for our local Toys for Tots type program and we ALWAYS scramble for teen gifts, especially 15-18 year olds. They always are forgotten. We have enough toys for 3-7 year olds to last us about 3 years but never seem to get enough for the teens. This year we asked the church youth groups to shop for things they would like and they did a wonderful job and this is the FIRST year we haven't had to shop for that age group. It was great!

 

[Kitty 34]

I would buy for the kids that are around 12-14 years. They often time try to act so old but having taught junior high for a long time....they're still such kids and would love presents......even 'toys".

 

[binny]

I think definitely the preteen- teen set get left out more often in the toy drives.


Theyre hard enough to buy for when theyre your own

I think it would be really thoughtful of you to do that!

 

[Pooh67_68]

Teens

I was reading in our local paper that Toys for Tots was asking people to please buy for teens because they had a hugh warehouse full of toys for the young. (enough for the next 5 years) If you didn't know what to buy than they were suggesting that you donate money or gift cards.

 

[anewvance]

Absolutely the poor older kids get neglected. People aren't so sure what to buy for them or it's easier to pick up extra toys that older kids don't play with. I'd go with that, especially boys I'm sure... they are so hard to buy for anyway!

 

[Daxx]

Every year, right after Thanksgiving, our church puts out the Giving Tree. The tree is full of paper ornaments w/the first name and age of kids who are needy. You would not believe how the people, push and shove and jockey around that tree trying to "score" the youngest children. Many will take a name, find it's a pre-teen or teen and put it back! You'd be amazed at the disappointment once the little ones are taken. The older kids seem to get left on the tree. I try to get an older child b/c they're always left behind. It always amazes me to see that the teens are left on the tree. Nobody wants to buy for the 10+ set. I guess they think that they'll want Playstation games or something like that. Well, I'll tell you what ... I teach some of those kids on the giving tree and know that they'd be ecstatic to receive deodorant, bath & body works stuff, transistor radio, lip smackers, nail polish and remover, books, magazines, a deck of cards, gum, candy, an inexpensive watch, socks (funky ones), a fleece, a new belt, small tool set, a hat and gloves, etc.

 

[mommaU4]

I agree that it's usually the older kids and then in that group it's the boys that get the least. They are just harder to shop for IMO.

 

[simba928]

My parents have done Toys for Tots at my brother's school for the last couple years. I have noticed that the older kids don't get very much. Our dining room gets filled with toys, but most of it is for kids probably around 5 or younger. I voted for the 10 and older group, but I think around maybe 8 and up.

 

[kldmom2000]

Every year we "adopt" a family to buy gifts for and I always tell the coordinator to give us a family that would otherwise not get chosen due to size/ages/etc..... every year it seems we do get the family with the older kids/teenagers... so I think it would be so thoughtful and generous of you to acknowledge them! You are so wonderful to be doing this!!!

 

[skiwee1]

I buy gifts for all ages. I divide it up like this. One cart is for infants and toddlers. Two carts for little girls and boys ages 4 to 9. One cart for kids 10 and up. We do Toys for Tots every year so I go to TRU and load up. Teens are hard to buy for so we generally pick some angels off a tree and get 3-4 teen gifts that way.

 

[shortbun]

Well we did our shopping and picked gifts for ages 10 and up. We got perfume and bath sets(J-lo and Brittany) for the young women, a few board games for teens(12 and up) and some sports equipment(football, basketball).
We also got some book sets. My son had the most fun! He wanted to get video games but I really thought it would be too hard to match them up with whomever had video game machines. I was thinking about gift cards but I thought the organizers wouldn't want them-too easy to throw old cards with nothing on them into a bin and disappoint a child. At least I would be leary of them if I were the organizers. Merry Christmas!

 

[ChrisnSteph]

The MOST neglected? Seniors in nursing homes. Many of these people don't even get so much as a card for Christmas. Our fire dept. ladies auxillary group is "adopting" a center and we're going to be giving gifts to the seniors who don't have anyone else. Some of things they asked for are so simple - soaps, lotions, slippers, ect.

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

One of the Marines was on the radio yesterday about a Toys for Tots drive that the Morning Show hosts were sponsoring today. He said they are always in need of gifts for 7-9 and 10-11 year olds.

I saw that Best Buy was collecting Toys for Teens this year.

 

[aprilgail2]

I work for a local toy drive and we are ALWAYS in need of teenagers things...we get overloaded with kids 10 and under but for the teens there is limited pickings there! What we like to get is bath and body works things, video games...