I have so many websites I love for different reasons when buying gifts for grandchildren. Two websites stand out from the rest.
Www.toyportfolio.com is my first source for any gift for a grandchild. Oppenheimer Toy Portfolio Awards review toys, books, audio and videos by age group, starting at infant. Educator, parent and kid testing goes into each product considered for an Oppenheimer Toy Portfolio award. They do not accept advertisements nor receive fees from manufacturers or publishers, so you have assurance that you are getting independent opinions. They then give the item an award–platinum, gold, blue chip or SNAP. Platinum award winners are considered the most innovative, engaging new products of the year. Gold award winners are outstanding new products that enhance the lives of children. Blue chip classic awards are reserved for classic products that should not be missed just because they weren’t invested recently. These are most familiar to us grandmas. To be considered blue chip classics they must have been sold for at least five years. Finally the Oppenheimer Toy Portfolio SNAP award is the Special Needs Adaptable Product Award given to products that can be used by or easily adapted for children with special needs.
Of course, I select platinum award winners first. After all, my grandchildren are the best of the best so they deserve the best of the best. I have found that any platinum winner is something that my grandchild will pick up first and play with the longest. The website has direct links for purchase of an item. Check the price on the link, but wait before you purchase. Go to my second favorite website next.
My second favorite website will be a surprise to you, but I must explain why and you will understand completely. First, www. amazon.com has a feature that does cost money but is well worth it. Amazon Prime is a membership program that gives you and your family unlimited fast shipping, such as FREE Two-Day shipping to street addresses in the contiguous U.S., on all eligible purchases for an annual membership fee of $79. Amazon Prime members in the U.S. can enjoy instant videos: unlimited, commercial-free, instant streaming of thousands of movies and TV shows through Amazon Instant Video at no additional cost. Members who own Kindle devices can also choose from thousands of books — including more than 100 current and former New York Times Bestsellers — to borrow and read for free, as frequently as a book a month with no due dates, from the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library. Eligible customers can try out a membership by starting a free trial. When a grandchild is expecting a present from you, what is better than providing the fastest delivery for the quickest gratification for the grandchild! Amazon Prime has been wonderful for that.
Www.amazon.com also allows a grandchild to make a wish list. I ask my daughters to do this with the grandchild, and if they are too young to participate, for the grandchild. What this wish list also does is give the grandchild and parent an activity to do together that is fun. Who doesn’t like to make a wish list! The parents love it because they are part of the gift which is paid with “GM” (grandparents’ money), a version of “OPM” (Other people’s money). The parent filters the list. The parent knows what the child wants and knows what the child has. The parent know what they want the child to have. My daughters are wonderful as they always put a selection of items at different prices from which I may select. I have found that my daughters have put items on the wish list that they want to try for the children, but may be too expensive for them to experiment on . . . .but with GM money. . . . Organic shampoo for chlorine hair was the most recent I saw added. The best about www.amazon.com is that the web site has everything and anything, usually at a good price.
It is from the wish list that I select something to bring when I visit, sometimes for the parent as well as the grandchildren. The wish list has been the topic of many a telephone conversation with a grandchild who now has a gift registry and cannot wait to get the gift. They prioritize the gifts with me on the telephone. They will call when they change the priority or delete an item. I can delegate the responsibility for the wish list to the parent and just get all the joy. Perfect.
To make sure the price is good, you can check at www.epinions.com. If it is an item not on www.toyportfolio.com, you can check ratings of the item at this website too. I have to be honest. I have been known to spend good money on a worthless toy that a grandchild has requested.
If you choose to purchase an item through a link on www.toyportfolio.com, you can check if there are any discounts, promotional codes, or deals on www.retailmenot.com. This website is also one of my favorites. No matter what I intend to buy on any website, I always check here before I buy. It is amazing how many discounts are available and I have found this website to be the best for checking for discounts on anything.
Happy shopping and making memories.
Joy,
Mema