13 awesome return gifts options for a child’s birthday party

When I attended birthday parties as a child, I knew it was time to leave when the hostess started handing out return gifts to take away. It was the perfect punctuation point to sign off an exciting party, as it meant you got to take a bit of the fun back home with you. In my day, most return gifts were chocolates, a or simple pencil box sets. But since then, the quality of return gifts has blown up, and today you can get some pretty exciting presents that make little party-goers very happy.

There are online stores as well as Brick and mortar stores which provide ample of options.  Pick age-appropriate, exciting options for the kids. You can go with just one item or opt for a mixed bag of items, as per your budget. To help you decide, here are some interesting ideas for what you could do to make your child’s birthday party a big success.

Return gift options for Toddlers

#1 Finger puppets

These tiny but cute puppets fit on your child’s fingers and help them with their dexterity and fine motor skills. You can get animals, monsters, insects and other child-friendly characters in fabric, rubber or plastic.

These are also fun to hold when singing popular animal-based nursery rhymes.

#2 Piggy banks

These come in many different shapes, besides the usual, loveable, pink farm animal. You can get them in the shapes of cars, houses, and even popular cartoon characters like Minnie Mouse or the Minions.

It is a good way to get toddlers to learn about saving, and it gives them a sense of responsibility and importance. After all, you are never too young to learn about the value of money.

#3 Study toys/magnets

For toddlers who have begun learning their alphabet and numbers, fridge magnets and puzzles that help them learn better can prove very useful. You can get them in plastic or wood, and they provide many hours of fun for little children. Alternatively, you could also present colourful picture books for them to take home.

#4 Personalised gifts

Gift your little guests with tiffins boxes, bags or water bottles that have their name on it, along with their favourite cartoon characters.

These can be used daily, and remind your little guests of all the fun they had at your child’s party.

Return gift options for kids aged 3 – 5 years

#1 Starter jigsaw puzzles

These puzzle sets are easy and a lot of fun to assemble. You get them in various designs and themes, like vehicles, farm animals, underwater life and other child-friendly characters.

Most box sets offer more than one puzzle, so you really get your money’s worth.

#2 Colouring kits

Kids love to colour, especially when it’s a colouring book filled with their favourite cartoon characters like Paw Patrol or Peppa Pig.

Gift them a set of one or two books along with colouring pencils and watch their faces light up. These are very useful to keep a child engaged during road travel, at restaurants, or just when mommy wants a cup of coffee!

#3 Slime

It’s gross, it’s sticky, it comes in many colours, and kids just seem to love it! This toy helps with sensory play and fires up the child’s imagination when they think of ways to trick others with slime. Don’t be fooled if you see a yellow-coloured spill on the floor or if your child offers you a cool, blue-coloured drink… it’s all part of the fun.

#4 Bouncy balls

These balls can bounce to a great height and hold the little ones’ interest for a long time. They come in all colours and pack in a lot of fun despite their compact size. It’s a great takeaway after a birthday party.

Return gift options for kids aged 5 – 10 years

#1 Magnetic play set

It’s a well-proven fact that kids love magnets, and this activity kit that allows a curious child to explore the wonderful world of opposite pole attractions is quite a treat.

The kit comes with several types of magnets so children can conduct their first scientific experiments, while thoroughly enjoying themselves.

#2 STEAM DIY sets

Sold in a pack of a dozen or 24, these do it yourself kits are the perfect mix of science and art and teach children how to think intelligently. They come with cutouts that you are required to join together to make a 3D object, following which, the child can use his creativity to colour the completed model.

You can choose from spinning tops, inventive pen holders, rocket ships and even dinosaurs. Some of the kits also offer automated animation, much to the delight of children everywhere.

#3 Planting kits

This is the perfect gift for the generation that is going to save our planet. You can make a kit that contains a plastic or pot, seeds and some soil to get started. Or, you could buy a mixed box of seed bombs to hand out to your environmentally conscious guests.

If you want to skip plastic, go to a local nursery and get small ‘mitti gamlas’ filled with soil and a packet of seeds. All packed in a small muslin bag!

#4 Slinky

These spring-based toys are amazingly addictive to play with and appeal to kids of all ages (even the parents!). Children can have hours of fun learning how to play with the slinky and get it to ‘walk’ down the stairs. This is one toy that will never grow old.

Remember how many hours you have spent as a child playing with a slinky?

#5 Stationary

Children in this age group love stationary, and there are so many clever options available these days. You can make up a set of different objects, like ice cream shaped-erasers, minion-shaped sharpeners, blendable pencils, multi-coloured pens and intricate rulers. There are no limits to how creative each item can get. You even have options that glow in the dark, are eco-friendly or even personalised with the guest’s name. The possibilities are endless.  

Return Note

Brick and mortar shops along with online stores are packed with so many varieties of return gifts, you’re left spoilt for choice. However, you need to pick the ones that are fun, easy and memorable enough to hook the wandering attention spans of children. And which suits your budget.