A reasonable spend for a kid’s party gift typically ranges between $15 to $30, depending on your budget and how close you are to the child or their family. If you’re unsure, sticking to the lower end of the range is usually perfectly fine, especially if you’re buying for a child’s first birthday.

As for gift ideas, since the parents told you to “surprise him,” consider something that’s both fun and practical. Toys, books, or something educational like puzzles or building blocks are all great options. If you want to make sure it’s age-appropriate, you could also consider something like a soft stuffed animal, a musical toy, or even a set of bath toys—things that are both enjoyable and safe for a young child.

Ultimately, the thought behind the gift counts more than the cost, so don’t stress too much!

Depending on age I found you can get some great gifts from kmart for under $10. They have great checkers or chess sets for $5

Growing up we had a limit of $20 for a friend’s gift. These days I would look out for a sale, better if you have a little notice before hand to keep an eye out.

Usually about $20-$25 on a gift. I usually let my kid choose the present for their friend. I always give batteries with the present if it needs them to work.

It really is up to your discretion, but it would be helpful to check what the budget is for other parents also attending the party as well to gauge this

I absolutely wouldn’t spend over $20 for a lass mate, when possible less. I regularly look in Reject stores, they often do toys and great craft supplies

$20-$30. I don’t buy cards as that adds a couple of extra dollars, I get my kids to fold a piece of paper in 4 and make one.

We generally spend around $20 unless they are a “best” friend then we might spend a bit more. Most young boys like Lego and you can often get some good sets on sale.

I always shop the sales and find presents worth $30 for only $15-$20. So then it appears that a more expensive gift is being given but I get to stick to my budget. I have a few back-ups in a present box in case of unexpected birthdays. If my son ever gets multiples of the same gifts for his own birthday, or receives things he doesn’t really like or need, they go in the box too, ready to re-gift. He is happy for that to happen, as he knows that way another child can have a gift that he won’t use.

$10 – $15. We aren’t made of money. I go hunting around, and if I see things on special (even if there is no party in the future) I’ll buy it and put it in the party ddrawer. Then when the kids are invited to a party, they get to choose something from that drawer for their friend.

My limit was always between $10 – $15 but it also depends on what you can afford at the time and how close your son is with the child. We never had much choice since we live in a very small country town so if I couldn’t find anything suitable that no-one else had bought we settled for giving them money provided the Mum of the child agreed. Try to find out what the child likes and go from there. I think when the child is young anything is a wonderful surprise no matter what it is. Good luck

Personally I don’t put a price on gifts. Just go with what you can afford. I’m sure it would be appreciated no matter the price tag.

When my son was of school age, we used to work on the approx. $20 per gift. I appreciate this can sometimes be hard, but when you have so many parties to go too, there are limits

Around $30 i think is reasonable, a bit more if they’re a really close friend.

We spend around $30 for a gift. We have found that the kids at my daughters school mainly have smaller parties so aren’t inviting the whole class. Quality over quantity works for us!

It’s hard to find affordable options that don’t look dodgy but I generally see around $15 as being a reasonable amount to spend.

Anywhere from $0-$20. Village Cinemas do a kids ticket that comes with a popcorn, drink & chocolate for $20. It’s a good option for people being mindful of our environment.

Honestly kids get so much so one present is enough…not lots of items just to fill up a gift bag. It should be about quality over quantity.

We like to buy board games or games that get the child thinking like ‘bop it’

It depends if your child is close with them, but any where from $15-$30 is a good target. Sometimes I can’t help myself and have spent more lol.

Budget: Be true to yourself and spend whatever your budget allows. There are 15 children in my sons class and they tend to invite each other to their parties so 15 x $whatever we can afford / budget.
What to buy: Depends on the age I guess. Craft & art activities, hot wheels cars, Lego, books, games (memory through to monopoly deal or Uni), … even a movie voucher. Doesn’t need to be fancy or high-end.
The child will probably love most things that your son likes if they’re a similar age and in the same class.

I think $10-15 is plenty. If you get a few close together it can get a bit expensive.