Birthday Gift Question - Garner,NC

Well I'm super thrifty...and with the first-hand knowledge that the "dollar store" is my daughter's FAVORITE shopping mecca...I actually shop there a lot for gifts for little friends and even the little cousins.

The art supplies there work just as good as the more expensive ones. And there are tons of coloring books...and I've even found some great board books....other stuff like stickers, crayons, drawing paper...all down the "craft" aisle. You can spend less than $10 there and get a whole bag of stuff.

Now I know the stuff can be cheap there...but I've found the crayons, colored pencils, color books, reading books, notepads...really no different...and you look like you spent big when you come with a whole bag of presents...

I'll cringe when the day comes that my daughters NEW Favorite store is the Gap or something like that!

I don't think you need to spend a great deal on a gift; I would say $10-20. I think books are always a nice idea, and not too expensive. A CD with kids' music on it could also be nice gift. Play-doh or some kind of art supplies are good as well.

I agree with the others, I wouldn't spend more than $10-$15. I have a daughter that is almost 2 and she LOVES her books. She also is getting into "coloring" or scribbling. She also loves to build things with her Duplo blocks--either you can get for less than $15.00. Good luck!!

Hi A..
Earlier this month, my son was invited to a birthday party for a boy at daycare that he really plays with. The boy was turning 2 and my son just turned 18 months. I got the boy a $10 giftcard to Walmart and a birthday card. I figured that his mother could use the $10 more than the boy could use yet another toy. And if his mother decided to buy him a toy with it, at least it would be something he wouldn't already have and that his mother could live with.
Have fun!
N.

hEY
AS a mom who is planning a b day and having to answer that qeustion to everyone invited. Since Christmas was just around the corner i agree toys may not be the best. I love getting clothes and books. They can always use the clothes and we love reading books. My 1 yr old loves to look at the board books. Gift cards are a great idea, I personally like the gifts better b/c I get to see my son rip open the gift and even if I already hae the gift his reaction to opening it is so worth it.

I have five children, only the baby has not been to a party yet. We usually spend around $10 to $15. Books are great but so are pajamas, I still can remember some Underroos I got when I was little!! LOL!!!! Have fun with it, and always get a gift receipt for just in case and put it in the card part so the adult finds it.

I have a 2yr old daughter and her favorite things are stickers and books. I'd suggest getting the little girl a book that is interactive and catchs the eye (sparkly, shiny, etc).

The way I see it, it's always good to read to a child. That would be a present that you can feel good about giving.

If you are worried that the child may not be excited about it, a lot of books come with attachments (toys, wands, fairy wings, dress up stuff..)

Hope this helps.

I agree with the rest of the responses. $10-15 is appropriate. Art supplies are always a good bet because kids often (as you said) have many toys. Finger paint and paper, those Color Wonders Markers and coloring pages are good (don't work on anything except the special paper). You can even go to Michaels and get cheap wooden cut outs (25 cents each) for kids to paint and get the magnet tape to make into magnets. Kids love those glitter pens, too.

Good luck and have fun!

Books and crayons and coloring books. I think $10-$15 is the max. You can do really well with some of the above at the dollar store.

hi im also a wroking mom w/ a 2 yr old girl , my sugestion is to find some thing educational since they're in daycare and aproaching preschool soon so i would try puzzles with the lil. peg in the pieces as this makes it easier for them to hold and the other is maybe some books that the parent could read to them while spending some quiet time with the child if you look in the family dollar stores or anything like that now days they have the cd for liestening as you read along my daughter got this for christmas and loves it. just a thought hope this helps

I would say if you dont really know them go with bath toys liek the paints and crayons for the bath, My kids love them and its easy. Also they have bubbles and stuff that make the water change colors. I would only spend about $10-$15 on a gift. Well hope this helps. Have fun at the party! My son turns one saturday and we are having a little party for him i just hope its not too cold outside :)

books are always great. board books still great for toddlers. walmart sells them for less than sugg. retail $

I never spend more than $10.00 on a gift for friends of my children. It may get to the point where she will be invited to 4 or 5 a year, it can get expensive. For a child that young, even $5 would prob be enough. At that age they don't understand or care about the cost of things, just a nice, simpe toy would do. If you want to get art supplies as has been mentioned, you might want to check with her parents first if it's something messy like finger paints. As you know, working moms don't have a lot of extra time to spend cleaning up additional messes although it's a lot of fun for the toddler! I'm not working right now, but I was in the Air Force when my boys were young...it was hard enough to find time in my day for less messy activities with them.

I would say you could spend $10-$15 and buy a nice little present. You could buy a cute pajama set if you knew her size, hair accessories, maybe a girly toy... less babyish, or an interactive book like a Dora one. Hope this helps!!!

S.

Children's books are a classic gift that you can't go wrong with because unlike most toys they grow with the child. Some really great ones are anything by Eric Carlyle, The Giving Tree, Rainbow Fish, and Guess How Much I Love You. Of course at 2 the kid won't be reading by herself but it will be a great thing for her to do with mom or dad. I wouldn't spend more than $15 at the most and most book stores will have great bargains so you can get some great books for really inexpensive prices. I hope your son has fun at his first non-family member birthday party!

I would say around $10-$15. Books are great gifts - you are right, kids get so much junk now-a-days. You can never have to many books. Disney makes a great princess book that has all of the classic stories in it. Every little girl I have gotten it for has loved it. Also, I normally tape a gift receipt to the actual gift. That way it is hard to lose and they can return it easily if it is not what they want or if they already have it.

I would spend $10, and get something simple, without lots of little pieces. My friend's 2 year old girl, who I care for, loves her baby dolls! She loves to push the baby in one of those inexpensive baby strollers. Large crayons and paper, play-doh, board books, dress up clothes, all good ideas. Also, check out the locally owned toy stores, if your town has one. They have more sturdy and educational toys, and the clerks can direct you to age appropriate toys.

Have fun! My older son is 6, we've been to two birthday parties this month, besides his own. It can get crazy, you will get to know your toy store really well!

I agree with the others that books are a great gift choice. I read to my daugher before she goes to sleep and she loves it.