8th Birthday Present Ideas

Kids today are exposed to an endless supply of products that popular television characters. If you know an awesome kid who's turning 8, tune out the Hannah Montana and Transformers hype and get him something really cool.

Old Friends

If your child is really into the latest toy craze, check out thrift and antique stores or eBay for the original versions of the new trends. Your birthday kid might be the only one on the block with an original My Little Pony or GI Joe.

Retro Favorites

Etch-A-Sketch, Slinky and Silly Putty are still around and are still just as much fun as anything you have to plug in.

Get Creative

Fill a storage box with inexpensive art items and an assortment of odds and ends like sequins, fabric squares, rubber bands, buttons, glitter, ribbons and googly eyes. Eight-year-olds can spend all day making fabulous creations like clay sculptures and mixed-media paintings.

Outside Fun

Sprinklers, hula hoops, jump ropes, bike ramps and sidewalk chalk can turn a boring backyard into an outside fun park.

Gift Certificates

Create personalized coupons good for your 8-year-old's favorite outings. A day at the zoo, a minor-league ball game or a fancy manicure will give a gift of time and memories.

References

• Toys R Us