Birthday Presents for Crafty Kids

Buying birthday gifts for your kids’ friends is always hard. Yet, imagine getting the birthday invitation and having the parent state they only want craft-related presents.

Once I got over my panic (and when I realized that the birthday party was only two days away) I realized I needed to figure out what I was going to get the crafty family. I did some research and decided to put together a list of craft related toys. So, if you get a request like I did, you’ll be armed and ready with a swath of appropriate toys from which to choose, regardless of the age of the birthday boy or girl.

Melissa and Doug has great Stamp Sets. Kids can create art from the stamps, with the included stamp pad, but some kits also come with colored pencils too, making it very dimensional. It is also great for kids 1 and up. The younger ones can just stamp, while older children can experiment with creating scenes with their stamps or coloring them in. You can find princesses to cars, alphabets to animals based on the child’s interest.

Play-Doh, from Hasbro, is a classic. Depending on your budget, you can also buy a Play-Doh Accessory Set for extra play value. If you are a DIY type, buy a tub of inexpensive cookie cutters, attach a recipe for homemade play dough and include the ingredients for a fun, unique, gift. This one is perfect for kids ages 3 and up.

Especially appropriate for a summer birthday, pick up a kid-sized garden craft kit. Include some seed packets, small garden gloves, and a small bag of dirt. This is great for kids young to old. If you are looking for something pre-ready, Green Toys Indoor Gardening Kit is a great option.

Alex Toys has many art-related craft kits using duct tape, beads, or fabric. A popular one is a Make Your Own Friendship Friendship Bracelet, which is good for girls ages 6 and up. Many are reusable with additional supplies so an added gift card to a craft store would be a nice extra touch. For a boy, Melissa and Doug has a Decorate Your Own Wooden Race car and Alex Toys has Shrinky Dinks shaped like insects.

So the next time you get that kid birthday party invitation, (craft specific or not) you can arrive at the party with a great and creative craft gift.

Charlene DeLoach is a Senior Member of the Parent Advisory Board. She writes at Metrowest-Mamas.com and CharleneChronicles.com and is a Mom to a 4 year old boy and 18 month old girl.