Children are naturally curious and creative. Gift ideas that foster those qualities are fun to come up with, and will be loved by the recipient as well as appreciated by other members of the family.

Plastic totes and containers are great for creating kits for children of all ages, and also make it easy to clean up and store things between play.

For younger children fill a small plastic tote with an assortment of blocks and stackable containers. Make sure the lid has a few small holes drilled in the corners if the container is large enough for the child to crawl into.

For children between the ages of two to five, fill a larger tote with an assortment of hats and dress-up or party clothes collected from yard sales and thrift stores. Don't forget a few pieces of costume jewelry and some dress-up shoes (cleaned and sanitized with some disinfectant first), and a purse or two. At this age cowboy boots and high heels are especially popular so keep a sharp lookout.

Children from ages five to ten like discovering new things. Fill a small plastic tote with a magnifying glass, some plastic bags, and a field guide to insects or flowers written especially for children. You may also want to include a book on nature crafts or identifying animal tracks if the child has access to a more rural area or park.

Art supplies are also gift ideas that are perfect for budding artist as long as they are age appropriate. Younger children love to finger-paint, but usually put those little fingers in their mouths at one point or other so make sure the paint is non-toxic and washable. A small flat tote with two or three colors of paint, a paint smock, a pad of finger-painting paper - just check the craft section - and a container of baby wipes to clean up, are perfect for toddlers. For children who can hold a brush or pencil, fill the tote with a pad of artist paper, a container of inexpensive watercolors, extra brushes, and a smock. Crayons and colored pencils are also an option. For older children, an instruction book about painting and an easel may accompany a set of oil paints and a few brushes. Just remember that oil paint is hard to clean up, so make sure the child is mature enough to handle it.