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I wanted to share an idea that I do with our kids for their birthdays every year.
I invite their friends to their easy-breezy party and then I ask for a re-gift for our kids, in lieu of a new gift that costs the family money.   I would so much rather they spend that money on someone that needs it!   Plus, their kids have a blast picking out which toy they want to give away!
Its a re-gift birthday party & we love it. re-gift birthday party So, in the invitation, I simply say “Please bring one of your well-loved (AKA: USED) toys from your house that needs a new home. _____ (name) would be so excited to have it live with us!

The reason that I do this is because

1- There is no need for his/her friends to spend another $10 on a toy that will be played with for 1 week and then be added to our toy-box (land of misfit toys).

2- Our kids don’t care if it is used, played with, colored on, half-working… they are just excited because it is NEW TO THEM.

3- We have four kids. Four kids times $10 is $40 a year for our kids to have new gifts from these families (we tend to invite the same people because most of our friends have multiple kids the same ages as our own kids).   Ps- here is my post on how to save money. 

4- Most of my friends just donate these toys anyways, so now they can give them to someone that will be over-the-moon excited to play with them!

5- The kids are excited because they will tell me “Oh!  I play with this at Dylan’s house!”  or whatever it is.

6- NO SHOPPING!   I know this is stressful to me… running out with four kids trying to buy a toy for another child, not sure if they will like it, etc…

Some gifts that they have gotten…

Robot Dinosaur
Batman car Farm set
Imaginex sets
Sports equipment
Some really GREAT stuff from some really GREAT friends! re-gift birthday party

I wanted to share that with you because our kids love it, I love it and it certainly makes it easier on the parents’ of our kid’s friends.

Here are a few posts that you might like:
Host your own Toy Swap
Organizing your kids toys
Decluttering your house
Getting the other siblings involved for a fun birthday morning for his/her brother or sister. 

Hi there!

I’m Becky, a former elementary school teacher turned certified child development therapist and blogger. I work at home with my husband and together we are raising (and partially homeschooling) our four children in the Carolinas. I love diet coke, ice cream, and spending time with my family.

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8 Comments

  1. Love this idea!! We have recently been invited to a lot of Birthday parties and it gets expensive fast!’

  2. Do you ever run into kids being upset because they don’t want to give away their toys? Like it’s THEIR toy? I was considering doing this as an idea, but my partner said he was worried that kids wouldn’t want to give their toys away to other kids. Have you ever dealt with that? Maybe in other kids, if yours are the very generous kind? 😄

    1. It really doesn’t happen too often – I think when parents present it as their idea (they pick the gift), it goes over well. I really think that kids love to give things to other kids. 🙂