Kids’ Birthday Party Gifts for the 3,495 Celebrations You’ll Go to This Year

There’s something for everyone (and every age group), from Marvel fans and Star Wars obsessives to princess people and beyond. Kits for older kids can get a bit more expensive, but for the 4+ range, it’s easy to find something under $25. ($19.99, Amazon)

A good gift doesn’t always have to be a toy. If you’re looking for something that’ll get used and not forgotten about after a couple days, a set of themed water bottles might be just the thing. These are dishwasher-safe and have a push-button lid. ($19.99, Amazon)

Swifties, rejoice. This kit includes 13 different colors of tiny glass seed beads, plus letter beads for making words and elastic for stringing it all together. It’s all organized in a clear box with 24 compartments. ($20.45+, EthnicRainbows via Etsy)

Ice cream or buried treasure, anyone? These fun sets put a spin on basic kinetic sand with built-in props and play opportunities. They may look messy, but since the sand sticks to itself, it’s easier to clean up than you’d think — and unlike Play-Doh, it can stay soft for years. ($12.74+, Amazon) ($21.30+, Amazon)

This light-up tracing pad comes with paper, a graphite pencil, and 12 colored pencils. It’s easy to tote around, and can be used to practice drawing anything from people and animals to letters and numbers. Note that it needs three AA batteries, which aren’t included. ($26.99, Amazon)

Board games aren’t just for big kids. Eye Found It! (which comes in different themes — this one’s a Disney one) is really easy to pick up and genuinely fun for everyone, since the goal is to work together instead of beat everyone else. For older kids (7+), Exploding Kittens is a wacky card game all about trying not to, well, explode — and this edition works for up to 10 people. ($19.99+, Amazon) ($23.18+, Amazon)

Help them fill their (toy) garage with this set of 10 assorted Hot Wheels vehicles. Whether they keep an immaculate collection or drag their cars to every playground and playdate in sight, these will be a welcome addition to the pack. ($13.99/10 pack, Amazon)

Melissa & Doug’s wooden pizza and birthday cake sets are classics for a reason. Simple but entertaining, they promote pretend play without any annoying electronic features. The fact that they come in their own storage boxes is just an added plus. We love the cookie and layer cake sets, too. ($15+, Amazon) ($17.99, Amazon)

If you’ve watched a toddler interact with a bubble machine recently, you know it’s one of the most magical toys out there for the really little ones. This one blows up to 1,000 bubbles a minute, and comes with 16 ounces of bubble solution. (It also needs four AA batteries, which aren’t included.) ($26.99, Amazon)

A self-contained project set is the perfect gift for an artsy kid. This one comes with 10 rocks, glow paint, acrylic paint, two paintbrushes, and tracking stickers. Kids can paint their rocks, then place them outdoors to see them glow at night. ($9+, Amazon)

As you may have heard, tweens are all about their skincare routines right now. And while gift cards sometimes feel like a cop-out, this is one situation where they’re actually perfect. Letting the birthday kid choose their own products is all part of the fun. ($10+, Sephora)