No birthday party is complete without great presents. Lindsay Pinchuck has some ideas for go-to presents, under $30 that will excite the birthday kiddo and won't break the bank!
Bump Club and Beyond 3rd Birthday Bash!
Sunday, March 10 10AM-12:30PM
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
bumpclubandbeyond.com
FIRST BIRTHDAY:
Name Train Letters, $4.95 per letter; $5.95 for the caboose at Sprout San Francisco
This is a great personal present that you can get for a one year-old to display in their bedroom and then play with when they are old enough. They come in primary and pastel colors. You can build your own and add on later.
Green Toys Dump Truck, $28.99, at Building Blocks Toy Store
Made with recycled plastic, all of Green Toys products are amazing. We love this one as it comes in two color schemes and is something that can grow with your child. They will love it at age 1 and also age 3.
Tobbles, $30 at Galt Baby
This is a great stacking toy and first birthday present. You can't go wrong with this one!
Munchkin Mozart Magic Cube, $22
This all ages toy is one of our favorites! The Mozart Magic Cube encourages musical experimentation as players add and subtract instruments to conduct masterpieces.
Melissa and Doug Gears Toddler Toy, $9.99
Melissa and Doug has something for every age, but we love this for the little ones. It's crazy how something so simple can keep a little one so busy! From the butterflies, to the caterpillar and transportation, the colorful gears are easy for children to fit onto the color-coordinated pegs . . . then rotate, remove and rearrange.
TODDLER BIRTHDAY (2-3):
Skip Hop Zoo Pack ($20) or Rolling Luggage ($30) at Galt Baby
"Mine" is a common word in the vocabulary of a toddler, what two or three year old doesn't want something that they can call mine? From the Zoo Pack Backpack ($20) to the luggage ($30) Skip Hop makes packing for any outing a blast with their adorable Zoo collection.
Band in a Box, $29 at The Land of Nod What little kid doesn't like music? Mom and dad may not be thrilled with this present, but we can assure you you'll win the heart of the birthday kid!
Games:
I want my Mommy Matching Game, $15.95 at The Land of Nod
We love games for toddlers, and toddlers love animals! This is a great matching game for little ones that can keep them busy alone or with their friends during a play date!
Plan Toys Animal Memory Game, $24.95 at The Land of Nod
This classic game is perfect for any toddler. It helps teach memory as well as can help little ones learn their animals.
CTA Train or Bus, $12.99 at Building Blocks Toys:
Perfect for any Chicago Toddler, these trains and bus look just like the ones they ride and see in the city every day!
PRESCHOOLER:
Custom Pillow Cases from Psychobaby, $22
Now that your little one is in a big bed, it's time to get them excited to get in it! These custom pillow cases are great for any kid,e specially those learning to write and spell their own names!
CitiBlocs 100, $26.99 at Building Blocks Toy Store
This 100 piece set is a wonderful way to get started building simple, small structures that's just a step up from the 52 piece set. Build low and twice as wide, or stack them twice as high and narrow. Whatever your preference, the Citiblocs 100 piece set will keep the beginning builder flexing his or her imagination while developing fine motor skills.
Leapfrog Text and Learn and Scribble and Write $21.99 each
Kids love to imitate their parents, and this is a great gift to let them do so. LeapFrog Text & Learn encourages alphabet recognition, pretend play and keypad exploration with the easy-to-use QWERTY layout. The Scribble and Write teaches writing skills by assisting with simple shapes, pictures and letters in upper and smaller case.
Think Fun Zingo, $18.99
The best games are those that are fun but teach at the same time! ThinkFun Zingo is a new twist to the classic bingo. Players have to match pictures and words on their challenge cards with the tiles revealed in the zinger device. This game improves vocabulary and enhances memory, concentration and matching skills.
