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When you have kids, it can feel like the birthday party invites are endless. From birth until around high school, whole-class parties become a regular occurrence—and each one requires a gift. If you’re running low on ideas and want to stick to a budget of under $50, here are 10 thoughtful gifts to consider before you RSVP to the next celebration.
Busy boards are fantastic tools for helping kids develop hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills while fostering creative play and logical thinking. This particular board features soft felt for easy handling and portability. With multiple activity pages, it will keep younger children engaged as they zip zippers and practice tying laces.
This vibrant and colourful puzzle is sure to capture kids’ attention while promoting problem-solving skills and hand-eye coordination. Its Montessori-style design is a hit with parents as well, crafted from wood sourced from certified, sustainably managed forests instead of plastic.
Budding chefs love to lend a hand in the kitchen, but they often lack the right tools to do so safely. This kit makes an excellent gift, featuring kid-friendly tools specifically designed to teach early kitchen skills like peeling and cutting while minimizing the risk of cuts and accidents.
Walkie-talkies are a timeless gift that provide endless fun. Kids can enjoy them for years, whether they’re younger and excited to chat with a friend, parent, or sibling from another room, or older while organizing games with friends. These models feature 22 channels and a three-mile range, ensuring clear sound and adjustable volume for optimal communication.
Unlike regular sand, kinetic sand sticks together, reducing mess for parents while maximizing fun for kids. This engaging kit includes fossils and dinosaur bones for kids to dig up and reveal three hidden dinosaurs. Plus, it comes with a convenient carrying case, making it perfect for playtime indoors or outdoors.
Early readers will appreciate the fun, comic-book stylings and silly stories of Dog Man, a superhero from the mind of Dav Pilkey (of Captain Underpants fame). This starter set includes the first three books, introducing kids to the crime-biting canine in all his paw-some glory.
Red Light Green Light is making a comeback thanks to a certain Netflix show. This family-friendly version takes the fun to a new level with an interactive element that eliminates the need for one person to be “it.” It comes equipped with a motion sensor, lights, sound and music. The first person to reach the console and press the button wins.
Forts, hideouts and secret rooms where kids can feel like they have their own space to hang out are always fun, which makes this indoor or outdoor playhouse a big gifting win. It comes with a rollup door and cool treehouse-inspired details, and is lightweight and portable, so you can bring it to the grandparents’ house or on vacation.
What’s more fun for older kids than a racing car? What about one you can build yourself? These authentically designed Cadillac cars have a ton of great details and go beyond your traditional building blocks. There are more than 300 pieces to assemble, making it a fun and challenging build for any budding car lover.
Remember the friendship bracelets you made as a kid? This kit brings them back, making the art of bracelet-making easier than ever! The console organizes and holds the threads for perfect designs every time, and it eliminates the worry of small plastic elastics scattering around the house, which can be a hassle with other kits.