Moving from the toddler years, your little man will be finding his independence and holding firm opinions on what he likes and doesn’t like. So when his birthday comes around, rather than letting the house fill up with plastic, loud screeching toys that last a week before they are broken or forgotten about, let friends chip in for one great gift he’ll love. We’ve done our research and come up with our top picks that will be sure to please him.
We’re all about buying the gift that lasts, so some are on the $$$ side – that’s why it’s best to GroupTogether for them. If 20 kids chip in $15 each, OMG! one AMAZING gift. If you’re nervous about the awkwardness of setting up a group gift for your own child – don’t be, group gifts are the new black. GroupTogether takes the awks away with stylish invitations and examples of polite ways to phrase the invitation. We also send reminders, collect contributions, track responses and transfer the gift funds as well as create the perfect card with everyone’s messages and photos.
If you’re still not sure, you can always ask a friend to set one up for you. Or better yet, use GroupTogether’s free concierge service to do it for you. But first, check out our best gift guide.
Is there any child that doesn’t love a bit of dress-up? Get the gang to chip in for his favourite super heroes. Is it Batman, Spiderman, Buzz Light Year, or the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? Why choose, get the whole lot and he and his friends will have years of fun.
The great outdoors beckons and what better way to explore it than on a scooter or bicycle. The scooter is great for both indoor and outdoor play, while learning to ride a bicycle (love those training wheels) is a rite of passage for all kids. Add in a safety helmet and he’s ready to go.
Let him find his inner Stephen Curry with a freestanding, adjustable basketball hoop or his Ronaldo with soccer goals that can be easily assembled in the garden or taken to the park. Don’t forget to include a few balls as they have a habit of going walkabout.
Entry level games are fun and educational, who knew? GroupTogether for gaming Consoles – think X-Box, PlayStation and now the next-gen, highly covetable Nintendo Switch. Then splurge on a few games for the perfect gift.
A tablet or e-book reader is a fantastic way to introduce reading to kids and make it really fun. Children can follow along to audio books, interact with characters in stories and help colour in pictures and illustrations.
A mini-trampoline to let him safely jump and tumble by himself or with friends. It’s also a wonderful way to get your kids exercising without them realising it (shhhhh…don’t tell them that though). Available with side nets or completely enclosed, it’s the perfect group gift.
The wonderful world of building block sets nurtures creativity, patience and manual dexterity. He can choose from pre-made sets or can create his own world. Explore galaxies with Star Wars sets, magic with Hogwarts sets or the high seas with Pirates of the Caribbean sets.
Sign him up for any number of courses or experiences to get the adrenaline flowing: from zip-line treks, flying fox & climb challenges, to indoor trapeze and trampoline classes. There are a wide variety of experiences that are sure to thrill, so check your local listing for availability.
Ever collected from friends before? Inviting kids to a party and asking them to chip in for the gift your child would really like, can seem awkward. However, we believe that group gifts are the “new black”. Why? Well, from the perspective of the parents of the kids you are inviting, chipping in together is a god send. They don’t have to: figure out what gift your child would love, calculate if they can afford it, make a trip to the shops to buy it + wrapping paper + card or remember to bring it. It removes all of the uncertainty and anxiety of buying the right gift.
Also, from the perspective of the parents whose son is having the party, the idea of gift he truly loves is amazing. The awkwardness is in the etiquette of inviting and asking for a gift at the same time. Some parents are completely au fait with this and GroupTogether alleviates the awkwardness by providing examples of polite ways to phrase your invitation. Other parents would rather ask a friend or family member to set it up for them. Both ways are polite and you should choose what suits your personality best.
Either way, GroupTogether.com makes it easy. It’s free and fast to set up. Then we do the rest: invite, collect, remind, create a group card and transfer the money or an e-gift voucher to you.
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