Kids Birthday Gift Ideas
Do you have a month of the year that is jam packed with birthday parties? August is that month for us. We had three kids parties this past weekend and have a total of 7 parties for 9 kids during August. All of these parties plus an early September birthday in our house has me thinking A LOT about kids birthday presents!
With three of our own kids, family friends, cousins and school friends the amount of birthdays that we will celebrate in the coming years is a tad overwhelming...especially when they hit all at the same time! I've been trying to figure out a way to simplify the process while still feeling like we're maintaining a budget and gifting dear friends and family something personalized. I definitely haven't mastered anything but if you're interested...read on for my TAKE.
My secret to staying sane when it comes to gifting birthday gifts, is a simple one. I do two things really; stock up on presents in advance and select an annual gender (or unisex) based gift for school friends. By doing both of these things I always have something on hand and I'm able to avoid the last minute scramble for a gift.
When stocking up on gifts I try not to purchase too many as I certainly don't want an excess of anything and storage in my home is limited! My general rule of thumb is to have no more than five in my closet at one time. Some of my current favorite gifts per age group in a variety of price ranges are listed below - I hope they are helpful!
Toddler Gifts (1.5 - 3yrs)
- Schleich Animals
- Tobbles Stacking Toy
- Wooden Car Ramp with Cars
- Melissa & Doug Let's Play House Play Set
Preschool Gifts (2.5-5yrs)
- Super Hero Cookie Cutters (We use them for sandwiches!)
- B. Toys Pop Arty! Beads
- Railroad Striped Aprons
- Magformers
Primary School Gifts (5-9)
- City Specific Coloring Books + Colored Pencils
- Mudpuppy Coloring Roll
- The Adventures of Tin Tin Comic Books (I love the original cover designs)
- This is How We Do It: One Day in the Lives of Seven Kids from Around the World
- A Hand Printed + Hip T-Shirt from Earth Cadets
- Wooden Bow and Arrows
- Paint By Sticker (Kids) Zoo Animals
Tweens
When it comes to all of those birthday parties don't forget to keep wrapping paper on hand! Home Goods is a great source for inexpensive yet adorable paper, gift bags and cards. If I don't have a chance to get to Home Goods I always have brown kraft paper and brown kraft paper bags at home so the kids can decorate the paper and sign their name; eliminating the need for an additional birthday card.
Happy Gift Buying!