Please list some of your best buys for other children's birthday presents.

[hulababy]

DD has loads of birthday parties coming up. We have 5 birthday parties (plus a Halloween party and a Bonfire party) all within 4 weeks of each other! LOL

So, I have to get more organised with this birthday present malarky, and thought others might benefit too.

I normally spend up to £10 on a birthday present, but more than happy to get bargains

ur birthday parties are mainly for 5 year old girls, but have some boys and some different ages coming up as well.

So, what have you bought that has been a success recently - how much and where from?

Please

Bought a load of great stuff from M&S outlet store recently. Cheap lovely jigsaws - big tins of them with lovely chunky pieces, usual price £12 down to £5-6. Also got some great little lockable diary type things with girly decor - I know 5 yr olds aren?t ready to use a diary properly but round here all the girls like notebooks and pens. Cute little handbags with a hairbrush and clips in go down well - from Hennes, whole thing can cost as little as a fiver.
My 5 yr old loves receiving craft stuff FWIW - best pressie this time round was a pack of fairy "shrinkies" Spent ages colouring them in and then pestering me to pop in the oven. Also loved sequin art pictures - she had a one of a dragon and spent a good time on it.

Hate to say it, but the presents she was most unimpressed with was a book voucher and a Next voucher. As I regularly buy/get given books/use the library etc, getting books in our house is not seen as a treat, just like buying a tin of baked beans! We all love reading and buy them so often not really seen as a present? Same with clothes - seen as a boring job clothes shopping. Sorry Moonog, just think book tokens are lovely for adults and adults might think they are lovely for kiddies but not a great idea in our house

Message withdrawn

Message withdrawn

dd2 (4) got loads of stuff yesterday and i have to say even though we are quite an arty farty bunch I have to agree with cod re the crafty stuff. A lot of the kits are a) crap or b) really hard for a 4/5 year old. I whisk it away to the toy cupboard until I have the time or inclination to do it with them.

The BIGGEST hit of all, out of 25 presents, was FLOAM - that stuff that is advertised on the telly. This was a cheapo rip off but both dd1 and dd2 LOVED it and I must say it is quite fun to play with (sticks to fabrics though be warned).

Polly Pocket came a close second and if I was spending £10 on a gift for a 4 or 5 year old girl that is probably what i would give.

There was a distinct lack of jigsaw puzzles which was a shame. I like those Galt ones where you rub the black bit to reveal the pictures - I like the Haunted House one, I think it is about £8.99

and my least fave gift now for a four or five year old girl (second girl at that) is a pink handbag with hairclips in

we must have about 30

lol at EArlybirds thread

Message withdrawn

Dynamo powered torch. £4.99.

agree a puzzle unexciting for the kids at the time

but a new one is a great thing to produce on a rainy day

Message withdrawn

tbh I always think the present the kids would LOVE is that Cadburys choc machine in Argos, I think its about £7

I always wanted one

Ds1 got floam for his birthday. We were horrified by the chemically smell and it sits virtually untouched on a shelf.

lol

Nothing that takes batteries!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Message withdrawn

Good quality felt tips & a big A5 pad of paper

Fab cotton winter pyjamas in Primark for £4

Jenga

Enid - why LOL?

Just had a catalogue from orchard games and most of the games and puzzles are around £6 so not too horrendous with a wide choice.

I have just bought four Barbie colouring/activity books from the Book People for £5. One will go in DD?s stocking, but the others are perfectly nice for a prezzie, maybe with a packet of colours (chunky ones from Wilko?s are actually OK, or Crayloa ones). List price of book is £3.99.
Similarly with Usborne activity books (eg how to paint mermaids) £5 each, bought 5 for £10 IIRC.

Also we regift things we already have/ don?t like much well someone else might!
Also reading books for older children bought in quantity from Book People or Red House. Those two have got us through most of this year?s parties actually (but DH did have a sort out earlier in the year and forbid me from buying any more till I had got through what I had). DD?s 30-children party (as castigated by cod ) was a particularly good source for the parties she was inevitably invited to over the next few weeks.

Also good are offers at waterstones like 3 for 2 on children?s books (now on) and 3 for 2 on Polly Pocket at Toyrs R Us.
And I like Orchard games, they always go down well here.
Older boys tend to get Bionicle, Lego Knight or action figure (batman etc) for about £5.

Lol at moondog as village loon

My post makes me sound like a mean old mummy snatching presents from my child?s hands before rewrapping them. I am not, But she doesn?t need three my first sewing sets.

I should say in terms of what my children have loved (which is perhaps a better barometer) DS1 (7) was very taken with a batman car (DS2 likes it too) and some Bionicles. DD (5) luuuuurrrrves Polly Pocket. DS2 was very taken with a fireman?s outfit.

lol as we loved Floam but tooticky hated it, so there you go

I think it was Mo2 who suggested lights from Ikea that look like ghosts - they're portable, rechargeable and switch on and off by pushing on the top. THese have been a huge hit with the boys DSs have given them to over the last year. They're about £8 each I think.

Might have already been posted but The Book People has good book set which you can split. eg 10 Horrid Henry books for £10. If you give 2 per present that's 5 presents for £2 each! Can't beat that!

if im stuck for a birthday present i always buy a disposable camera

i did this the first time for an awkward 8 yr old boy and it was the best reaction to a birthday present i have ever had

you get really funky ones now

excellent idea np !