Frugal Gifts for Toddlers

[MonkeyMama]

HEy all, we are cracking down on our budget pretty hard this month and my son was just invited to 2 birthday parties - kids at his preschool that we don't really know.

It is annoying enough to shop or kids I don't know without trying to be frugal about it. I have NO IDEA what to buy.

I originally decided not to go, but talked to my son later and he says these are his good friends - they are both turning 4. We decided to go but I am not spending more than $10 on a gift for each. ANy ideas? What can you get a 4yo for $10 that doesn't look cheap? LOL.

We usually buy books at Ross actually - we have had good luck buying toy cars and books there, etc. So that is my last resort. I have never really shoped for the 4-year-old set yet, though I am sure the books would still be a good choice. Wanted to pick your brains for more fabulous ideas... TIA!!

[JanH]

I don't have any toddlers in my life right now but I like the idea of the books. You probably dont have any idea what toys they actually have right now, so books would seem like a real good gift.

[nanamom]

My 3 yr ols loves his plastic dinosaurs form the dollar store. They are cheap and you could get several for the 10. Everyone who sees them is amazed that they came from there.

[mountainmist]

Maybe this is "tacky," but I'd simply call up the moms and ask them if there's any specific ten-buck gift item they'd particularly appreciate you select for their sons.

That's just me, I think this whole birthday party for kids has gotten way out of hand, so maybe that isn't 'appropriate.'

But were it my child, I'd appreciate someone calling to ask if I'd appreciate that they purchase crayons & construction paper, or a T-shirt or if I'd prefer books.

Also, if you do call the moms, be sure to ask what is the favorite color and favorite animal and favorite hobbies of your son's friends.

That's really important to know - as if you know for certain that one is into HORSIES!, you can definitely pick up something for under ten bucks at any liquidator's store where toys are typically 80% off retail.

Actually, I wouldn't be concerned financially about these mandatory expenditures for toys for birthday parties your son attends, I'd be lots more concerned how you will budget for throwing a birthday party for your own son.

Anyway, although some kids genuinely enjoy books, there are plenty in this day & age who are NOT excited with the book gifts, so I'd find this out first from the mom.

Also, I seriously suggest that you get out the yellow pages for your area and make a list of EVERY thrift store in your area, and then go to "L" for liquidator's and also go to each of them.

I buy elaborate high priced toy items all year long for pennies on the dollar -- simply making positive that I only buy items which are in their original wrapping and have never been opened.

ALSO - in recent years I've found that LOTS of 4-7 year olds REALLY like puzzles, and at that young age I'll get various sizes: a 50-piece, 100-piece, and 300-piece puzzle.

But obviously not all children enjoy puzzles.

[mountainmist]

Maybe this is "tacky," but I'd simply call up the moms and ask them if there's any specific ten-buck gift item they'd particularly appreciate you select for their sons.

That's just me, I think this whole birthday party for kids has gotten way out of hand, so maybe that isn't 'appropriate.'

But were it my child, I'd appreciate someone calling to ask if I'd appreciate that they purchase crayons & construction paper, or a T-shirt or if I'd prefer books.

Also, if you do call the moms, be sure to ask what is the favorite color and favorite animal and favorite hobbies of your son's friends.

That's really important to know - as if you know for certain that one is into HORSIES!, you can definitely pick up something for under ten bucks at any liquidator's store where toys are typically 80% off retail.

Actually, I wouldn't be concerned financially about these mandatory expenditures for toys for birthday parties your son attends, I'd be lots more concerned how you will budget for throwing a birthday party for your own son.

Anyway, although some kids genuinely enjoy books, there are plenty in this day & age who are NOT excited with the book gifts, so I'd find this out first from the mom.

Also, I seriously suggest that you get out the yellow pages for your area and make a list of EVERY thrift store in your area, and then go to "L" for liquidator's and also go to each of them.

I buy elaborate high priced toy items all year long for pennies on the dollar -- simply making positive that I only buy items which are in their original wrapping and have never been opened.

ALSO - in recent years I've found that LOTS of 4-7 year olds REALLY like puzzles, and at that young age I'll get various sizes: a 50-piece, 100-piece, and 300-piece puzzle.

But obviously not all children enjoy puzzles.

[cschin4]

Is $5 or $10 going to break the bank! Let the kid go to the parties. I don't think kid's birthdays are out of hand at all. For a few dollars, you buy a gift and your kid is fed and entertained for at least 2 hours. It would cost you much more than that to go to the movies, eat out, etc. How would your child feel if other kids didn't come to his/her party?
All this "frugalness" is getting a bit ridiculous. Let the kids have fun and be with each other. As for gifts, go to the Dollar store and buy a $5 gift. You can get a cartoon video, art set, etc. A 4 yr old doesn't really know what they "want". Just get an age appropriate toy and forget about it. The peak birthday years are from 4-8, after that, there won't be so many parties as it seems to drop off quite a bit.

[mountainmist]

Hello again, so sorry I shared my opinion in my earlier post, I'll be certain not to in the future; in my experience, many many many, if not ALL the 4-year olds I've ever met during my lifetime are very well aware of what their fav color and their fav animal and their favorite hobby is. I consider this to be very useful information in order to pick out thrifty gifts that are a real "hit" with the child; not all of us are interested in plopping down a five-spot for a generic piece of junk at Dollar Store. YMMV.

[mountainmist]

Hello again, so sorry I shared my opinion in my earlier post, I'll be certain not to in the future; in my experience, many many many, if not ALL the 4-year olds I've ever met during my lifetime are very well aware of what their fav color and their fav animal and their favorite hobby is. I consider this to be very useful information in order to pick out thrifty gifts that are a real "hit" with the child; not all of us are interested in plopping down a five-spot for a generic piece of junk at Dollar Store. YMMV.

[MonkeyMama]

Thanks for the tips!

Well, I usually like to get nice gifts and generally do gift certificates in these cases because it is easier. That is why I am asking for ideas here, because yes my old ways would break the bank. Eating out and movies are not in our budget as aren't a lot of birthday gifts. Plus my son just got 2 more invites, so I think it is a little ridiculous to go to a party every weekend - what will he know if we say no or not.

Anyway, maybe another thread for another day but the birthday culture around here is insane. As for us, no we don't spend money for our own kids parties - they are 3 & 1. We have family over and bake a boxed cake mix. Last year I invited some of their friends but asked specifically for NO gifts. The whole birthday thing has gotten so tacky around here. The 1-year-old parties have been more grand than any party I ever had. So probably why I hesitated to even say yes. The parties in general rub me the wrong way.

I can at least respect these boys are turning 4 and will remember their party. LOL.

I guess I want to still get something nice, but not spend a lot of money. Otherwise I figure why bother - why buying gifts people don't like.

The idea to ask is a good idea. I have done in the past and people are not really willing to tell me what they want. I am not sure - I guess it is considered tacky not to be able to read people's minds. BUT since I don't know these families from Adam, I will give it a try. Maybe they will be more receptive.

In the meantime i will check the thrift stores and dollar tree, thanks!!!

[LuxLiving]

I must be a real cheapskate then!! Yes, there are times around here when $5 would definitely break the bank!

It's been years since my kids were THAT little, but my gifts were always favorites with the kids. I'd just buy the largest bottle of 'bubbles' that I could find and one of those 'large wand' kits that go with them. Usually got out under $5.00 and the kids liked them. The Mom's generally did too because once they were used up they weren't overflowing the toybox and trashing up her house. Mom can throw the wand kits away or store them away in the drawer for another day.

The other $5.00 option is not all that original but works - is the McDonald's gift certificate books. This can be slipped into a birthday card and you save $'s on the wrapping paper end as well.

For slightly older kids I always went with books or puzzles.

Good luck! Do not let the pressure to overspend get to you. Do what you can - hold your head up and move on. There are far more important things to spend your money on.

[creditcardfree]

A character toothbrush and toothpaste.

Book.

Playdoh.

Kids love cash. $5.00?

Construction paper. Large Art Pad and water color paints.

Alphabet rubber stamp set. Great for learning the letters. Perfect age for it, too.

Good luck.

[budgetmom]

Instead of asking the parent what to get the child and naming the monetary amount you have to give, why don't you ask them what the childs interests and hobbies are. Ask questions like it was for your son-
What kind of cartoons do they like?
What is their favorie color?
Do they like to do crafts? If so, what kind would be acceptable for the parent to have in their home? I say this because I do not allow paint as I live in an apartment and I know my son will sneak and find it and get it everywhere!

I think the puzzles are a great idea. I would keep it below, say 30 pieces, though. I like the dinosaure idea, also. You could get army men. They sell inxpensive musical instruments at Wal-Mart. Depending on the parents wishes you could get toy guns, even water guns. Boys that age love stuff like that.

I have a 3 1/2 yr old now and we are going to all his little friends parties. We have been to two that have turned 4 so far.

The first child loved to play dress up (doctor, firefighter, police, superhero, that kind of thing) and pretend play. So we got him a yellow raincoat that I found at a thrift store, a yellow fire fighter hat that said fire chief on it that I found at a garage sale, and one of those pop up tent/tunnels that looked like a fire truck. I got the last thing at Target for $20, but this is one of his close friends and I am also very good friends with his mother. There are lots of things that you can find for pretend play like that though, for cheap. All the little boys at the party were playing firemen and they were taking turns driving the "truck".

The second little boy loves arts and crafts so I went to the Dollar Tree and bought three buckets of different themed self adheasive foam diecuts. I seperated some out of each bucket and put them in a baby formula container that I had cleaned out and decorated the outside with fabric and ribbon (just a little hot glue). I punched holes in the sides along the top and threaded a pipe cleaner through them for a little handle. The rest of the diecuts I put in my sons craft stash. I bought a pad of construction paper, some big fat markers, glitter glue and I threw in some pipe cleaners and two different sized pon-pons from my sons stash. I also had some little dinosaur stencils that I had left over from my sons last birthday so I threw a few of those in too. I made a bag out of the left over fabric for him to hold the paper and markers and everything else fit in the formula can. But you can get a little canvas bag at a local craft store for pretty cheap. It was a great present for him, and although he was more excited about getting his fancy store bought thirty and fourty dollar toys at the time, he was really happy to have them and he already has them about half used up!

Don't be discouraged about getting a gift. Just try to think of something besides what the TV tells you to get. Even if you think it looks like it would be cheap. It's for a 4 year old, they don't really know about money like that in most cases. And the child is the only one you are really trying to make happy anyway, not the parent, right?

[MonkeyMama]

$5 sounds like a great idea. A 4yo could appreciate it I bet. I need help thinking above the small kid set - LOL. & thanks for all the other ideas too!

[cschin4]

moutain - I was not picking on you. You have some very good info. I just think people could relax a bit about the child birthday party thing. If $5 is alot to you, then I understand that. But, don't deprive another child of your child's presence because of a gift. The gifts will long be forgotten and I agree, who needs to buy more junk. But, the child will remember and enjoy their friends at their party. I am just trying to make the point that your child and their child will enjoy this whether there is a gift or not.

[mountainmist]

Originally Posted by MonkeyMama

Thanks for the tips!

Well, I usually like to get nice gifts and generally do gift certificates in these cases because it is easier. That is why I am asking for ideas here, because yes my old ways would break the bank. Eating out and movies are not in our budget as aren't a lot of birthday gifts. Plus my son just got 2 more invites, so I think it is a little ridiculous to go to a party every weekend - what will he know if we say no or not.

Anyway, maybe another thread for another day but the birthday culture around here is insane. As for us, no we don't spend money for our own kids parties - they are 3 & 1. We have family over and bake a boxed cake mix. Last year I invited some of their friends but asked specifically for NO gifts. The whole birthday thing has gotten so tacky around here. The 1-year-old parties have been more grand than any party I ever had. So probably why I hesitated to even say yes. The parties in general rub me the wrong way.

I can at least respect these boys are turning 4 and will remember their party. LOL.

I guess I want to still get something nice, but not spend a lot of money. Otherwise I figure why bother - why buying gifts people don't like.

The idea to ask is a good idea. I have done in the past and people are not really willing to tell me what they want. I am not sure - I guess it is considered tacky not to be able to read people's minds. BUT since I don't know these families from Adam, I will give it a try. Maybe they will be more receptive.

In the meantime i will check the thrift stores and dollar tree, thanks!!!

Incidentally, I really hope that you and your husband are genuinely thankful that your son is a popular boy -- it should be a POSITIVE experience for the two of you that so many youngsters request the presence of your wonderful son at their birthday celebration!

However, I really encourage you both to acquaint yourselves with the parents of all these new friends - on the one hand, you may make great new friends with interesting couples, and on the other hand, in getting to know them, you should be able to find other parents who share your values, who have the same or very similar ideas about the Birthday Mania, which in some neighborhoods is currently a really popular pasttime with the kids, often continuing through high school where in some areas the birthday parties can get pretty elaborate.

Also, I seriously think that you should re-do your budget, so that invitations to birthday parties don't ever again become an occasion for panic.

I also encourage you to keep an eye out for REALLY good sale clearances. Years ago, I came across a huge section of Breyer Horses at 95% off retail --- LOL, we still have some of those stashed away as gifts for the pony crazy --- but really, I like to know if the child is into cowboys or into superheroes, or prefers arts & crafts, or is an avid reader, or collects insects or stamps, or/or/or/or, LOL

Hopefully when you pick up your son from the party you'll be able to take note of what gifts the Birthday Boy received, and start stashing similar items when you find them at the right price.

Also, among the parents I know, not one has ever been unhappy with their child receiving the McDonald's five-dollar gift certificates, and most young kids really enjoy paying for their next Happy Meal themselves.

[mountainmist]

Originally Posted by MonkeyMama

Thanks for the tips!

Well, I usually like to get nice gifts and generally do gift certificates in these cases because it is easier. That is why I am asking for ideas here, because yes my old ways would break the bank. Eating out and movies are not in our budget as aren't a lot of birthday gifts. Plus my son just got 2 more invites, so I think it is a little ridiculous to go to a party every weekend - what will he know if we say no or not.

Anyway, maybe another thread for another day but the birthday culture around here is insane. As for us, no we don't spend money for our own kids parties - they are 3 & 1. We have family over and bake a boxed cake mix. Last year I invited some of their friends but asked specifically for NO gifts. The whole birthday thing has gotten so tacky around here. The 1-year-old parties have been more grand than any party I ever had. So probably why I hesitated to even say yes. The parties in general rub me the wrong way.

I can at least respect these boys are turning 4 and will remember their party. LOL.

I guess I want to still get something nice, but not spend a lot of money. Otherwise I figure why bother - why buying gifts people don't like.

The idea to ask is a good idea. I have done in the past and people are not really willing to tell me what they want. I am not sure - I guess it is considered tacky not to be able to read people's minds. BUT since I don't know these families from Adam, I will give it a try. Maybe they will be more receptive.

In the meantime i will check the thrift stores and dollar tree, thanks!!!

Incidentally, I really hope that you and your husband are genuinely thankful that your son is a popular boy -- it should be a POSITIVE experience for the two of you that so many youngsters request the presence of your wonderful son at their birthday celebration!

However, I really encourage you both to acquaint yourselves with the parents of all these new friends - on the one hand, you may make great new friends with interesting couples, and on the other hand, in getting to know them, you should be able to find other parents who share your values, who have the same or very similar ideas about the Birthday Mania, which in some neighborhoods is currently a really popular pasttime with the kids, often continuing through high school where in some areas the birthday parties can get pretty elaborate.

Also, I seriously think that you should re-do your budget, so that invitations to birthday parties don't ever again become an occasion for panic.

I also encourage you to keep an eye out for REALLY good sale clearances. Years ago, I came across a huge section of Breyer Horses at 95% off retail --- LOL, we still have some of those stashed away as gifts for the pony crazy --- but really, I like to know if the child is into cowboys or into superheroes, or prefers arts & crafts, or is an avid reader, or collects insects or stamps, or/or/or/or, LOL

Hopefully when you pick up your son from the party you'll be able to take note of what gifts the Birthday Boy received, and start stashing similar items when you find them at the right price.

Also, among the parents I know, not one has ever been unhappy with their child receiving the McDonald's five-dollar gift certificates, and most young kids really enjoy paying for their next Happy Meal themselves.

[MonkeyMama]

Is he popular or do people just invite everyone they ever heard of to kids birthday parties these days? More the latter. I guess part of my gripe with the whole thing. IT is not a part of my budget because I don't value it. But when we have the room to swing it we will go I guess...

[shelbylovesmelby]

You can find nice sets of toys @ biglots for under $10

[Bluezy]

CJ's second birthday bash was a situation where each attendee received a goodie bag. I went to the Dollar Store and picked up

1. Plastic Sun Glasses
2. Small drawing pads with a 4-pack of crayons
3. Bottles of bubbles
4. Play-Doh in small containers
5. Children's favourite songs CD

The investment totaled $20 from Dollar Tree for 10 babies.

Among the other gifts that might work from Dollar Tree would be puzzles, colour books and story books, safe plastic toys appropriate for the ages of the children, cartoon DVD's.

[mountainmist]

Originally Posted by MonkeyMama

Is he popular or do people just invite everyone they ever heard of to kids birthday parties these days? More the latter. I guess part of my gripe with the whole thing. IT is not a part of my budget because I don't value it. But when we have the room to swing it we will go I guess...

rofl

You'll have to be sure to let us know all about the birthday party you eventually throw for your son -- the poster who recently mentioned that she and a friend were splitting the costs for a $140 birthday party at Chuckee Cheesse, celebrate two kids b-days at the same time, she may have the right idea, - THAT must be time and energy saving, big time.

It's looking better all the time.