Inexpensive Christmas Gift Ideas for Children

Looking for Christmas gifts that will make the children on Santa's "nice" list smile, for $10 or less? The popular, flashy electronic toys and gadgets are fun for a short time, but a lot of these less-expensive toys and games will entertain children for years to come. All of the toys and games listed below can be found at www.Amazon.com, with a few noted exceptions. If you'd prefer to build Christmas memories with the special children in your life without adding to their overflowing toy bins, check out my suggestions for "giving children the gift of your time this Christmas."

Christmas Gift Ideas for Children, Priced $5 or Less:

Jump rope

Hula hoop (available at www.thegreathardwarestore.com)

Bouncy balls

Balloons; "punch ball" balloons

Plastic army men

Slinky

Lip gloss, nail polish

Hair accessories

Jigsaw puzzles

Little Golden Books

Crayons, Markers, Coloring pencils, Paints

Coloring/activity books

Construction paper

Origami paper

Hot Wheels or Matchbox cars

Stickers, sticker books

Costume jewelry--necklaces, rings, clip-on earrings, tiaras

Play-Doh

Card games

Crazy drinking straws

Bubbles

Christmas Gift Ideas for Children, Priced $10 or Less:

Classic games--Candyland, Chutes and Ladders, Don't Break the Ice, Cootie, Memory, Uno, Yahtzee

Trading cards

Bead sets for making jewelry

Small Mega Bloks, LEGO, or Playmobil sets

Doll clothes and accessories (baby bottles, diapers, etc.)

Dollhouse accessories (furniture, people, pets, etc.)

Mr. Potato Head

Action figures--superheroes, animals, popular movie or TV show characters

My Little Pony figures

Littlest Pet Shop figures

Small Little People playsets

Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends "Take Along" engines and vehicles

Play purse

Books--my favorite children's authors are Rosemary Wells, Eric Carle, Margaret Wise Brown, and Mercer Mayer

Diary with lock and key

Puzzles

Play food (www.toysrus.com has a nice selection of play food sets)

Play money

Piggy bank

Soccer ball; basketball; baseball and bat

Bath toys--bath tub crayons, boats

Small stuffed animals--some Webkinz are priced under $10

Bucket of small toy dinosaurs, farm animals, wildlife

For babies: Shape sorter (e.g. Fisher-Price Brilliant Basics Baby's First Blocks) or rainbow stacker (e.g. Fisher-Price Rock-A-Stack)

Gift cards or Cash as Christmas Gifts for Children?

My six-year-old son is genuinely thrilled whenever he receives gift cards or cash for Christmas. Give young children ten one-dollar bills instead of one ten-dollar bill--it does make a difference! My son loves getting to spend his own money at Toys 'R' Us, Wal-Mart, Target, or a bookstore.

Give Children the Gift of Your Time this Christmas!

Is your niece's or grandchild's room already exploding with too many toys and games? Instead of wrapping up another Christmas present, plan an outing or a party at your house with the special kids in your life. Here are some ideas:

Take them out for ice cream, frozen custard, or McDonald's.

Go play laser-tag or miniature-golf.

Go bowling.

Go to the local arcade (it won't take them long to spend $5 or $10 worth of tokens, but they will enjoy every second of it, not to mention the "prize" they'll get to purchase with their hard-earned tickets).

Go on a hunt for the best Christmas lights display in town.

Go ice-skating or sledding.

Take them to see Santa Claus.

Go to the library or a local museum.

Bake cookies or other holiday treats together.

Decorate a gingerbread house.

Teach them some simple card games.

Go see a movie, puppet show, or play (or rent a movie; put on your own puppet show!)

Do a puzzle or build something together.

Read The Night Before Christmas or other holiday favorites together.

Time spent together is the most special gift of all!

No one likes a grinch, so get your Christmas shopping done early. Like right now (no pressure!). Merry Christmas!