Need some help when it comes to buying birthday gifts? Read on for some great children's birthday gift ideas.
If your children know a lot of kids from school, neighborhood playgroups or other extracurricular activities, you may find that they will be invited to a large number of birthday parties. While your kids will no doubt be thrilled to be invited to all of their friend's parties, it may put you in a dilemma when it comes to gift-buying-- especially if you don't know the birthday child very well.
If you're looking for some gift-buying assistance, here are some suggestions for great birthday gifts for children of all ages:
-- Babies and Toddlers (1 and 2 year olds). Children in this age group are still learning and exploring, so educational gifts are great. Look for items like flash cards to help baby learn new words. Also, babies love board books, soft blocks and musical or talking toys. "Baby Einstein" DVDs and educational toys are popular among babies and toddlers. Bath toys and a plush robe is a gift combo that will please both mom and baby.
Other ideas: "Fisher Price Little People" play sets, a bubble lawnmower, or simple wooden puzzles.
--Pre-schoolers (3 and 4 year olds). It' a relief once kids turn 3, because gift giving gets a lot easier-- suddenly all of those toys that bear the warnings about small parts are no longer off limits. Simple games, like "The Memory Game" and "Candyland" are good starter games for pre-schoolers. In addition, puzzles and building blocks are good suggestions. Pre-schoolers love make-believe, so dress up clothes are good for both boys and girls-- look for glamorous or princess attire for girls and superhero or firefighter attire for boys. Play kitchen accessories and wooden puzzles and toys, like "Melissa and Doug" brand wooden toys, provide pre-schoolers with hours of fun. Toys that feature popular pre-school television characters, like "Blue's Clues", or "Dora the Explorer" will be welcomed with open arms.
Other ideas: a tea party set, plastic gardening tools, a t-ball, soccer or golf set or musical instruments like a drum, harmonica and maracas.
-- Young children (ages 5 to 8). Most children enjoy expressing their creativity, so you can't go wrong by giving them art supplies. Look for a set that includes crayons, markers, and watercolors and then include coloring books or a thick sketch pad. Children in this age range are also starting to read, so short chapter books like Barbara Parks' "Junie B. Jones" series or "The Magic Schoolbus" series by Eva Moore are good ideas for little readers. A gift of a talking globe or a puzzle of the United States are good ways for kids in this age group to play and learn at the same time.
Other ideas: Lego building blocks, Lincoln Logs, PlayDoh, Barbie Dolls or action figures.
--Older children (ages 9 to 12). With kids in this age range, there's a vast selection of gift ideas available. Look for popular books, like J.K. Rowlings "Harry Potter" series, or a diary for kids to write in. For kids that like arts and crafts, consider jewelry kits, paint sets or a scrapbook kit. Children like to have sleepovers, so a kid's size pop tent or sleeping bag is a fun gift idea. Most girls this age love jewelry, so you could purchase a pretty charm bracelet or earrings.
Other ideas: Trendy clothes (but make sure you know the child's size or enclose a gift receipt so items can be exchanged if necessary), a savings bank, DVDs, a magazine subscription (kids this age love to get mail) or a magic set.
