Help, I need LOTS of first birthday gifts!

[June Mommy]

I need ideas! Not only is my own DS's first birthday coming up, we could have up to 8 more first birthday parties coming up in the next couple of months. I need ideas for good gifts that won't break the bank. I'm so iffy about typical toys, only because I don't know what they already have or what they would like. Also iffy about clothes b/c of the sizing issue, as well as personal tastes. I'd like to keep the gifts under $20. I love the idea of something personlized maybe, but what? I've talked to a few of my friends, and like me, they are unsure of what to get, even for their own babies. Any ideas for good, unique, first birthday gifts that anyone would like (boys and girls), in my price range? I'm not opposed to gift cards, but I never know what amount would be acceptable. I'd rather find a great $20 gift on sale for $10 than give a $10 gift card, KWIM? I recently gave a Taggies book (usually at least $12) that I got on sale at TJ Maxx for $5.00. One party is this weekend, so I need ideas FAST! Thanks!

[mudder17]

Okay, for your own son and for those you're closer to, how about this one:

http://shop.lego.com/product.asp?p=3125

It's 19.99, but with shipping, it'll be slightly more than $20. But my DD, my neighbor's DS, and my cousin's DS and all his toddler friends LOVE it!

You could also give smaller duplo sets (browse the site) that are less expensive. But I'm a personal fan of Lego, so I'm a little biased. :)

You could also give a bucket of Quattro or Duplo blocks. My DD loves taking the blocks in and out of the bucket. :)

Colored golf balls were also a big hit on my DD's birthday. She loves rolling them around or "tossing/rolling" them towards me and then wait for me to roll them back to her. If you give them a package of brightly colored golf balls and a plastic bowl, I bet they'd have loads of fun! :)

Also board books, but those are always hard to know what they already have.

Eileen

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/candle.gif

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif , 15 months & counting
Kaya's cousin, due October 9th!!!

[June Mommy]

Oh, good idea, I totally hadn't thought of Legos. Are these sold anywhere IRL, or only online?

[babystuffbuff]

It is on the TRU/Amazon website, so if you have a TRU near you, you could call and ask if they have it at the store. :)

Sarah

[Mamma2004]

DS received the medium Lego Quatro bucket at his 1st BD party just a month ago and he plays with them every day!!!! Mind you, right now he mostly just picks out two identical blocks to bang together (I'm impressed that they have to MATCH, though I have no idea what this means). If I build something, he loves to deconstruct or knock it down. I can tell you that I wouldn't have come up with the idea but now I will probably buy Legos for several upcoming birthdays. Our friend purchased it at a local baby store (the kind that sells brands offered at specialty stores rather than at huge retailers).

Here's a link to the one DS received:

http://shop.lego.com/product.asp?p=5356&cn=205&d=31&t=9

Good luck!
Stephanie

[Gena]

This may not be the type of thing you're interested in, since it's a keepsake gift and not something the little ones can enjoy now. It also needs to be ordered ahead of time, so not good as a last minute idea. But it is unique and very personal and appropriate for a boy or a girl.

You can contact your Congressperson's office and request to have a flag flown over the US capitol on the birthday (or any special occassion). Usually you need to request this about 8 weeks in advance of the date, but our Representative was able to arrange this for my son's first birthday with only 4 weeks notice. (Hubby and I had each thought the other had taken care of it.) The flag arrives about 4 weeks later with a beautiful certificate stating that it was flown over the US capitol on (date) in honor of (name) for the occassion of (first b-day, wedding, etc). We've always gotten the 3'x5' cloth flag, which has beautiful embroidered stars and costs about $18 including fees and postage.

Of course the actual gift arrives after the fact, but we usually buy a nice card and write "A flag is being flown over the the US capitol today in your honor". People we've done this for have been very touched by the gift.

[amp]

Books, books, books! We can never get enought books! They are great for 1 yr olds, darned affordable (especially board books) and easily returnable, exchangable if the person already has those books! Plus, easy to wrap, store and transport to parties!

[Sarah1]

My favorite 1-year old gifts are the Little People school bus and the Easy Make Snake by Ryan's Room. People LOVE both, and they're both around $15. The LP stuff you can find at Target, etc, but the Ryan's Room toys (they are wood) you have to buy online or at a specialty toy store. HTH :)

[mudder17]

They also sell them at Target, Walmart, and Kmart. Be careful not to get the Megablocs--those aren't nearly as well made as the Lego blocks, and if it makes any difference to you, they're made in China. Put I'm kind of a Lego purist/snob. :P


Eileen

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/candle.gif

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif , 15 months & counting
Kaya's cousin, due October 9th!!!

[ett]

How about a peg puzzle? You can get them for 5-6 dollars at Marshalls and TJ Maxx.

[August Mom]

We have both Duplos and Megabloks and, I have to say that DS doesn't show a preference toward Legos. If anything, he likes the Megabloks. I think either are fine. If you are on a budget, you often can find Megabloks at TJ Maxx or Marshalls.

[August Mom]

Little People are a good 1st birthday gift. DS loves the bus. That's probably his favorite LP item. I like to give books. My favorites are Karen Katz lift-the-flap books (especially Toes, Ears and Nose; Where Is Baby's Mommy?; and Where Is Baby's Bellybutton), FP LP lift-the-flap books (we have the farm and it's neat) and DK Publishing books (NFL series, ABCs, Words). Also, balls are a big hit. I like to give Gertie balls, but O-Balls are good, as are playground balls or smaller rubber balls. Franklin makes a Micro Air Tech football that DS has loved since shortly after 1. Also, he received the FP Tappy the Turtle (recommended age 18 months+) when he was 1 and really liked it. He just used it without the hammer for awhile. Ball drop toys are good for this age too, but I'm not sure you'll find much in the $10-20 range. Most I've seen are in the $20-$30 range. Shape sorters, bead mazes and cars/trucks are good gifts too. For vehicles, I like the LT Handle Haulers, the Tonka Jr. trucks and (although we don't have these) the Parents set of 4 rubber cars. Push/pull toys are good for this age too.

If you want something personalized and have a Learning Express near you, they will personalize lots of things. Someone here suggested an art desk that kids use on the floor (kind of like a breakfast in bed table, but that's plastic and stores art supplies).

[C99]

This has been my "formula" gift for all of the b-day parties we've gone to this year. My son is 2, though, and all of the b-day parties we've gone to have been for 2-y/os so your mileage may vary.

Buy a big plastic sand bucket w/ attached shovel for $1.99 from Target. Fill it with any combination of the following:
- a coloring book
- a watercolor paints book
- a sticker book
- a storybook
- Play-doh
- fingerpaint
- a Wiggles or other kids' music CD
- stickers
- crayons
- markers
- coloring/painting paper
- bottle of bubbles
- Matchbox cars

I spend about $15-20 per kid. I usually do a theme based on the child's interests or the party theme. For example, 1 little girl got all Wiggles stuff b/c she had a Wiggles party. You could adapt it to a younger child by adding things like balls and larger cars, etc.

HTH

[pixelprincess]

Target has the cutest summer stuff. I saw a pretty cute gardening set in a caddy with a watering can, digger, etc. You can also find Curious George sets at Costco...the four books in a case ones. We have found puzzles at Marshalls too.

good luck.

[Jen841]

I second all of the previous!

I have the song for the LP bus going in my head now! You can get LP stuff on sale at ToysRUs.

Another gift that has been a hit is the FP Bubble Blowing Mower, $15 or so. Great for kiddos learning to walk, and a year later stilll a hit!

Personalized idea----
Personalized beach towels- Jude received one for his first birthday from PBK that is great quality.
I have given for baby gift personalized bath towel sets from Lands End, again great quality and they can deliver pretty fast.

I like giving a neat towel set, especially to families with muliple children so they can each have their own. TJMaxx and Marshalls are great for this.

A standard gift for us is Ralph's World CD's or the DVD. Jude LOVES Ralph and it is a riot to see how interactive he gets with the music as he gets older. We are addicted!