Great Kid Birthday Gift Ideas

With Georgia being in kindergarten we've been getting a lot of birthday party invites lately!  And sometimes, I scratch my head a little over what to get.  I realize that some of the items here wouldn't qualify, price wise, as a gift for a classmate…..but we've all got other kids we buy gifts for too…..some of them in our family….and a good idea….is a good idea!

1.  Lush…..Fun.  This stuff is………fun.  It's like play-doh soap for a kids bath.  You can get it in a variety of colors and it also turns their bathwater a great color.  It smells good, is all natural, supports a great cause (proceeds help to build play grounds in under privileged areas), and can be used as soap or shampoo.  Plus, it's only $6. Add a cool bath poof and you've got yourself a unique present.  

2.  Little Passports.  This is a subscription service and it's one of the best I've tried.  We've been doing it for over a year now and every month a creative envelope from a different country arrives with age appropriate information, a souvenir, a post card, and some stickers for your child's "passport."  We hung a huge world map (provided for you) on the wall of G's play room and tape new information to it every month.  You can order a month-to-month subscription, a six month subscription, or a year long subscription for someone.  She is pumped every month when a new envelope arrives.  The luster definitely hasn't worn off. 

3.  Sew Cool Sewing Machine. We got this for Georgia for Christmas and it one of the most played with toys we've ever gotten her.  There is no thread, no exposed needles, and kids her age (five and up) can manage this all on their own and sew little pillows and other creations just like that.  It surges two pieces of felt together when you run them through the machine and it's so fun to watch kids get so excited about something they've made all on their own.  The little kits that are sold separately to make even more stuff are also super cool!

4.  Rody. Georgia got a Rody horse when she was 18 months old and she still plays with it.  She dresses it (funny), uses it as a pillow while watching movies (odd), jumps it all over the yard in the summer (expected), jumps it all over the house in the winter (a test of my patience), and even has slept with him in her bed (because kids can pile the strangest crap in their beds).  I think a toy that has stood the test of time for over four years is a good bargain. 

5.  Play Teepee. So, not the cheapest gift--maybe one to go in on with someone else…or you can always find a cheaper one somewhere else…like Etsy.  But the play value in these is spot on.  Plus--they are so easy to move.  We bring ours out to the yard for picnics in the summer, to the basement, it's always up in the playroom and it's a variety of things during almost every game Georgia plays, and she's brought it to the living room once or twice to watch a movie in.  

6.  Puppet Show. This becomes so much more than a puppet show stage.  It's great for magic shows, singing shows, a curtain for a stage act, a backdrop for play, and obviously something to hide behind.  

7.  Cootie. Loved this game as a kid and I feel like I hardly ever see it anymore in the game closet at most houses.  I think games for kids that teach concentration, sequencing, and motor skills are great gifts!

8.  Brightlab Lights. These are so beautiful and are just big cotton ball lights!  And you can create your own custom colored strand if you'd like or purchase one of their pre-made color combinations.  And while I think these would be a creative addition to any kids room, I wouldn't stop there.