Is it just me or are your child(ren) getting invited to a birthday party at least once a month? Occasionally it’s from family friends but more than often the invite is from classmates whom you are unfamiliar with. Family friends are pretty easy to shop for because you know them and what they like, but classmates are the hardest.
I’ll ask my daughter “what does your friend like?” or “what do y’all play at school?” and she is usually not that great at answering those questions. Leaving me with the decisions on what to get her friends. Womp. So, if you’re like me and your kids are getting invited to parties often, but you don’t know what gift to get them, I have a few ideas.
Budget for birthday gifts
First start with a budget that works with your other family expenses. I think $15-$20 is a reasonable budget, especially if you’re going to parties regularly. The next thing is to see how you can stretch that budget to get the most out of your money for a good present.
Right now my go-to birthday present shop is Five Below. They have a lot of cool things that kids (and adults) love and are useful, cheap in price but not cheap in quality. For example; one of the last parties we went to I got the birthday girl a bath bomb DIY kit, sleeping mask, unicorn shaped body scrubber, and Jojo Siwa chap stick, plus the bag and tissue paper all for under $20. Boom. Kids love when the gifts keep coming especially if it’s stuff they like. Bomb tip* if you get multiple gifts try to stick to a theme, for this present the theme was beauty and bath.
Shop local
A local shop that I like to get presents from is Learning Express Toys. They have locations throughout the metro area. Learning Express is a full toy store with toys for age 1 to 12 and different kinds including STEM toys. The best part is that they wrap your gifts for free! They also personalize as well. Prices are very reasonable they go from $1.99 and up. I usually shop here for my own kids and when I know the child personally, because I can get a unique birthday gift for them that goes with their personality and likes.
Last minute birthday gift
If you’re short on time and/or just don’t know what to get. A cool birthday card and a gift card or cash is always good. Gift cards to stores like Target, Amazon or even a Visa gift card are great for all ages. I also like books because they last awhile and can spark imagination. Please do not get anything the parent might not want them to have. Bomb tip* do not buy Play-Doh, slime or putty unless requested. It can be more of a nuisance for the parents due to the sticky-ness of it and the fact that it’s hard to get out of clothes, carpet and hair.
I hope that this advice will help you, the next time you are out looking for a birthday present. Also vote on my poll below!
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