The minefield that are childrens birthday parties...

[Pheebe]

Not really sure where to post this but here goes...

Is a book and/or a £5 book voucher a decent present to give a 4 year old? Getting sick of buying plastic tat that they probably already have or won't like...

Ok, scrapped the voucher idea - like the idea of a music CD, ds has got a party coming up that would be perfect for

Brill ideas, thanks everyone

Book - yes - but either get one that's just been published or check with the child's parent that they haven't already got it. DD1 has been very disappointed on a few occasions when given a book she's already got.

Voucher - not at four - they won't really get it.

And some of DD's best presents have been clothes - T-shirts or PJs. Not expensive, not plastic and she has always been happy to have them.

Actually I am going to go against the grain here, perhaps mention to parent what do they think about voucher...the point being that at a party they get soooo much stuff all at once, half of it tat!

Books are lovely, but sometimes a voucher - yes may go over a childs head - but parent can use to buy something useful for the child with it - and in the general melee, most 4 year olds haven't got a clue who's bought what!

However stcik with a book if it's just a small gathering....

I'm also going against the grain, but I would be really happy with a voucher - it would involve a trip into town on the bus, which is pretty exciting for dd, and the stop off for cake would be pretty exciting for me (okay, I don't get out much!), and she gets to choose something herself that she likes! But I guess you might need to check it out with the parent.

I often buy books for presents, and like to receive books rather than pink plastic too!

My DD has just turned four and was given a fab Nick Sharratt book about a princess getting 3 wishes. On each page there are 6 press out pics with slots to put them in the main picture so the child can make up their own story and change it each time. We only looked at it for the first time yesterday afternoon (birthday was only Saturday), and it has already kept her out of mischief for an hour or two since then!

interesting that you're all so against vouchers...my aunt got my 2 book tokens last christmas when they were 15 months and 4.5 and they LOVED choosing a book, i loved taking them. The problem with buying a book is how do you know what they already have? I get the thing about something to unwrap, but at a party I assume there'll be loads of other gifts to unwrap...

Ds got a woolies voucher at his 5th b'day party and it was one of his fave gifts; I've just bought a Claires voucher for a 5th b'day party he's going to on Sunday.