What gift do you take to a 1-year-old's birthday party?

[justlearning]

We just got invited to a one-year-old girl's birthday party and I'm wondering what I should buy her. I'm not used to having friends with kids, so this is the first child's birthday party I'll be attending and I'm not sure how much I should spend or what I should get. What would you recommend? As additional information, we are not very close with the family--we recently met them--but I don't want to come across as looking cheap either (even though I am!). :)

TIA for any suggestions--I'd really appreciate them!

[bnme]

In a similar situation I bought the FP Little People zoo. I think it was around $20. I also bought an extra set of animals for another $8. For about $15 you can get the LP animal train. It is very cute and kind of generic since you may not know their taste and what they already have. Its a good chance they may have that or get it but it can always be exchanged.

[egoldber]

I think a small gift under $10 is completely appropriate. A board book is always nice. Or you can get a PlayDoh set at Target or TRU for anywhere from $1.50 - $8. Or you could do crayons and drawing paper.

HTH,

[Andrea S]

The little people are always a good 1st year gift. Andrew loved his. The school bus is not very expensive. I do not think you will look cheap at Andrew's party he got gifts from $10 up. Little tikes also has a cute flash light shaped like an animal that is $9.99. If you have a Kohls they have 50% off Fischer price and little tikes you will be able to pick something up for $5-7. I picked some stuff up for 1st b-days we have coming up.

Andrea
mom to Andrew 8/14/02

[August Mom]

I think something in the $10 - $15 dollar range would be fine. For these sorts of things, I love shopping at TJ Maxx or Marshalls where
I can get a typically get a $10+ item for closer to $5. I bought a wagon of Megablocks and a board book for around $10 and it was a big hit.

Personally, I would stay away from Play Doh and drawing materials for a 1-year old. My 14-month old isn't ready for these items. Only if you know that this girl is capable of playing with Play Doh instead of eating it would I bring it as a gift. Board books are always good as are Little People. DS loves the lift-the-flap books by Karen Katz. You should be able to get 2 for under $10. There are lots of Little People sets available for $15 or under. They are often on sale at Kohl's and Wal-Mart seems to have very good prices on these generally. DS got the FP Tappy the Turtle and LOVES it. http://www.fisher-price.com/us/products/product.asp?id=17869 It's a favorite. A Gertie Ball or other ball is a good choice. DS also likes the See 'n Say he received for his 1st birthday. Other thoughts: a bead maze (I got one at Marshalls for $12.95); Little Tikes Discover Sounds Toys (perhaps stacking pans); shape sorter.

Good luck.

[Sarah1]

If you aren't very close to the mom, then I wouldn't spend more than $15-20.

If you are good friends w/the mom, though, then I'd say spend more.

[KUvsOU]

We purchased what looks like a cell phone by Parents at Target. It is nice because you can record a message on it. I believe it says 18 month+. We purchased one for a friend and also gave one to my son for his 1 year birthday. My son also received the Elmo Phone for his birthday, but the volume is not very loud so he is not very interested in it. Both kids absolutely love the Parents cell phone since they always are interested in our cell phones. We also purchased another small gift for him. I believe someone else mentioned little people which are always a good gift. I believe there are some that are only $5 so this may make a good second gift.

Shawna
Mom to Cade 6/16/02

[egoldber]

Just to clarify, I suggested PlayDoh and crayons as toys for "the future". I have never minded receiving (or giving) toys as gifts that were classics, but perhaps DD was not yet ready for. I know that I always have a lot of toys for whatever stage DD is in currently, but not necessarily for the next stage up. And since you don't know the person well, these are toys that you can never have too many of, and if they are duplicates, it doesn't really matter.

HTH,

[MinnieMouse]

If I see clueless Aunts, Uncles or Grandparents in the toy section...and they are shopping for a 1-3yo I always recommend Little People sets. All the ones already mentioned are great...bus, zoo, circus train or zoo train (dd has both and prefers the zoo train)..or any of the add on sets if you know they have the main piece. Another option is the Noah's Ark. The ark goes for about $20 and comes with the most figures of any other set (four sets of animals, Noah and "his wife"). You can also get two different add on sets of animals...each with 3 MORE sets. My sister got the entire thing for dd....10 sets of animals, Noah and his wife...for a whopping 22 figures. Oh and they ALL fit inside the ark! The other bonus about the ark is that it is one of the few LP sets left that doesn't make noise!

You really can't go wrong w/ LP sets. Early on all the 1yr does is chew on the figures...but dd really started "playing" with everything fairly quickly. Now at 2.5 she's all over all her FP stuff and the animals are even "talking" to each other!

HTH

Christine

[KUvsOU]

If you have a Kohl's in your area, the Little People items are on sale right now until Oct. 19th. The bigger items like the Ark, Farm, etc. are $10 off and the smaller items are 50% off. I bought the Little People School Bus for a little over $7 yesterday and it is normally about $15.

Shawna
Mom of Cade 6/16/02

[mharling]

I got the park/playground at our Kohl's on Saturday for $12.50. Normally $25.

Mary & Lane 4/6/03
http://www.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=67b0de21b3524e54e42d - New 10/3

[KUvsOU]

That is a really good deal. I bought the Little People School Bus for a little over $7 and it is normally $15. Our store said they were only taking $10 off some of the larger Little People items, but may they had up the wrong signs.

[justlearning]

Thanks, all of you, for your very helpful suggestions! I went tonight to Kohls and got some Little People toys for her. The Kohls here had all FP toys 40% off. A tip in case anyone here has to do their shopping online...ToysRUs.com has free shipping right now on all their Little People products, and their regular prices are lower than Kohls regular prices (at least on what I got). Still, Kohls is cheaper with the discount so I'm fortunate enough now to live in a town now that has a Kohls.

I realized when looking at all the toys tonight that I'm completely clueless as to what children older than my son would like to play with, so it was a huge help to have you all suggest what I should get as well as ideas about the price range. Thanks again!! :)

[cara1]

Just my two cents about Little People. Ever since DS got a Little Person stuck in his mouth, and I had to pull it out because he wasn't breathing, I've been nervous about them. Anyone else experience this?

[egoldber]

Wow! I've never heard of that happening!

But honestly, DD has a few LP toys and they are just not a huge fav. I know I wouldn't want a whole lot of them.