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The best frugal gift ideas for Kids
Looking for the best frugal gift ideas for kids? You’re in the right place! Finding affordable gifts that kids will actually enjoy can be tricky, but it doesn’t have to be. Whether you’re shopping for Christmas, birthdays, or special occasions, there are plenty of budget-friendly gift ideas for kids that are both fun and thoughtful.
From creative DIY presents to low-cost toys and educational finds, these meaningful gift ideas for kids prove you don’t need to spend a lot to make them smile. Keep reading for the best frugal gift ideas that parents, grandparents, and budget-conscious shoppers will love!
I have this list broken down into three parts: Gifts for toddlers, gifts for kids and gifts under $10. I hope you find something that’s perfect!
Frugal Gift Ideas for Toddlers
Where’s The Bear – The Hide-and-Find Stacking Block Game
Shopping List Game – A favourite in our house!
The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game – This game is fun and great for fine motor skills.
Tissue Box Toy – what young child wouldn’t love this??
Kids Play Tent – Perfect for a quiet play space in a cozy corner.
Space World Play Tent – For the kids who have a fascination with space!
Water Doodle Mat – Time for some mess free fun with one of these mats!
Town Playmat Rug – Popular with all kids. Hours of pretend play fun!
Play Doh Kitchen Creations Ice Cream Set – You can’t go wrong with Play-Doh! This is one of those messy activities that I allow because of the depth of play.
Assortment of Wild Animals – Still a favourite here, my youngest plays with animals all the time!
Electric Toothbrush – Who says that the best gifts can’t be practical too? I can highly recommend this toothbrush!
Earflap Hat – I am going to be so sad when my daughter finally outgrows her hat! I love that this has a built in scarf.
Balance Stepping Stones – Imagine the kids burning off some energy on these cool balance stones!
Wooden Toy Mixer/Bake set – I haven’t met one child that doesn’t like to pretend with real life toys!
Wooden Tool Playset – So much fun for the builder!
Picasso tiles – I can highly recommend these! They get so much play at our house!
Wooden Ice Cream Play Set – So cute and looks like a lot of fun.
Doll Feeding Set – Doll accessories like these have been a huge hit in our family.
Tangram Shape Puzzle Set – These are great for practicing problem solving and fine motor skills
LCD Writing Tablet – We have a couple of these and they are always used! Great for in the car too!
Wipe Clean Workbook – Both my daughters have loved these types of books!
Animal Caller – I’m not sure if this is an annoying gift or not but I know kids would certainly love it!
Looking for more affordable gift inspiration? I’ve rounded up even more Amazon Canada finds that make perfect gifts. All budget-friendly, practical and/or fun. 🎄 See my Amazon finds here!
Frugal Gift Ideas for Kids
Brainometry STEM Game – A fun brain booster game!
Magnetic Road Topper Tiles – These look so fun and pair well with magnetic tiles for endless building options.
Crayola Inspiration Art Set – The artist will love carrying this around everywhere they go!
Make a Splash 120 Mat Floor Game, Addition/Subtraction – The perfect combination; educational and fun!
Unicorn 3D Night Light – This one is just a super cool idea. There are different animal options as well if you search around.
Lip Balm Making Kit – My daughter and I always enjoy doing kits like these together.
HEX BOTS Wall Crawler Gecko – Apparently this is an ‘it’ toy this year. It’s already sold out once!
Kidz Bop Karaoke Microphone – While we don’t own this microphone, my daughters have both had karaoke parties with ours. So fun!
Karaoke Machine – Same idea as above, but this is a Bluetooth speaker with two microphones.
Light Up Soccer Ball – Fun for those kids who love to be outside all the time!
Stomp Rocket – These are a ton of fun for outside!
Paint Your Own Figurines – I would have loved these when I was younger! As would any child that loves crafts, I’m sure.
Blank Comic Book – Let the kids make their very own comic book!
Interesting Stories for Curious Kids – Perfect for the kids that want to impress their friends at school with fascinating stories!
Electric Motor STEM Kits – My daughters have built some wooden kits similar to this, but they didn’t have any moving parts!
Listified! – A Book full of lists of interesting facts!
LEGO Classic Creative Foods – Aww, cute little Lego foods!
Charm Bracelet Making Kit – They will have fun creating bracelets that they can keep for themselves or give to a friend.
Adjustable Roller Skates – The wheels light up!
Clay Bead Kit – Both my daughters are having so much fun creating bracelets with these clay beads.
The Never Girls Book Collection #1 – Perfect for the girl who loves fairies.
A Percy Jackson and the Olympians Book – Perfect for the fantasy book fan!
The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs – Perfect for a child wanting to learn how to cook!
Kid Nylon Knife Set – For those kids that like to help in the kitchen.
LED Bike Wheel Lights – These are just so cool! And provide extra bike visibility.
Air Dry Clay – The hours of creative fun that could be had with this!
Yoto Mini Screen-Free Audio Player – I have heard nothing but great things about the Yoto!
Paint by Sticker Kids – This looks like a really fun rainy day or car activity!
Magnetic Dart Board Set – Hours of fun, in a safe way!
LEGO Classic Creative Brick Box – LEGO is always a fantastic option!
Bath Bombs with Surprises Inside – These look like a ton of bath fun.
Melissa & Doug On the Go Origami Craft Activity Set – Origami is so fun!
Classic Kids Card Games – I love this card game pack that includes 6 popular games.
Outdoor Explorer Kit – Make being outdoors even more fun!
Water Wow Reusable Activity Book – These were another favorite in our household. There are so many different themes too!
Glow in the Dark Perler Beads – Perler beads that glow in the dark? I’m not a kid, but I want some!
Hot Wheels 10 Car Pack – A great gift idea for any Hot Wheels fan!
Create Your Own Spaceman Craft Kit – Perfect for the little crafter on a cold day.
Frugal Gifts Ideas for Kids that are $10 or Less
Hot Chocolate packs – A must for every stocking! Some of them even change colour!
Melissa & Doug Reusable Sticker Pad – These have been hours of fun in our house.
Hidden Pictures Discovery Activity Zone – This has been really fun for my oldest daughter to do when we’re driving in the car.
Sketch Book – I think every child needs a book with blank pages for doodling and drawing!
Lip Smackers Lippy Pal Lip Balm – It really doesn’t matter what kind of lip balm, but my daughters love to get a lip balm.
Baby Toddler Sunglasses – A very useful, practical gift. 🙂
Slinky – Everyone loves a Slinky!
Hot Wheels Formula 1 Cars – Maybe you know a child who’s into Formula 1?
Flashlight – Every kid needs a flashlight for fort building, camping and exploring.
Animal Eraser Set – These are kinda cool! They’re dual ended erasers. One end erases and the other picks up the eraser shavings.
Play-Doh – This always keeps my girls entertained and creative for quite some time!
Stickers – I don’t know one child that wouldn’t love a whole bunch of stickers.
Little ABC Coloring Book – Really, any kind of coloring book is great fun.
The 3 Minute Gratitude Journal – Gift giving seasons are a great time to cultivate an attitude of gratitude.
Spy Glasses – Perfect for the little detective! (this is a pack of three that you could separate to make each pair less than $5)
Invisible Ink Pens – These are so fun! Now they can write secret messages.
Magnifying Glass – I remember using the magnifying glass my parents had all the time outside!
Wooden Flower Magnets Craft Kit – Fun project for the crafter.
The Game of Life Goals Game – Perfect for road trips.
Paper Airplane Book – My daughter was gifted this book and has had a lot of fun creating all sorts of different paper airplanes!
Sea Life Mazes – Mazes are always a hit!
Diamond Painting Keychains Crafts Kit – These are a good way for older kids to spend some time!
I Spy Animals – This could be hours of fun!
Decorative Edge Paper Scissor Set – For creating fun edges on paper for the kids that like to make cards, perhaps?
Gift giving doesn’t have to blow your budget to be special. These frugal gift ideas for kids prove that thoughtful, creative presents can also be affordable. Whether you’re shopping for toddlers, big kids, there’s something here for every age and interest.
Save this list for later, share it with a friend, and keep the magic of giving alive without spending a fortune!