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When it comes to buying presents for children it can be hard to know what they would like, no matter how old they are or how well you know the child. I know with having two girls, there is a lot of things that we already have. It can be hard to find new ideas every birthday and Christmas. I love to try and find new unique gifts.
In addition to our own children, we have presents to buy for family members and of course the hundreds of parties that our children get invited too. Trying to come up a unique present, that will make your present stand out can be difficult. I find it especially hard for children that are older than my own, as I don’t have the experience of this age group yet.
Here are a few tips on finding that perfect present:
- Listen out for any clues that your child gives you in the months leading up to their birthday. I keep a note on my phone, to jot down ideas and I find it really helpful.
- Shop by age. Using websites like, Wicked Uncle, where you can search by age is really good. Especially when you’re buying a present for a child that you don’t know that well. Having age appropriate gift ideas, makes it a lot easier and you know that the parent of the child is going to be grateful to have a present that is age appropriate.
- Ask your child to help you. Often they will know the child you’re buying the present for and they will have some ideas of what they may like. Or they know what they would like to receive and you can hope that this child will too. The only downside to this, is that your child then wants it too and it’s no where near their birthday!
- Don’t be afraid to ask the child’s parent for some ideas. I know that when I’ve been asked, I am always happy to give ideas because it means that they are likely to buy a gift my child will actually like. You don’t want to spend money on something that is going to sit in a draw.
- Give yourself plenty of time to find the present, if you have to buy a present last minute you often end up making impulse decisions. Or, having to make do, because you can’t find what you want. I always like to plan ahead when it comes to birthdays, and it also helps to spread the cost.
Buying a present for someone should be a nice experience. I love to see their face when the present is opened and you know they genuinely love it. Or when a Mum will come up to me in the playground and tell me that our gift was a big hit, and they appreciate the thought that went into it. I’ve definitely got better at it, and I find it an enjoyable thing to do.
How do you find the perfect gift for someone?
