- Clothes-of course! What parent doesn't appreciate not having to buy clothes? I always ask though to see what the needs are and what the current size is. I find nothing more frustrating than having to exchange or return stuff. I just don't have the time for it, and I assume most other moms don't either.
- PJs-yes, they are clothes but get a whole separate category. Is anything more fun than PJs? Walmart has some great PJs that are cheap and hold up well. Plus they have character ones, so you can buy whatever kind to match the party theme if you want.
- Art supplies- crayons, markers, stampers, new coloring books, paint (if you dare!), and even the Color Wonder or fancier Crayola stuff makes a nice, inexpensive gift. If you get some of this stuff during back to school time, you can get it super-cheap and set them aside for later. Pair the new crayons or markers with a new coloring book and you are good to go! Who doesn't love a new box of Crayola crayons??? And if you give my kids a roll of scotch tape, they will love you forever. I don't know what it is about kids and tape.....I really don't.
- Books-my kids are big readers, so we love to get new books. Our books also take a beating at times since we use them so much, so it is nice to get fresh ones.
- Learning books- I love all the activity books out there-and my kids do too. We are working through Preschool workbooks now (the big ones that are about 3 inches thick.) They think these are fun!
- Blocks- we love to build things around here. I guess these can technically be considered toys, but I think they are really educational and imaginative. I like that you can get megablocks for the itty bitties, right on up to the super complicated Lego sets for older kids.
- Beach towels/bathing suits- I have given beach towels as gifts several times. They have the character ones at Walmart that are pretty cheap. I also always buy my cousins' kids a bathing suit every year for their March birthdays, and my cousin loves this. She doesn't have to buy them a new suit each year and they don't get one more toy to add to an already overflowing toy room. It's a win-win.
- Bird feeder/feed- Okay, this may sound strange but hear me out. The twins' got a bird feeder for their 3rd birthday and they love it. It is hanging outside their bedroom window and with all of the snow we've had, we've spent a lot of time in their room "bird watching". It is very educational and a great gift idea I think! They were given the feeder, shepherd's hook to hang it on, and some food.
- Blankets- We have a blanket obsession at our house for some reason. My kids love blankets. They each have a bunch and love to get new ones. Can you have too many? I think not!
- Bath stuff- My mom always gives the kids bath stuff for different occasions. It helps out so much and they love it. Carson always gets Jake and the Neverland Pirates Soap, Emmy gets Princess. It works. I can't remember what Henry gets....?
- For a girl.-Nail polish, chapstick, play makeup, etc. Emilynn LOVES this stuff! She is always "fixing herself up." Let's not forget hair stuff too! I can't tell you how much we've spent on hair stuff. It just disappears.
- Sleeping bags- Sleeping bags are just fun. I've never know a kid that didn't like sleeping bags! There's something appealing about the idea of camping when you're a kid! The kids got sleeping bags for Christmas and a flashlight to go with them-the flashlights are a huge hit too!
- Kites- Now that it's spring-kites are a lot of fun.
- Bubble stuff- I don't buy bubbles a lot because my kids would use them every day and it just gets pricey. I have been to parties where kids got the bubble guns or machines as gifts and they look like fun.
- Games-I guess these are kind of toy-ish, but more educational I think. We try to get each of our kids one game for Christmas every year. This year Emmy got Doc McStuffins Operation and Carson got "Who Shook Hook?" which is from Jake and the Neverland Pirates. Memory is also a fun one around here.
- Puzzles- My kids have always liked puzzles. I assume all kids do? It is hard to keep puzzle and game pieces together though, so I've started keeping them in my room and bringing them out for special times. This keeps my sanity in check.
- Gift cards for experiences- We have given gift cards and they went over well. We did a movie gift card, and a ticket to a play for kids' birthdays. I like the idea of a Children's Museum gift card, or zoo pass. This way they get to enjoy something later and no clutter.
- Bags, backpacks, etc.- Emilynn loves to get new bags-she is her Momma's child! The kids got personalized duffles for Christmas. They have gotten backpacks personalized as gifts, lunch bags, etc. You always need a bag for something! (in my opinion, but I am a bag lover!)
- Pop up tents/playhouses-These are so much fun! And fold up for storage! Great for those long winter days stuck indoors.
- Cups/dishes-You know those cute character sets of dishes at the store? The ones with Thomas, Princesses, etc.? My kids always ask for those but they just aren't something I will just buy them. I have seen them given as gifts at parties and thought it was a good idea. I have given sippy cups as a gift to kids (my sister told me I had to buy my nephew new cups cause we apparently are cup thieves!-ha!). It is a good idea though cause those things are pricey!
- Ice Cream Magic or other "As Seen on TV" items- this one is kind of a joke, but not really. My nephew loves his ice cream magic. The twins got them for their birthday. There are many other As Seen on TV items that have been a hit around here-dream lites, pillow pets, stuffies, seat pets, stompeez, and now they all want the snack cup that holds your drink and snack together! It does seem like these items are actually nice and work. It used to be all of that stuff was junk and didn't work.
- Scooters- Scooters are fun for kids and not too pricey. My kids love their scooters. Just beware- I ran over Emilynn's scooter and the long handle got lodged under my car. My father-in-law had to use a hacksaw to get it out! Ooops! That was a bad day. Make sure the scooter is NOT under your car or near it when backing up. Just a tip.....
- Kid's cameras- This one depends on how much you are spending. This would probably be more for a family member's b-day, not a school/friend invitation. We did get our kids those kid-tough cameras for around $25 for their birthdays last year and they love them! It is apparently a lot of fun to take your own pictures! It is funny to see what they have pictures of. I should post some of those sometime!
- Dress up stuff- I guess technically a toy, but so not really. My kids LOVE to dress up! They have gotten dress up stuff the last two years for Christmas. I always try to hit the day after Halloween sale to get this stuff. This is good for two reasons- one, you can get them for 50% off because they are considered a Halloween item. Secondly- they have the stuff in bigger sizes. Any other time of year, you can only get the Disney princess stuff in the one little size they sell in the toy section. At Halloween, all sizes are available! This is great for my four year old who wants to be a princess but is a size 6. We got Ariel last year, and Buzz Lightyear for Carson. Don't forget boys like to dress up too! I have seen capes and swords all year long in Walmart and Target for the boys. Carson has Buzz, Woody, and Captain Hook. He also has a generic knight outfit. Dressing up can be so much fun!
- If all else fails- the old stand-by- money! My kids actually like to get money and know that we take it to the bank and put in it their account. They also like the sticker they get in exchange for it! :-)
Another tip-if you buy something that requires batteries, it is always appreciated by the parents if you enclose the needed batteries. Take it from someone who has had to call her father-in-law for a certain battery "emergency" that could NOT wait. Just a thought.....
Some random things my kids have wanted/received that are not toys that went over well- bean bags to sit on and watch t.v., binoculars-real ones, sand toys (I'm not counting as a toy because they don't have to be inside!), kitchen/cooking stuff (aprons, kid-size whisk, mixing spoons, etc.), kid-sized gardening tools, garden growing kits, coupons for free stuff from Wendy's or McDonald's, nightlights (the really neat projector ones are $10, so not something a parent might necessarily buy), stuff for their bedroom re-decorating project, and probably more I'm not remembering.
My kids want alarm clocks but we vetoed that idea for now! Something to wake them up if they are still sleeping? I think not!!!! :-)
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