School bday party. What gifts do people usually buy?

[Namechanger67]

We have the first 2 reception parties next month and wanted to gauge what is an appropriate gift? I have only ever been to close friends parties before but what do people usually get to a whole class party to a kid they don’t really know?
If it matters, we are in the London suburbs, wealthy area.

We live in a similar place. Gifts we have received tend to be between £10-£20. Arts and crafts, stationery, STEM activity kits, jewellery box or making kits (we have girls). No toys, unless it’s something like Lego. I like gifting the plus plus block sets - they seem to be something that not many have seen before.

£10-£20 make it set or crafts tend to be a safe bet.
don’t overthink it

I would spend up to £10 and just buy something i know my child would like.

A book or a small toy (think like £8-10). I often got really interesting or unusual books related to an interest if I knew the child well enough or I’d ask. It’s fine to ask what the child likes. I’d say about half of parents did when rsvping.

We've been to about 10 reception class parties as everyone does whole class ones. I tend to bulk order those 2 for 15 pound argos toys from my local Sainsburys. Usually games or craft sets.

I usually give something like Dobble.

I’d spend around £10
No plastic tat
Please no jewellery making kits especially ones with beads!!!!!
Craft kits are good as long as they aren’t too messy
Baking kits (the glass bottle type ones are good)
Books
A game
Small Lego sets
We have girls so a lot of stuff like hair bands/bobbles/fairy wands
Stickers, colouring books, set of felt pens

Book, craft set, STEM set, play doh etc.
We have also done child’s apron and cookie cutters, personalised swimming towel, pyjamas etc for children we knew better.

Unless we know the child well enough to be more specific we always did a Lego set. Those 3 in 1 sets are great. Then they can easily regift if it’s not wanted and it’s impossible to have too much lego.

Everyone is different. My 11 year old still has her jewellery making sets she got at parties over the years and they often get brought out at sleepovers.

Mine loved little Lego sets, art stuff (those paint your own model things went down well), games, puzzles or soft toys.

We always spent £15, as you can get something decent for that under £10 and it tends to be plastic tat. For £15 years can get Lego, craft kit etc. We had so many books and I think it is hard to know what other people have/like. I personally would stay away from popular low cost games like dobble. I think we ended up with about 5 sets of it and we only have one child!

Cash in a card usually..20

This is the best idea. Or sometimes we buy a Waterstones voucher or Amazon voucher. Now our dc are older primary age they sometimes give a Roblox voucher. They’re always well received.

£20?! Cash?!
God I must be tight because that sounds wild to me.

Around a tenner is my standard. Or the two for £15 Argos sets. Playdoh sets go down well in reception.

£10-£15 including card. Lego or LOL doll were winners when mine were that age. I didn’t really like some of the generic craft sets as some were rubbish but some like paint stones with glow in the dark paint were fun.

£10 to £15 usually. Sometimes pick up offers where you get 2 for 15 to have something in the house. DS got one today and got decent book and small diamond art set from The Works. Small Lego sets rarely go wrong. Don’t know yet about older kids. Probably gift voucher.

Reception is up to £10 - I get toys on offer from Argos or the Works - Lego, craft kits, stem kits etc and then usually add in a bag of chocs or similar.

Spend £15 -£18 on older DC's friends because he's known them for longer and there's fewer parties now!

We live on the Midlands rather than London and DD is in year 2.

Gift usually in the £8-12 range. She has received cash in a card a few times and it's always £10.

Jewelry and craft kits, lego, dolls, Firblet (year 1 rather than year R), books, unusual colouring books, board games etc.

£10-£15 was fairly normal here. Lots of Lego sets, cars, craft sets etc. Plenty of regifting and given the volume of parties/presents in YR I don’t think anyone noticed or cared!

A £10 Amazon voucher and big bag of Haribo was always appreciated. I also frequently bought a £10 t-shirt and bag of sweets/chocolate which at least felt a bit more useful.

My 2 kids have a party every birthday. Gifts are mostly between £10-£20. We actually got quite a bit of money/gift cards this time for her 6th birthday. Some were cards with £10 or £20. We got some £10 and £15 gift cards. Some gave a mixture of money and a little something else like sweets or a small toy.

I usually go around £15-£20. My eldest is 8 and if she has a party now I usually give money and a small gift.

From year 1 up £10 in a card for everyone except close friends who I would spend a bit more on but know what they actually want.
I really don’t see the point of guessing what kids might be into or play with or read, we have no idea so a random gift will probably just end up as clutter in their house. Can’t go wrong with letting them choose.

£10 in a card, that I buy in bulk and cost 20p each.

This is less than the time and effort thinking about the gift, getting wrapping paper etc and the parents won't groan when they open yet another craft/stem/book that they have no space for, have multiples and the kids won't use

Cash, always.

@MeganM3 obviously another seasoned parent!

I bought my neighbours kids binoculars each and came with a little bird guide book which was wipe able to tick off what you see, they both love them and are begging to go over the nature reserve, healthy activity! They were only £7.50 so not pricey but really well made with a strap and case. Otherwise those national geographic kits are good from Argos or science kits, just avoid goods linked to tv or films unless you know the parents well, some will not approve. Failing that go the the Works and buy books, even try charity shops who often have brand new sets that have been donated, also if you happen to live by the coast i recommend the lifeboat shop who have lots of stationary items plus toys all in aid of them which most parents will love

DD had a whole class party in nursery (was a school nursery) and again, but joint with a friend this time, in Reception.

Agree on the jewellery making kits - we had so many and after the first one or two she really hasn’t been interested. Other children might be different though! DD has also been given things like make your own headbands and decorate a water bottle and both of those went down incredibly well. Other craft kits also well received as well as things like stationary sets, colouring books etc. At the last party she got a ‘secret diary’ with a lock and key, it had stickers and washi tape and stuff with it and was really well received, she still loves it.

Other gifts were things like dobble, other board games or similar. Those are great and I don’t even mind the repeats because it means I’ve got something to go in the present cupboard for the next party she goes to! She also got quite a lot of the mystery/ surprise egg type things - ones that have soft toys inside or ‘reveal’ type things where you put them in water or do whatever else and find the toy. DD finds these really exciting to receive but once the reveal is over she doesn’t tend to return to the toy to be honest.

One I really appreciated last year, the mum had asked what DD was into and it happened to be fairies at the time, the mum got us a really great ion8 water bottle in that theme, which was brilliant as I was about to replace DD’s anyway and they’re great water bottles.

I also tend to stock up on the 2 for £15 deals at Sainsbury’s, or if there’s anything decent in the Works offers. DD has always been great at telling me what the child in question likes, or I will ask the parent.