Where can I find some inexpensive and unique birthday gift ideas for kids?
I think birthday gift shopping for kids is deceivingly difficult. I often think, “I’ll just get a toy. Easy.” But then I get to the store and stand there like a deer in the headlights. I guess if my budget was limitless, it would be a bit easier. Buying inexpensive, but still totally awesome gifts, can be difficult. When your child wants to buy an iPad for their friend’s birthday, you’ll have to be armed with some pretty awesome and unique inexpensive ideas to dissuade him. :) Luckily, I have just such a list for you.
These birthday gift ideas for a child are categorized by price. There are ideas under $5, under $10, and under $20 so you can browse according to your budget. These inexpensive ideas are great for friends, siblings, nephews, nieces, or just for a low budget birthday. You’re sure to find a unique gift idea that will make any kid happy.
Birthday Gift Ideas Under $5
- Homemade play dough with a rolling pin (I’ve seen one like this at Hobby Lobby for $3) or cookie cutters
- Wood Painting Kit (you can almost always find a birdhouse or a kit like this in the dollar bins at Target, Micheal’s, Walmart, etc.)
- Lego Set
- Plastic Bugs (also look for these at the Dollar Tree)
- Homemade shoebox “home” (for dolls, animals, or Little People)
- Puzzle (check the Dollar Tree)
- Flat Marble Alphabet
- Play Jewelry
- Squirt Gun
- Bubbles
- Popsicle Stick Bow and Arrow
- Shower Curtain Car Town
- Watercolors and printed coloring pages
- Origami Book
- Stickers
- Telescopes
- Homemade Crayons
- Mini Sensory Bin (use an old diaper wipes container, then just add a base and a few trinkets)
- Finger Puppets
- Slinky
- Bath Letters
- Sidewalk Chalk
- Grow Capsules (like these, but they almost always have them at the Dollar Tree)
- Yarn Balls
- Small Lego Set
- Fun Bandaids
- Bubble gun (this one is nice, but I’ve always been able to find a good one under $5 at Target)
- Paint with Water pictures (Also check the Dollar Tree for these)
- Sticker Book
- Silly Putty
- Puzzle Balls
- Window Clings
- Punch Balloon
- Dinosaur Eggs
Birthday Gift Ideas Under $10
- Toy Cars
- Bouncy Balls
- Homemade Jewelry Set
- Little People Set
- Wooden Puzzle
- Book
- UNO
- Trains for a Train Set
- Play Makeup
- Nail Polish
- Scrapbooking scissors (my boys LOVE using these and they are great for cutting practice)
- Marbles
- Homemade Bathtub Crayons
- Binoculars
- Mini Erasers
- Sunglasses
- Stampers (50 cheap stampers, high quality stampers)
- Themed Rubber Duckies
- Jump Rope
- Frisbee
- Dominoes
- Color Puzzles
- Sand Toys
- Don’t Spill the Beans
- Perler Bead Set
- Pop Up Book
- Mr. Potato Head
- Crystal Mining Kit
- Bubble Wrap (What kid wouldn’t love it? Wrap a $1 toy inside if you feel like the bubble wrap isn’t enough)
- Wind Chime
- Bathtub Paint
- Nerf Gun (don’t forget the bullets)
- Hi Ho Cherry-O
- Fun or Crazy Shoelaces
- Flashlight
- Lip Gloss
- Jacob’s Ladder
- Fabric Paint and a plain shirt
- IQ Twist
Birthday Gift Ideas Under $20
- Dot Markers and Printables (here and here or follow my Dot Marker Pages pinterest board)
- Connect 4
- Let’s Go Fishin’
- Color Code
- Shaped sponges and paint
- Dinosaur Dig Kit
- Microscope (not quite under $20, but soooooo cool)
- Boggle Jr.
- Alphabet Stamps (see 5 ways to use them here)
- Pattern Blocks (these go perfectly with my Pattern Block Activity Pack)
- Rubbing Plates (to use for crayon rubbings)
- Kids’ Cookbook
- Magna Doodle (a long-time favorite of my kids)
- Piggy Bank
- Lego Building Kit
- Shape Quiet Book (This is even cheaper if you have a home laminator!)
- I Spy Book
- Balance Board
- Play Tunnel
- Magic Set
- Gymboree Bubbles (these bubbles are hard to pop and are supposedly the coolest bubbles)
- ZOOB (or ZOOB Jr. for younger kids)
- Smencils (Smelly pencils for the uninitiated. These crack me up, but kids love them)
- Wood Blocks
- Marble Run
- Safari Ltd TOOB (we just got this knights and dragon set and it’s a huge hit!)
- Geoboard
- Sensory Balls (see how these foster brain development)
- Wikki Stix
- Polished Rocks
- Ticket to a local Zoo, Aquarium, or Museum
- Candle Making Kit
- Wooden USA puzzle
- Etch a Sketch
- Magnet Set
- Dress Up Bear Puzzle
Like this post? Please take the time to share it on facebook, pinterest, or twitter. Don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter for more kids’ ideas! To make things easier for you lovely readers, I made this one page shopping guide with a list of all the ideas. Print it off and take it to the store with you as you shop. :)
