Never Underestimate the Dollar Store

Last Christmas was our first with two little ones. The youngest wasn't quite three months old and as my two-year-old was in the process of adjusting to having another person around (he's still adjusting, I think) I thought it'd be fun for him to pick out a gift for his brother. Since there's no telling what a two-year-old would pick out by himself, I took him to the safest place (for my wallet) - the Dollar Store! It was such a treat to be given the option of ANYTHING in the store. He picked the thing his little brother would certainly love best - a monster truck.

EVERYDAY: Go grab some new play items on a rainy or sweltering day. They have bubbles, coloring books, balloons, small toys, pinwheels, etc..

SPECIAL OCCASION: Let your little one pick out a toy (or a few) for a friend's birthday gift. It's a great and inexpensive way for them to feel like they are really taking part in the giving. Let them pick out a "prize" for especially good behavior or potty training completion.

**IMPORTANT NOTE: Not all stores with the word "Dollar" in the name are true dollar stores. I just saw an advertisement for Family Dollar where one item was $3.