Special Birthday Gifts for Children

Special gifts make birthdays memorable.

For a child, one of the most important days of the year is his birthday, and parents spend a great deal of time trying to plan the perfect day. Gifts play a significant role in a birthday's success. By choosing gifts with special meaning, parents increase the chance that their child's big day will live up to his expectations.

Personalized Gifts

Names are important to children, so tell the world the gift belongs to the child by personalizing it with his name. Have the child's name sewn onto a shirt, sweater, towel or pillow case. Use the letters to make canvas wall hangings or a puzzle that forms his name. Purchase a piece of furniture, like a chair or step stool, that features the child's name. You can even order a personalized story about the child from some specialty book companies that includes his name, age, address, friends and other identifying details.

Special Interests

Make a gift special by tailoring it to a child's interests. Find books for a child who loves to read, or CDs for a child fascinated with music. Buy supplies used in an activity a child enjoys: a craft set for artistic endeavors or dress up clothes to support pretend play. If a child collects a particular type of toy, purchase another My Little Pony, Barbie or Star Wars figure for the collection.

Growing Up Gifts

Special gifts mark and celebrate a life transition. Little children enjoy gifts that show how they are growing bigger, such as moving to a toddler or twin bed or receiving big kid underwear or dish sets. For girls, grown-up gifts may include makeup, getting her ears pierced or a razor for shaving her legs. Boys may feel excited to receive their first pocket knife or to trade in cheap, plastic sports equipment for a regular basketball or real leather mitt.

Special Activities

One of the most special gifts is the gift of time. Take the child to a favorite restaurant or a movie he has requested to see. Go to a play area he particularly enjoys -- like a bounce house, bowling alley or roller skating rink -- and participate in the activities with him. You don't even need to spend any money. Simply devote an afternoon to activities your child regularly requests like putting together puzzles, reading books or playing with toys.

References

• Behind the Name; Names and Personal Identity; H. Edward Deluzain
• Relationships911.org; Spending Time With Your Child; Russell Turner