7 Go-to Birthday Gifts
W hile it’s easy to shop for your child, it can be tricky to find the perfect birthday gift for their friends or
classmates. Shopping at independent toy stores can make the process easier, says Bridget Stickline,
founder and owner of Wee Chic Boutique, with stores in Maryland and Virginia. Staff at your local toy store
know their products well and can suggest the best gift for each type of kid.

Don’t live near an independent toy store? Here are Stickline’s top picks for birthday gifts.

Jellycat Bashful Elephant
Little kids will love to snuggle with Jellycat’s adorable plush animals, including elephants,
bunnies, dinosaurs and dragons. Ages infant+, $22.50, jellycat.com
Fat Brain Toys InnyBin
This colorful shape-sorting box offers a fun tactile experience as
babies and toddlers experiment and practice their fine motor skills. Ages
6 months+, $24.95, fatbraintoys.com
Tiger Tribe Colouring Set
Available in fun themes like animals, fairies, monsters and sci-fi, each kit
contains activities, coloring pages, stickers and markers in a handy portable
storage box. Ages 4+, $20, amazon.com
Hey Clay
Future animators will get a kick watching their clay creations come to life by snapping a
pic on the Hey Clay app. Ages 6+, $16.95, hey-clay.com
Eonmo Push Pops Bubble Fidget Toy
This bubble wrap-like fidget provides a sensory distraction for
restless kids and helps relieve stress and anxiety. Available in
a range of bright colors and fun shapes. Ages 1+, Prices start at $11.99,
amazon.com Bandai Tamagotchi
Today’s kids will have as much fun feeding, cleaning and
playing with their virtual pet as ’90s kids did back in the day.

New features include an app that lets them connect with their
friends’ Tamagotchi. Ages 8+, $19.99,
bandai.com MindWare Q-Ba-Maze 2.0
Little engineers can create their own intricate mazes with colorful interlocking
cubes, then race steel balls through the routes. Ages 6+, $24.95,
mindware.orientaltrading.com T
— KATIE BEECHER
22 Washington FAMILY MAY 2021