Frugal Gifts for Toddlers

[Bluezy]

Re: Frugal Gifts for Toddlers

CJ's second birthday bash was a situation where each attendee received a goodie bag. I went to the Dollar Store and picked up

1. Plastic Sun Glasses
2. Small drawing pads with a 4-pack of crayons
3. Bottles of bubbles
4. Play-Doh in small containers
5. Children's favourite songs CD

The investment totaled $20 from Dollar Tree for 10 babies.

Among the other gifts that might work from Dollar Tree would be puzzles, colour books and story books, safe plastic toys appropriate for the ages of the children, cartoon DVD's.

[mountainmist]

Re: Frugal Gifts for Toddlers

Is he popular or do people just invite everyone they ever heard of to kids birthday parties these days? More the latter. I guess part of my gripe with the whole thing. IT is not a part of my budget because I don't value it. But when we have the room to swing it we will go I guess...

rofl

You'll have to be sure to let us know all about the birthday party you eventually throw for your son -- the poster who recently mentioned that she and a friend were splitting the costs for a $140 birthday party at Chuckee Cheesse, celebrate two kids b-days at the same time, she may have the right idea, - THAT must be time and energy saving, big time.

It's looking better all the time.

[MonkeyMama]

Re: Frugal Gifts for Toddlers

I am lucky both my kids have birthdays a week apart too. OF course when they are older they will have their own birthday parties, but the next few years - one and done - phew. hey did I plan that to be frugal or what? LOL.

[savvy06]

Re: Frugal Gifts for Toddlers

How about buying a $5 or two $5 McDonalds gift certificates. Kids and parents love those, and look forward to using them. Many Mcdonald locations have an indoor play area great for the cold days, when the kids can't get out and play.

[cschin4]

Re: Frugal Gifts for Toddlers

McD's certificates - that is a great idea! My kids love McD's.

[TBH]

Re: Frugal Gifts for Toddlers

Great ideas here, especially the dollar store ideas. You can get quite a good haul at a dollar store for $5.

Just wanted to chime in to say I would be rather put out if somebody gave my son (almost 3 years old) a McD's gift certificate. He's never had a happy meal in his life and I hope he doesn't find out about them for a while yet. It's not that I don't give him any junk food. But we're mostly vegetarian, so what is there for him at McDonald's? Not much except annoying Disney-type toys and greasy french fries.

[MonkeyMama]

Re: Frugal Gifts for Toddlers

Yeah I Was careful with the gift card idea because in California there are a lot of health freaks - McDs is the devil to many. But for the ones who go to McDs I think it is a great idea.

We went to one party this last weekend - oh my was it quite a spectacle. 2 bounce houses and the kid got like 1000 gifts. I regretted bringing any. Should have given the $5 bill! 1 down, 3 to go this month...

[mountainmist]

Re: Frugal Gifts for Toddlers

Well, this messagethread most certainly explains why ALL the garage sales in "child dense neighborhoods" typically have tables & tables & boxes & boxes upon more boxes filled with unused or very gently used toys & kids books & plush animals --- and then a few "free boxes" of used toys and game parts.

I hope you will continue to update this thread, as really, what you are depicting is ... more toys at ONE birthday, very young, than many of us had during our entire childhood.

There's something really grotesque with the remarkable vision you've spurred in me...

And makes it so much more understandable why most parents complain about the bags of dollar store junque from both grandmas and the garbage bags of books/toys/games/plush animals that they have to cart off to the goodwill at least once a year.

We need to get a good list of those "use up" toys, those items which as gifts NEVER have to be dusted, and NEVER have to be collected up for the run to the goodwill donation box.

What you're describing sounds like a spectacle that toy marketers would drool over, LOL.

[MonkeyMama]

Re: Frugal Gifts for Toddlers

What you're describing sounds like a spectacle that toy marketers would drool over, LOL.

They certainly are.

IT seems the norm around here.

Makes it easy for me to not buy much new though. I always find some pretty brand new stuff pretty dang cheap.