Do you have a primary school aged child? Do you feel like you are always buying presents for birthday parties? This list was compiled by our MPK community to provide some help. The biggest piece of advice was buy things as you see in cheap baskets and keep a present cupboard at home!
- movie tickets – can purchase a pack of 5 for $45 for the Rosebud and Sorrento Cinemas ($9 per present)
- craft kits – Party by Designer in Rosebud has lots of craft kids for under $5
- kids jewellery
- new Barbie doll clothes
- puzzles
- vouchers for stores such as Smiggle
- voucher for a swim centre like Pelican Park Recreation Centre
- stationary – older kids love Smiggle, but younger children don’t notice when you give knock off items from stores like The Reject Shop. Also buy a few cheaper items and put together your own stationary kit.
- puff or sparkly pens
- make cookie mix in a jar
- hair accessories
- nick nacks from cheap shops
- books
- colouring pencils and colouring books
- pyjamas
- cooking dough – think the Bikkie Dough Co.
- bag of sweets
- lego
- cheap games from K-Mart (like connect 4)
- bag of marbles
- stock up at the toy sales
- try having a few families put in together and get a group present
In regards to wrapping paper and cards, they suggested:
- using kids drawing and art work
- buy a nice patterned wrap and a roll of plain colour or brown paper. Wrap the present in the plain wrapping and then stick a strip (about 4cm wide) of the patterned paper around with some curling ribbon or twine beside it.
- butcher’s paper with twine from Bunnings
- brown paper that your child has decorated (paint prints are very effective)