School has started and so has the round of birthday party invites. We have birthday parties every weekend seemingly until Thanksgiving (including one for my son!) As you start your own birthday bash rounds, here are some birthday party presents etiquette I wanted to share.

birthday party presents for kids tips

1. Bring a Sibling, Bring a Present: If you are going to bring a sibling, in addition to your child that was invited, check with the parents first. If you are given the go ahead, make sure that the sibling also brings a present for the birthday boy or girl. Also offer to pay for the spot (see Tip No. 3) because party places give a limit on the number of kids in the party package and charge extra for each additional child.

2. Give a Present, Give Some Thought: Ask your child what his or her birthday friend likes to play with at school or on play dates. If they don’t know, send a quick email to the parent and ask them what the birthday boy or girl’s interests are. It is a nice gesture, and doesn’t take much time, to make sure you get a present that is one that the birthday boy or girl will like.

3. Some Thought, Some Cash: The biggest birthday question is how much to spend on a present. The simple answer is to give what you are able to give. If your finances only permit you to give $10, then don’t go into debt otherwise. Otherwise, the rule of thumb is to figure out what the parent is spending on the birthday party activities. If the parent is hosting a party at ABC Party Place, go online to find out how much it costs to have a party there. Most websites have that information. If it costs $300 for 10 kids or $400 for 20 kids, do some simple math and know that it is $30 or $20 respectively per child. You should bring a gift that is a least 50 percent of the value of the cost.

Birthday parties are not as easy as they used to be, but hopefully these three tips above will help navigate some of the sugary sweet situations that kid birthday parties bring!

About the author

Charlene DeLoach

Charlene DeLoach

Charlene DeLoach is a contributing editor at The Toy Insider where she primarily covers parenting topics. Charlene has been featured in print and on television more than 100 times. Before joining The Toy Insider, Charlene was an attorney, real estate broker, and interior decorator. In her current life, she has vowed to get grownups using toys as decor and to teach parents and toy companies to think outside the toy box at her websites playroomchronicles.com and totaltoycreative.com. Follow Charlene on Instagram where you'll see that her account is mostly dedicated to pics of her cute dogs, kids, and fun finds.

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