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All-Purpose Birthday Gifts Under $20

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Birthday party season is in full swing for my five-year-old son, Nol. I used to leave my gift purchases to the last minute, when I'd race to my local toy store and spend more than I wanted because I didn't have time to spare. But I'm sort of getting the hang of this parenting thing, and my closet is now stocked with a bag of presents that I can use at a moment's notice. And best of all, each gift cost me less than $20.

  • I'm a huge fan of Klutz activity books, which are full of specialized crafts and games ranging from "Painted Rocks" ($14.95) to "Paper Fashions" ($19.95). The majority of their books cost under $20 and all of them are sure to capture a child's attention. But two of my favorites are "Draw Thumb Animals" ($6.95) and "Totally Tape" ($9.95). Both books offer kids the chance to have fun being creative ... and just a little messy.
  • Priddy Books and their "Wipe Clean" products rank high on my list of fantastic gifts for young children. Not only are many of their books inexpensive and cool, they're -- gasp! -- educational. I especially like the "Wipe Clean Flash Cards ABC" ($13.95) because they come neatly packaged in a small plastic container. Preschoolers can practice their letter-writing skills on the go while toddlers can simply learn their ABCs.
  • When in doubt, art supplies are always a welcome gift for any young child. A great gift you can put together yourself is a notepad of fresh art paper, a set of markers, and a crisp pack of crayons. All told, I usually end up spending less than $15 for all three items.

Stock up on these great gifts for kids and next time you have to take your little one to a birthday party, you'll be ahead of the game.

Check out fantastic, printable coloring pages at our sister site, Familyfun.com!

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All-Purpose Birthday Gifts Under $20

UnkaMark
UnkaMark says:
November 12, 2007

I love the art supplies idea. They've got tons of tools and markers at craft supply stores that go well with an oversized pad of paper and a colorful container. Kids also go crazy for stickers. I often include some when I send cards to nieces and nephews.

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MommyMommy2
MommyMommy2 says:
April 29, 2007

I'm with EmilyArms. I love to buy kids floor puzzles, the kind with those giant pieces. You can get really nice ones for about 10 bucks.

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swillie562
swillie562 says:
March 20, 2007

becarful of holding onto gift that may become outdated. With electronics changing formats all the time I have been left holding onto gameboy advance games when the gameboy ds came out and that was the game system of choice

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