Thanks to the past year, we’re all in need of a little cheering up. While adults have had to handle the brunt of the worry and stress, kids have felt it too.

That might be residual stress from you, or they might be feeling worried as they see things change around them. Schools have become unusual places, and debates such as whether they should wear masks or get vaccinated might have stirred up tensions between them and their friends.

 

Many children are suffering from stress and anxiety due to the pandemic, particularly school-age kids who have been thrust into confusing situations before, during and after the lockdown.

While in the long-term, you’ll need to provide your child with support, love and, possibly, professional support, there are small ways you can help them right now.

A great way to help your child to feel special and to give them a quick boost is to give them a treat. This might be a physical item or just a special experience.

Offering them a treat outside of the usual times, such as birthdays or Christmas, can be a great way to make your child feel happy and to distract them from the stress of returning to some semblance of normal.

When you hear the word treat, you might think that it has to be expensive, but that’s not the case. There are many cost-effective ways to give your child a fun treat without breaking the bank.

Here are some basic ideas to get your imagination going and help you to think of a fun treat for your child.

 

 

Buy Them Some New Clothes

A new outfit often makes adults feel better, and the same goes for some children. If your child likes clothes, then a new outfit could make them feel confident. It could also be a chance for them to show off their unique style, particularly if they usually wear clothes that are secondhand or picked out for them. Taking your child to buy their clothes can combine a fun shopping experience with the chance to treat your child to something that they like. Take them to a shop where the prices fit your budget to ensure that you don’t spend too much money while shopping for new clothes for your child. If your child looks uncomfortable or doesn’t want anything, then you can consider offering them a different treat from the list below.

 

Get Them A Sweet Hamper

A beautiful sweet hamper packed with yummy treats for your child could be the perfect treat for a chocolate-loving kid. If your child loves sweets, then check out the sweets hampers from the Sweet Hamper Company. They offer a range of hampers, and each one is beautifully wrapped so that it looks like a stunning gift. Whether your child prefers sweets or chocolate, or both, they have an option to suit them. So, whatever the occasion, you might want to consider getting your child a sweet hamper.

 

 

Plan A Fun Activity Day

Treats don’t need to be physical items: you could also treat your little one to a fun experience. Consider hosting a fun activity day, during which your child can enjoy their favourite arts and crafts or sporting activities. If the weather is good, then you could consider a family fun day at a local park or in your garden. However, in the UK, the weather is often unpredictable, and an outdoor fun day will quickly turn sour if it rains on you all. As such, you might want to consider planning an indoor activity day instead. You could take out all of your supplies and get them some tasty treats to enjoy during their day of fun. Spending time with your child will be a treat for both of you.

 

Let Them Choose A Menu And Cook It With You

Another activity that you could consider for your child is to let them pick what your family eats for a main meal, such as dinner, and let them help you prepare it. Many children love cooking, as it is an opportunity to snack on spare bits of food and to touch it. Children are often tactile and enjoy the feel of different textures of food and utensils, so they will have fun when cooking with you. If you let them choose the menu and help with important tasks, such as stirring batter or checking that something is cooked, they will feel important.

 

Sign Them Up For A Magazine Subscription

If your child has been well-behaved during the pandemic but is now struggling, then you could consider a longer-term treat, such as a magazine subscription. There are many fun magazines for children on the market, so you can find one that suits their tastes and that they’ll enjoy reading. Once you’ve signed up for a subscription, your child will receive a unique issue at a set time throughout the year, usually once a month, fortnight or week. This is one of the more expensive options on this list, but it could also be a great way to keep your child busy and make them happy for a few weeks or months. Remember that your subscription lasts until you cancel it, so you need to make sure that your child still enjoys the magazine. When they grow out of it, or get bored of it, then you need to cancel the subscription so that you don’t continue to pay for a magazine that your child doesn’t read.

A treat is a short-term solution to your child’s issues. If they remain guarded and struggling to cope, then you should consider getting them some professional help. The first step is to take them to your GP, who should be able to help you to understand the cause of the problem and provide potential solutions. This list should help you to give your child a small treat that will help them to feel better if they’ve had a bad day or if they’ve been good and deserve a reward.