Gift ideas · Birthday parties
Birthday party gifts for a kid you barely know
The invite came home in a backpack and the party is Saturday. You don't know if they like dinosaurs or soccer. These are gifts most kids that age will use, whatever they're into.
Skip: Anything loud with batteries. The parents will remember who brought it.
Remind me beforeor
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Ages 4 to 6
- 1Play-Doh and a few toolsOur pick: Play-Doh 10-pack of colorsEvery kid this age uses it, and it gets used up. Find it
- 2A big set of sidewalk chalkOur pick: Crayola Washable Sidewalk Chalk, 48Something to do outside the same afternoon. Find it
- 3A floor puzzleOur pick: Melissa & Doug Dinosaur Dawn floor puzzleBig pieces, a picture they can finish on their own. Find it
- 4A giant bubble wand kitOur pick: Fubbles Super Bubble WandLoved at 4, still loved at 6. Find it
Ages 7 to 9
- 1A quick card game, like Spot ItOur pick: Spot It! ClassicFast to learn, and they can play it with the whole family. Find it
- 2A craft kit they can finish in one afternoonOur pick: Creativity for Kids Hide & Seek Rock PaintingA finished thing by dinner beats a big project that stalls. Find it
- 3A graphic novelOur pick: Dog Man, book 1 (Dav Pilkey)Easy to pick for a kid you don't know. Almost every kid this age reads them. Find it
- 4A small LEGO Creator 3-in-1 setOur pick: LEGO Creator 3-in-1 Fierce Dinosaur (31379)Three builds in one box, so it doesn't end up on a shelf. Find it
Ages 10 to 12
- 1A party card game, like Exploding KittensOur pick: Exploding Kittens, original editionSomething to play at their next sleepover. Find it
- 2A friendship bracelet kitOur pick: Creativity for Kids Friendship BraceletsSocial, easy to share and it gets used up. Find it
- 3A speed cubeOur pick: Rubik's 3x3 Speed CubeKids this age trade tips and times on these. Find it
- 4A sketchbook and a good set of pencilsOur pick: Faber-Castell Do Art Drawing & Sketching setGrown-up supplies read as a grown-up gift. Find it
What makes these work
- Pick something open-ended or something that gets used up. They're less likely to have it already.
- Skip the big licensed sets. There's a good chance it's a duplicate.
- Tape a gift receipt inside the card.
Find gifts that match how they play
The gifts that get used match how a kid already likes to play. The quiz takes two minutes. No account needed, and adding a name is optional.
More gift ideas
Stocking stuffers for kids that actually get usedHolidaysChristmas gifts for kids that last past New Year'sChristmasGifts for toddlers that aren't more noiseToddlersScreen-free gifts that can compete with a tabletNo screensGifts for kids who have everythingHard to buy forAll gift ideasBy age and by how they play
Print it before the partyHalloween Party Games for Kids: picture bingo, a monster hunt and pin the face on the pumpkin. 11 pages, $5.Get the printable →
