Idea for gift for sponsored child

[littlestrawby]

Hi all

I've just started to sponsor a little girl in Toga and would like to send her a gift for her birthday.

The gift needs to be a flat paper gift, a4 size. I've thought of the obvious things and can only think that a nice little picture book would be the most suitable thing. She won't speak English and so it needs to be accessible for her in that sense.

Any ideas of a nice little book or similar? She will be 5 next month.

Thank you!

Sticker book?

Does sound as if you are a little limited to what you could buy..... could the dimensions stretch at all and so you could include some coloured pencils etc? Could you buy her a book about the UK and send a note to explain its where you live etc?

Colouring book with one of those pencils that does loads of colours.

Hair things, like fancy ribbons? (Can still get them in haberdashery places)

(Does Toga = Togo or Tonga?)

Yes, whoops, Togo!! I think I combined in my head with Tonga in my original post not a good start...

Thank you for the fab suggestions, I was also thinking sticker book. I think it's pretty strict because of what they can get through customs so anything extra such as pencils etc wouldn't be allowed. A pop up book would be lovely but I doubt I could find one slim enough, unless anyone knows of some super slim pop up books...?

Ribbons is a lovely idea

When you say flat, how flat? So that it counts as an envelope rather than a packet?

The website says 'you can send on flat paper gifts, no larger than A4' and lists some examples as paper stickers, postcards, folded posters, small calendars. So I think it can have a bit of depth to it but by no means any bulk

https://usborne.com/browse-books/catalogue/product/1/10602/costumes-around-the-world/

What about an usbourne sticker book? Some of the topics aren't suitable for her situation I would say, (skiing) but some are.

Otherwise, how about a book of plain paper and packets of stickers of your own choosing.

What about one of Nick Sharratt's You Choose books?

Although ribbons would please me even as a person in my thirties, so definitely ribbon or two if you can.

I don't know which organisation you are sponsoring through, but I sponsor through SOS children's villages and they suggest stuff like stickers, postcards etc that are specifically quite low value to keep things fair amongst all the children. Some sponsors don't send anything (I don't) and if other sponsors were sending larger, expensive presents it creates inequality/envy amongst the children. The foster mum is given money from the charity to buy birthday cake and balloons to celebrate the child's birthday with all the children in the family, so they are all treated fairly.

Great suggestions thanks @MrsKrabbapple and @Cheerybigbottom (LOVE your name!!)

@NannyR it's with compassion UK. The potential disparity between the children's gifts is a valid and important reason (and they mention this when advising on limits to how much money you can send them, which as you mentioned is spent on the family) but apparently this is down to customs. I'm totally supportive of it being a small low value item, just want to try and think of something special for her :)