Best Birthday Gifts on a Budget

If you're a parent or relative to young children, then you've got birthdays to attend. For me, it's almost every weekend these days! Finding the appropriate gift can be time-consuming, and a bit stressful- whether it's coming directly from you or from your child to their pal.

I am one of those aunts that lives 600 miles from my nieces and nephews, and I have quite a few of them.  I want to buy them all age appropriate gifts on a budget but since I only see them a few times a year, that can be difficult.  I am also really busy with getting my kids back into school, so I don't have a lot of time to shop for all those fall birthdays.

 Never fear! I created a gift guide so you can focus on enjoying time with loved ones (and getting on with your day!) rather than hemming and hawing at all of the options. And while Fall birthdays have been top of my mind, the gift guide is appropriate for any time of year so you can bookmark this page as your gift that keeps on giving. The gifts are organized by age group from toddler to teen, and all of them are under $40. Happy gifting!

For giftees ages 3 to 5

Geometric Building Set Tegu Blocks combine fun colors, geometric shapes, and a magnetic snap to create a playtime experience that's fitting for the living room or the classroom. Parents (and littles!) love this toy because its production has positive environmental and social impact.   Make a Match Game This game helps children grow memory skills with adorable dinosaur chips! The beautiful design is a treat for parents and kids alike. Perfect for picnics, play dates, and rainy games, this game is small enough to carry in your pocket and hip enough for the coolest of pre-k birthday parties.  

For giftees ages 6 to 8

Animal Charades Game Get kids on their feet and brimming with ideas! This high-quality wooden game is a perfect gift for outgoing children and to create an atmosphere of fun and creativity.   Pirate Adventure Board Game This board game is cleverly disguised. Kids will be having so much fun that they won't even know that they were learning math from an award-winning program.   Squishy Science Experiment The Slimy Squishy Polymer Bucket is the perfect gift for budding scientists who aren't afraid to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty in the name of...scientific learning! But they'll too be busy having fun to realize they're learning the basics of chemistry.   Garden Flowers Coloring Book One great idea for a gift is coloring books. These garden flower coloring books are perfect for child and parent, and can make a great group activity.

For giftees 9 to 10

Food Fighter 2-Player Game Food Fighter is a board game that has two children face off in a kitchen-themed battle. Children will have fun while developing higher-order thinking skills, mathematics, literacy, and executive functioning skills.   Dream Catcher Kit Building dreamcatchers is a classic crafting activity - this colorful kit has everything kids need to make something unique and beautiful!   Just Add Milk Experiments I love these experiments - little parental oversight is required, and they're so easy to do right at home! Girls and boys, readers and scientists, alike will love this colorful kit. Not to mention parents!

Gifts for Ages 11 to 13

Pairs in Pears Whether or not they love this pun as much as some of us, this game gets kids flexing vocabulary muscles while having fun with a little challenge and competition. Players build pairs of connecting words in matching patterns, like Scrabble 2.0. Best of all it's portable - a perfect gift and activity to bring along on sleepovers or for parties. For a little more "pearity," pair with two more pears!   Rainforest Biome Budding scientists and tweens who like hands-on fun will love this all-in-one Rainforest Biome - they get to start a whole ecosystem right at home! The biome includes cacao beans (a favorite), clay, an apple snail shell, and more to create a full-on biofeedback loop. Super cool!   Math & Science Mystery Books Who doesn't love to solve a mystery?! The One Minute Mystery series takes a simple concept and turns it into an awesome book. Kids will read mysteries, then use their powers of deduction and knowledge of math and science to find the solution. Each is as satisfying as the next!