Friend Birthday Gift Ideas

We are in a season where we go to a lot of kid birthday parties.  It can get expensive!  

We have figured out a formula for gifts that won't break the bank.

If it's a classmate or a casual friend, we try to stick to a budget of around $15.

If it's a best friend or a long time friend, we shoot for $25.

The kids LOVE to shop for their friends.  They will stroll around a store or scroll through Amazon to find the perfect gift for their buddies.  Not all kids open gifts at their parties, but my kids really enjoy when they do.  It's so fun to see their friends get excited about the gifts they give.

Fletcher is ten and a fun gift for ten year olds is $15 in cash + a couple of fun candies to try.  Or if he knows the friend well, he enjoys personalizing the gift - a mini basketball hoop for the friend that loves basketball or a fresh set of art markers and coloring books for the art loving friend.

Leo is six and he loves to give crafts, toys, oversized stuffed animals, etc.

Sams has some really good toys for $15-20. We recently purchased this set of Play-Doh foam for $15 at Sams.  It went to an artsy little girl in his class and then we worked together to make her a personalized key chain with her name on it.  The key chain looked so cute on her gift and was a big hit immediately at the party.

Right now Sams has a couple of versions of this set, bath toys, sticker sets and some really awesome books.  I'm going to stock up to have some things in my kid birthday stash for those last minute invitations.  I love when we have a couple weeks notice for a party so that we can shop on Amazon, craft for that friend and enjoy shopping for them.  But we can pull it together faster with a quick stop in Sams.

I always have the kids write cards to their friends.  I love seeing them write something sweet on the inside.  I really like playing with you.  You are awesome at football.  Thanks for being such a good friend to me.  You get the idea.  Have your kids write one nice thing/one compliment to their friend in their card and it'll be precious.

We buy our cards in bulk at Dollar Tree or sometimes the kids will make their own cards.  Olive enjoys making cards for her friends personalized with their latest inside jokes.

I hope you feel motivated to enjoy shopping for your kid's friends and making gift giving fun!