Girl Mom: Birthday Gift Ideas

Welcome back to Girl Mom! I skipped my  Girl Mom series last week for lots of link ups and other fun, but i'm back today with a little inspiration for you! You can check out all of my Girl Mom topics here.

We went to two birthday parties over the weekend, and I don't know about you, but I always have a hard time figuring out what to gift the child! Especially boys! Since I'm a Girl Mom, I find gift giving to boys so much harder! I know that boy moms feel the same way when they're invited to a girl birthday party!

Megan's birthday is this month, and I've already been asked for ideas for presents and what she wants! Now that I have three girls, and we already have a ton of toys, I even have a hard time thinking of gifts for my own child!

Today, I'm going to share a few gift ideas that would be perfect for a 4 year old girl, and I'm going to share a few of my best gift giving tips! 

I did a little online shopping to come up  with a few ideas for a 4 year old girl!

 When I'm buying gifts, I like to buy things that are crafty, can be used outside, or educational! Occasionally, I'll spring for a fun toy, but the educator in me wants to go with the more functional toys! 

Megan would love any of the toys, I've picked above! Most of them are educational or crafty and almost all of them can be shared between my three girls or be passed down!  Since Megan is my middle, I do tend to buy special presents just for her, but I also love toys that all the girls can enjoy!

Occasionally, I like to gift things that I've made. We went to a party this weekend, and we gifted a personalized beach towel! Megan picked out a Doc. McStuffins toy to go along with this gift, but we could've easily added some pool toys as well for an over-all theme!

I also tend to throw in a few hair bows or clips that I've made!

When giving a gift, I try to keep these things in mind:

1. Always include a gift receipt! I tape it right to the back of the present, so it doesn't get lost!
2. Set a budget. We try not to spend more than $15.00 on a present. Unless, we are really good friends with the child, like, we see them often and hang out with their family! Then, I'll spend $20-30.00
3. Before I buy a present, I think if my own child would love it!
4. I don't always buy the trendy toy. Right now, toy stores are pushing Frozen and Cinderella. Most likely, the birthday child is going to get overwhelmed with those toys, so i'll choose something a little off beat or a classic toy. 
5. When in doubt, buy books or puzzles!
6. If I buy a crafty present, I try to buy one that won't be too much of a headache or hassle to parents! Let's face it, I hate getting out play-doh for my girls, so I don't give it as a gift. I also try to pick out a craft activity that can be done with little or no supervision from parents. Crayons and coloring books with stickers are great for little kids, but for older kids, like Megan or Gretchen, the bead craft bucket (above) would be great!
7. I never buy clothes as a gift! (Unless it's an immediate family member!) Everyone has such different style or brands that they put on their child, and I wouldn't want to give a gift that may never get worn!
8. When we have to buy for a boy, I call my closest boy mom friend for help! When in doubt, legos or superheros are our go-to! 
9. I don't buy birthday cards! I let the girls have fun coloring and creating their own card for their friend, or we just stick a little note inside or I write the names on the outside of the gift bag! It saves 3-4.00 for a card that just gets thrown away!  
10. I recycle gift bags (unless we are headed to a boy party- then I have to buy new). If it's not in a box, I put it in a bag. If it comes in a box and can easily be wrapped, I'll wrap it. 
11. I tend to use a solid color wrapping paper. Blue for boys, pink for girls. Then, I can use a sharpie and write the child's name on it and who it's from. (Remember, I don't buy cards!) You can also use brown paper or newspaper to wrap a present!
12. I don't give gift cards. Although, it's nice when my child is able to go to the store to pick out a gift, I can typically spend less on a present that looks like I paid more for it. For example, I can pick out a nice $10.00 action figure or doll, or I could spend $10.00 on a gift certificate. Most of the time, a $10.00 action figure or doll appears like you've spent more money. Plus, it's more fun to open a present than an envelope!
13. If you're on a budget, shop the Dollar store or Target's Dollar section! Sometimes, we'll pick out a few things from the Dollar section and then pair it with a toy from the toy aisle. 

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When in doubt, follow the 4-Gift Rule above. This typically works for Christmas, but you can adjust it for birthdays!

And if you're still in doubt, just ask their mom! Hopefully she'll give you a few ideas that are within a reasonable budget and then you'll know the child will really love your gift!

I'd love to hear from you! Comment below with your best gift giving tips or your favorite toys for your girl (or boy!)