Help! Have to buy Christmas gifts for children I barely know

[ScrambledSmegs]

They are about 4 (girl) and nearly 2 (boy) I think. My budget is a maximum of £30 for the 2 of them. I have literally no idea what they are interested in, and I don't really know their parents, so can't ask them for advice. FWIW, it's a sort of secret santa for kids, at a colleague of DH's child-friendly christmas party.

So can you please give me ideas for generic presents for kids of their age that would be accepted quite happily by any parents? I would like to avoid messy stuff as I think that I wouldn't be happy with that myself. I just don't know what kids are into at the moment, despite having a toddler girl myself.

For the 4yr old maybe an Orchard Toys game, Shopping List is £6 on Amazon and very highly regarded, maybe add an Usborne sticker book to bump up the overall parcel.

For the 2yr old, hmmmmmm.... something with wheels or role play stuff, both my DD and DS loved play food at that age the Melissa and Doug sandwich / pizza / cake sets are all fab!

I always go for age appropriate art stuff if I have no idea what to get. All kids love stickers/drawing/colouring etc in my experience.

Do you know their names? I always think personalised presents are a way of ensuring it's not a duplicate present, and shows thought. You could get them each a named pe type bag for nursery/swimming bag/lunch box/name picture. Loads of independent facebook sellers/ebay sellers/noths do this kind of thing.

Thanks everyone. From asking DH the norm at this event seems to be 'plastic noisy light-up tat' so the kids can run around off their faces on sugar and showing off their new beeping, flashing toys. So sadly the cool art stuff and personalised tasteful stuff is out, despite being what I would naturally gravitate to.

Gah, this is so far out of my comfort zone it's unbelievable! I am genuinely appalling at knowing what kids like, I was such an odd child I used to ask for books for Christmas

peppa pig for both of them... possibly two playsets that can be put together so they can play together?

Tbh i would go into the poundshop/toys r us and spend a fiver on each child - plastic tat to amuse them on the evening rather than tasteful, sentimental keepsakes.

argos preschool section should help. What about megablocks or a megasketcher?

Oh, that argos link is brilliant. I'm sure I'm going to be able to find something there.

Is Toys R Us worth a look too?

Ooooh yes megablocks is a good idea.

Elc have 20% off all toys this weekend and free delivery. If you go on their website they have a gift finder bit where you can put in age / gender / price range etc

hi Guys i just give for my Son cool 3d Toy
its cool i like those try it www.3dfacetoy.com

I buy pajamas for the kids I don't really know. Not exciting but you can never have too many :-)

I find that incredibly creepy EddyJames shudders

Did you click on that, Bunny? I didn't dare!

Hahaha that face toy is grim. It reminds me of that dreadful comedy thing on TV with the guy's face superimposed on a toy bear. Can't for the life of me remember what it was called ... is that your website, Eddy? It's really bad.