3 Spots to Shop Local in Everett This Holiday Season
Images by Taylor Majek.
As a teacher of littles and a mom of three that are even littler, I have a lot going on around the holidays. Shopping can feel daunting, especially when you want to be conscious of where you’re spending your money.
If you’re looking to shop local this season for the littles in your life, you’re in the right spot! When purchasing gifts for my kids, I try to keep some things in mind. Is this a toy that will work for all of my kids? Most of our toys are family toys so I try to look for things that will work for all three of them. Does the toy seem durable? My kids play hard with their things as do most! I look for toys that will hopefully last a few years and then can be passed on to someone else when we’re done with it. Here are three places I’ve been shopping for gifts for my three kids, ages 5, 2 and 18 months.
Spot Number 1-
Sno Isle Food Co-op
Did you know they have a small section for children’s toys and gifts? This is also a great spot to stock up on chocolate bars and fun snacks for stockings! Here’s what I picked up on my most recent visit for my kids.
Wooden animal figurines: These will be divvied up among my kids’ stockings. We get a few new ones each year so these are just expanding our collection.
Alligator and lion knitted hand puppets: These will go in stockings for my two youngest, although I know my five year old will get lots of use out of them too.
Unicorn card game: My oldest has been more and more interested in board games and card games. These are an awesome way to practice math skills at home!
Spot Number 2-
Black Forest Mushrooms
Yes, you read that right! They have a small section of kids toys and books. And yes, they are mushroom related! While you’re there you can grab some mushrooms for dinner or a grow kit for your favorite mushroom lover. Here’s what I got for my little mushroom lovers.
Baby Mushroom finger puppet book: This will go to my eighteen month old. We have other finger puppet books like this and they are a hit at our house! Our five year old loves to read them to her younger siblings. They love to try and grab the puppet as she is reading. A win-win if you ask me!
Mushrooms Know book: This is for the two year old, but another one for everyone to enjoy. The bright illustrations are so much fun and the book is a great way to spark curiosity for science, nature and food!
Campfire Stories Deck: This is for my five year old. Story cards are a great way to practice storytelling, a precursor to writing! You don’t have to wait until you’re camping to use these. I plan to use them with my oldest during our nightly storytime routine.
Spot Number 3-
Imagine Children’s Museum
This is a gift shop, but it’s so much more than a gift shop! The Imagine Children’s Museum has a gift shop that is stocked with educational toys and games. I was on the hunt for stocking stuffers when I was here, but this is a great local spot for all kinds of gifts. And you don’t need a museum ticket to shop!
Cat’s Cradle Game: A classic, and so simple. This piece of string offers so much! Motor skills, hand eye coordination, visualization and planning. It’s great for some quiet bonding time with an adult or older sibling. This will go to our five year old. And in all honesty, my littles will probably get lots of use out of it too, wrapping it around stuffies, wearing it like a necklace, or most likely using it for tug of war. The possibilities are endless!
Tiny baby doll: This will be for my 18 month old. She is into carrying around small items, and she is starting to show interest in taking care of some dolls we already have. This baby doll just doesn’t have that worn in, well loved, dragged through the dirt look yet. If you know, you know! Baby dolls are great for kids! Girls and boys benefit from taking care of baby dolls. I know this baby doll will be cared for, and dragged around, by all three of my kids.
Small notebooks: These are for my older two. Kids love small notebooks. It makes them feel so adult. These are great ways to incorporate some writing practice, whether it is your small child scribbling, drawing, writing their name or your older child making their own grocery list!
We have so many amazing small businesses here in Everett. Consider checking them out this holiday season. Even if they don’t seem like “kid stores”, they might surprise you! All you have to do is look.
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