When you have a kid, the cost of birthday party gifts can quickly add up. There’s no reason, however, that you have to spend a lot of money on birthday presents. Remember that old adage about how “it’s the thought that counts?”
This is especially true for first birthday party presents, as the guest of honor isn’t even going to remember what he or she received. Spending $10 to $15 is totally acceptable. As Lizzie Post of The Emily Post Institute told LearnVest.com, “Spend what is in your budget. If that’s $10 per gift per child, work with that,” and make it a thoughtful gift.
Meanwhile, when you don’t have kids, figuring out what to bring to a first birthday party can be challenging, to say the least. So, to help all partygoers on a budget, here are ideas for first birthday party gifts that don’t break the bank.
Affordable first birthday gifts kids will love
1. A Melissa and Doug chunky puzzle. Melissa and Doug’s line of chunky wooden puzzles (here’s an example of one) are perfect for tiny toddler fingers, and at about $10, they’re ideal for guests’ wallets, too. And here’s an added bonus: They don’t have to be played with only as puzzles. The pieces can generally serve as stand-alone toys. 
2. A Fisher-Price Brilliant Basics Corn Popper. This classic push toy is truly an oldie but goodie. As a walking toddler pushes the toy, the colorful balls create a popping sound that resembles popcorn popping. 
3. A Fisher-Price Brilliant Basics Rock-a-Stack. This set of stackable plastic rings is less than $5 at Amazon right now. It’s one of every young child’s favorite toys. 
4. A pull-toy dog. Here’s another vintage toy from Fisher-Price that never seems to grow old, even in dog years. $12.99 at Amazon. 
5. A cute rubber ball. One word in most toddlers’ limited vocabulary: “ball,” and little ones like nothing better than playing catch or ball rolling. This is why a cute rubber ball makes a great gift. Some balls to check out include Melissa & Doug’s balls under $15 with adorable designs like ladybugs and frogs. 
6. Board books. Board books introduce little ones to reading without the torn pages that result from little hands grabbing at them. Roger Priddy’s colorful books, like his “First 100 Words” for instance, run about $5 each on Amazon.com. Similarly, you can buy a set of Dr. Seuss board books for about $12. And to make this gift extra thoughtful, buy a few of your child’s favorite board books, and note that they’re household favorites in the card. 
To be sure, it’s possible to find other more expensive toys on sale. So, if you have a particular expensive toy in mind that you want to bring as a gift, be sure to search for coupon codes online and for deals in clearance and sale sections.
You can find more gift and birthday party advice from Living on the Cheap in our list of related stories following this article. You can also head over at Hint Mama, including affordable activity ideas for first birthday parties and what to bring to no-gift birthday parties.
What’s your gift advice for first birthday parties? You can share it here.
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