How much should I spend on a birthday present for a soft play party? If you haven't pondered that question, then it's definitely coming your ways. It’s the age-old question, that has Mum’s and Dad’s googling the answers up and down the country. ‘How much money should be spent on a child’s present?’

Whether you’re buying kids bowls for a first birthday, looking for baby’s first Christmas gift, or soft toys for a nursery party, there’s a few things to note.

First of all, there’s no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution. Gifts vary by event, by the gift-giver and the gift-receiver. Typically people spend anywhere between £5 and £50 on a gift for children, often times £10-£20 is a good ballpark.

Let’s take a look at this in more detail.

How much to spend on school and nursery gifts?

When it comes to classmates at nursery or school, this is always an awkward ‘who goes first’ kind of scenario. But, bearing in mind the countless kids’ parties your child will be attending, parents are also very sympathetic of costs involved. Loosely, a kids’ gift between £5 and £10 is within the normal range, with savvy parents stocking up during sales, to bag a bargain. Toy trains, toy dolls and toy cars can often be found at bargain prices and Argos is known for its 2 for £15 sale, which is always great value for stocking up.

Christmas gift ideas for your child

While once a stocking filled with nuts and satsumas was considered the norm, today’s lucky little tikes are treated to the very best. Research suggests that in the UK the average parent spends £105 at Christmas on each child.

However, every family is different and it should be less about the expense and more about the thought involved. Use it as an opportunity to sit down with your child and ask them to write a letter to Santa with their wish list.

If you’re stuck for ideas for children’s Christmas gifts, here’s a list of the most have kids gifts for 2020.

Birthday Presents

If you thought that Christmas was expensive, be prepared to fork out nearly twice as much for kids birthday presents. One study found that the average child in the UK receives £175 worth of gifts from their parents. This can range from toys to clothing, kids tableware to school items. As with Christmas, it’s not the cost, but the thought that counts, so ask your child what they want in advance, and focus on getting them something they want rather than lots of unwanted goodies.

Gifting a friend’s child, a present

This varies depending on how well you know the child, your relationship with the parent and the occasion. Anything from a few pounds to £30 would be within typical limits, but let common-sense prevail. When in doubt, look at the type of gift they’ve given you, and try and respond with something in the same cost genre.

When it comes to buying gifts for children, try to focus on thought rather than cost. Another great idea is to create an Amazon wish list to minimise return items and invite family members to buy items your child really wants.

Stuck for giftware inspiration? Check out our kids tableware collection of   Munchy Play plates.