TinyStepper
Toddler pressing a paint-covered vegetable stamp onto paper at a kitchen table

Gift Wrapping Practice

Wrap a toy in paper and give it to someone else as a present — practising the joy of giving, not just receiving.

Activity details

2y–3y12 minslowindoorMasking TapeNewspaper

Instructions

Tiny Steps

Get ready
  • Choose a small toy or object together: 'Let us wrap a present for Daddy! What shall we give him?'
  • Lay out newspaper or wrapping paper and place the toy in the centre.
  1. Choose a small toy or object together: 'Let us wrap a present for Daddy! What shall we give him?'
  2. Lay out newspaper or wrapping paper and place the toy in the centre.
  3. Show your child how to fold the paper over: 'Pull this side... now this side... brilliant!'
  4. Help them stick it with tape: 'Press the tape down — it is sticking! You are wrapping!'
  5. Scribble a 'card' together — any marks count as a message.
  6. Deliver the present together: 'We have a present for you!' Watch the recipient open it with exaggerated delight.
  7. Name what happened: 'You GAVE something to someone else. Did you see how happy it made them?'
  8. Take turns — now the recipient wraps something for the giver. Everyone gives, everyone receives.

Parent tip

Set out masking tape and newspaper before inviting your toddler in so the first minute feels smooth.

Proud child holding up a painted sheet covered in bright handprints and splatters

What success looks like

Messy hands and a child who doesn’t want to stop. The artwork doesn’t need to look like anything — the process is the point.

Give your child a toy, some wrapping paper (newspaper works perfectly), and tape. Help them wrap it up, then deliver it as a 'present' to a sibling, parent, or teddy. The ritual of wrapping transforms giving from a loss into a celebration. Children who practise giving in a playful, low-stakes context develop stronger prosocial behaviour because they experience the recipient's delight — and that feels good.

Why it helps

Prosocial behaviour — voluntary actions intended to benefit others — begins developing around 18-24 months but requires practice and positive reinforcement to strengthen. Research shows that children who experience the recipient's joy during giving develop stronger empathy circuits than those who are simply told to share. The wrapping ritual adds a fine motor element and transforms an abstract concept (generosity) into a concrete, multi-step activity that the child can see, touch, and feel proud of. Development Matters recognises that children learn about relationships by doing — taking turns, negotiating, and working through small disagreements during play.

Variations

  • Wrap items in fabric or scarves instead of paper for a reusable, less messy version.
  • Set up a 'gift shop' where your child wraps several items and family members come to choose one.
  • Wrap a favourite toy and give it to a teddy — the toy comes back after teddy has had a turn. This introduces the concept of lending.

Safety tips

  • Use child-safe tape dispensers or pre-cut tape strips — standard tape dispensers have sharp cutting edges.
  • Keep scissors out of reach — tear paper by hand or pre-cut it to size.
  • If your child becomes upset about giving away a favourite toy, choose a less precious item: 'We can wrap a crayon instead — Daddy loves crayons!'