Birthday Gift Ideas

Kids' Books

For a child who loves to read, books are a great birthday gift idea. If the child in your life adores a particular author, try to obtain an autographed copy of a book. For an older child who loves the classics, a first edition copy of a loved book will be a treasured gift. Other great literary birthday gift ideas include:

• Personalized Books
• Favorite Series
  • Madeline (ages 4-8)
  • Angelina (ages 4-8)
  • Magic Tree House (ages 4-8)
  • Nate the Great (ages 6-9)
  • American Girl (ages 8-12)
  • Nancy Drew (ages 9-12)
  • A to Z Mysteries (ages 9-12)

For more information about favorite kids' book series, visit KidsReads.com.

Jewelry

Jewelry can be a great gift idea. Children's jewelry is available in a wide variety of styles and price ranges. Name bracelets and birthstone jewelry are especially popular choices for kids' birthdays. Photo jewelry is an exceptionally personal gift for a special child.

Craft Kits

Kids of all ages enjoy making things with their hands. A craft kit is a multi-faceted gift idea -- the kids get to experience the joy of learning a new craft, they get to feel pride in their ability to create, and they get a finished product to enjoy. The following sites sell craft kits for children:

Creativity for Kids

Creativity for Kids offers a fully functional search engine that allows users to search for items by age, keyword, or category. Some craft kits available are:

• Build a Bird Bath
• OptiArt Bracelets
• Legendary Dragon
• Stained Glass Window Art
• Sudsy Scents Bath Bouquet
• Action Illustration Set
• Scrapbook & Memory Box Gift Set

Mail Just 4 Me

Mail Just 4 Me offers a wide variety of craft kits for kids, and all can be personalized for easier gift-giving. Some kits include:

• Dr. Suess Make Silly Hats Kit
• Totally Fun Bead Kit
• XTS Expandable Train Set
• Tie-dye Party Kit
• Butterfly Mobile
• Mystery Detective Forensic Science Kit
• Pretty Princess Cookie Mix in a Jar

Activities

Why not give the gift of fun, education, health, or exercise? Many kids would love to take a class or participate in a sport. You can give a gift certificate to the local YMCA or sports center. Be sure to get the parents' permission before signing a child up for a class or sport. Some activity birthday gift ideas include:

• Summer Camp
• Music Lessons
• Art Lessons
• Drama or Acting Lessons
• Gymnastics
• Ballet
• Basketball
• Soccer
• Ice Skating
• Swimming Lessons

Birthday Gift Ideas Summary

When it comes to shopping for kids' birthday gifts, look to the child. Think about her hobbies, personality, and skills. A well-thought out, personally selected gift beats a generic one every time!