How much do you spend on gifts...

[frannyfresh]

for a toddler? I just want a ball park figure of what is appropriate to spend for a 2 year-old w/ out seeming thrifty. How about ideas for both sexes.

[Vanessa]

I assume you mean for a toddler who's not yours??

When ds gets invited to a party, I don't ever spend more than $10. Usually, I make the child something or buy an activity type project for them to do.

Some ideas:
Eye-Spy bags
doll blankets/clothes
apron/art smock

[Lil'M]

Okay, I'm very frugal about this, but I spend $5 max on kids' birthday gifts, unless it is for family or a best friend. I buy stuff on sale or still in plastic packaging at garage sales and store in a closet until I need it. A couple of times a year Toys R Us has a great sale on board games and I stock up on the buy one get one free. There is also a discount store near us called Amazing Savings and I get lots of board games, Ello sets, etc. there for around $5.

I know someone who limits how many birthday parties their kids go to because she says it is too expensive to buy gifts. But she lives in a huge McMansion and I know that she expects to spend at least $30+ on each gift. I would rather garage sale than tell my kids they couldn't go to their friends' parties.

[phathui5]

The dollar store near us has a decent toy selection (not plastic crap that you'd think that they carry).

[Shiloh]

I usually don't set a price per se but I try to get as fun and cheap as possible.

Kids like things they can 'do' most kids have enough stuff..

1. Child's book with a cd of your voice reading the book (works best for neices, nephews)
2. Craft box, an assortment of sissors, crayons, markers, paper - dollar store works great for that one. Make your own craft kits a tshirt with some fabric paints, some beads and string. I also keep a look out for craft books for kids.
3. Dress up stuff for little girls often you can find/make silly hats, purses sunglasses (dollar store also comes in handy) Boys tend to like fireman hats, engineer hats, etc.
4. Magnetic fridge stuff - paper dolls, cars. (you can actually buy sticky magnet sheets from Micheals or other craft office places and make your own so if the child is into spider man, cars. So you can buy a book of paper dolls and make your own fridge paper fashion dolls.
5. Apron and art smocks are such a great idea I've done a few! Aprons are the most unisex, you can do them in beige like a work/tool belt type. I did a funky cow print in denim for my cousin's daughter (materials and everything probably 8 bucks) If that wasn't 'enough' you can print out a recipie for cookies etc and include a few cookie cutters from the dollar store.
6. my mom used to do these on fabric but make foldable travel fabric villages for dinky cars... she used to draw the houses herself but I have seen the road fabric on sale.
7. Themed things like swimming towel that has straps and a piece of velcro so the towel becomes a backpack. Bathtub toys - dollar store has some great mirrors that have the suction cups - kids love to look at themselves, add in a bath puppet and a few rubber duckies five bucks.

[annekevdbroek]

I aim for around $10 - but go way less if I can. Sidewalk chalk can often be found in a huge container (like 50 sticks) for less than $5. Also bubbles, crayons and paper, craft supplies, balls (the big ones in the bins at Target, etc.), puzzles, water balloons, pool toys, sandbox toys, kitchen stuff for play (from $1 store, pots, timers, plates, spoons, etc.), rubber/plastic animals ($1 store or toys-r-us), magnent stuff for the fridge, board games, books. The TJMaxx in our area gets nice toys (like Thomas the Train stuff and Melissa and Doug) and it is often on clearance. I've found great stuff there. I also recently picked up two small tables on clearance at Target, painted the tops with chalkboard paint, bought chalk and an eraser. The tables and supplies came to less than $8 - and will be gifts for some of this summer's birthdays.

I think a sand bucket ($1-$2) filled with: shovel ($1) and a ball ($1-2) would be a great birthday gift for around $5.

[Poddi]

For our neices we spent about $30, sometimes a little more for birthdays or Xmas. Other kids usually get some handmade things so it's a bit hard to say the value. I'd say $10 - $15.

[TiredX2]

For school friends (ie not family, family friends, close friends) we have a limit of $10. For nieces & nephews (we have 16 so far) this year we are doing $15ish, we've done $20-25 in the past. For close family friends (so both kids are friends w/the kids and we are friends with the parents) $20-25.

[sarasprings]

Originally Posted by Shiloh

5. Apron and art smocks are such a great idea I've done a few! Aprons are the most unisex, you can do them in beige like a work/tool belt type. I did a funky cow print in denim for my cousin's daughter (materials and everything probably 8 bucks) If that wasn't 'enough' you can print out a recipie for cookies etc and include a few cookie cutters from the dollar store.

Could you post how you make these?

I try to spend $5-$10 dollars, but with a value between $20 and $30. I have a pretty big stash of things -- wooden toys, board games, legos, etc. that I've gotten 75% off. I'm lucky because parents arounds here are pretty reasonable about gifts giving.

[lilyka]

we usually do $5-$10.

there is always somehting a kid in into in the $10 range. we wrap in kid decorated newsprint so that we don't have to spend money on wrapping. that frees up more for the gift.

as kids have gotten older we tend to get great books that my kids love. they usually run between $4-$6.

We put a lot of thought into the gifts we get each person so don't stock up on sale stuff. but we rarely have trouble finding something that is "them" withon our budget. for our nephew we spend more but heis our only boy so weget to indulge

[Emilie]

Yes- we try to keep it low.
Emilie

[Kirsten]

Depends on who it is. We generally spend around $10. Closer to $20 if it is a close friend of the kids.

I do stock up on gifts when things like board games or art supplies or great kid music cds are on sale. I found a cd that my dd1 just loves on sale for $4 one time. Bought all they had (four of them). Last week Target had Whoonu (a really fun game for kids who can read, and adults too) on sale for $8. I bought three of them.

Sometimes I take the kids to the store and let them choose the gift specifically. I never get out for under $20 though.

Let's see.... two year old gifts... My two year old loves play food and dishes and an apron to wear. Dress up clothes - her Grammy makes all kinds of wonderful stuff that is cuter and lasts longer than what you can buy. She loves princess nightgowns. People and/or animals are always a hit. Duplos never disappoint but last time I looked for them, there were only Legos and the new jumbo blocks - no Duplo size. Age appropriate puzzles (the wooden ones). A doll. Not sure how you feel about girly, brand specific stuff but my dd3 loves her Care Bear and her Pretty Ponies (in their castle).

[sagewinna]

Around $5 is what I spend per gift. I find things on clearance (especialy after holidays, clothing and toys... I even found a bunch of timex kids watches for $5 once!), new books at the thrift store, even coupons for a "date" with us to go to a museum (where we have a membership) or on a picnic to the park.

For the stuff that I pick up throughout the year, I have a big storage tub in the garage that I keep the gifts in. I look in there when a birthday is coming up.