£5 ish table presents for 8 & 11 Yr old girls. Ideas please!

[vipersputpaidtomylastusername]

We have stopped buying presents for extended family - group decision a few years ago that everyone is fine with - and instead we all buy a little 'table present' for about £5.

I'm a bit out of touch for girls of this age so would welcome ideas please.

I was thinking something from Lush for the 11 year old ?? That's if I can hold my breath for long enough while I go in and make the purchase.....

A comic or magazine

Great post OP and some great ideas! I'm adding the Lego Dot idea to my list.

My suggestion is an Infinity Pad (LCD screen). Currently £8 at Boots but they're 3 for 2 so would just be over £5 each.

My 11 year old is a soap dodger so she wouldn’t appreciate lush

Puzzle book, chocolate, pop-it, Rubix cube would work here.

The works have a 2 for £10 range of gifts

My dds are 12 and 9, some stocking type bits they have are which could work are,
Fidget toys.
Sweets particularly interesting ones.
Circus skills type things - skipping rope, diablo, juggling balls.
Drinks bottle.
Colouring/activity book - scratch art goes down well here!
Those reversible octopus teddies.
Joke book/would you rather book/riddle book/silly facts book.
Small card type game - uno, top trumps, or look on bargain thread for other bargain ideas, exploding kittens was cheap recently. Mine love a game!
A pack of cards and instructions to play a few games (print off online).
My 12 year old got very excited by a £3 memo block in the works as had the paper in the top and a little drawer for pencils...

I would avoid clothes, hair stuff, beauty bits unless you know them very well. My dds couldn't be more different. Dd (12) would hate makeup/clothes or bath bombs but dd (9) would be over the moon with bath bombs, clothes or beauty bits!

Children of all age love kinetic sand I have found. You can get small sets for your budget. They can also play with this on the day.

We do table presents too. I got an 8 year old girl a bracelet making kit that came in a plastic cupcake rather than a massive box. It was a big hit and kept her busy while we were clearing up. I think it was from Asda or Tesco.
Following for ideas for her this year......

a little craft kit? maybe something like friendship bands or a simple sewing kit to make a decoration for her bedroom?

I think this is a really lovely idea vipers. You are obviously putting a lot of love and thought into your purchases too rather than buying the first cheap thing you come across!

My DD is 14 now and still loves Kenji! There's loads in there for all ages. Some lovely bits at really good prices that don't look as cheap as they actually are .

The youngest may still love smiggle but imo it's tat and overpriced

unless you know they LOVE lush or something I would avoid it.

Its offensively steriotypical to assume girls love bath stuff and make-up and its offensive to a preteen to buy something that suggests they smell.

Its hard to suggest stuff without knowing them, my first thought was those sundae kits you can buy but its a bit generic and might not be suitible if lactose intolerant or diabetic ect... but that might just be the word 'table' making me think 'food' lol.

The best things I got as a kid where unusual board games (not the standard but random things you never heard of before) and they can be played on the day too.