Birthday is an exciting and special event in any child's life. Children look forward to the day when they become a year older, have a party with all their friends and later sit into the night opening the various gifts wrapped with colorful paper. The gifts are probably what the child looks forward to the most while waiting for his birthday to arrive.

As parents, we would love to give our children their hearts desire and indulge them with whatever they have been asking or dreaming for through the year. But there has to be a limit on the gifts that we give our children. Depending on their age, the budget for gifts should be allocated. Parents should never go overboard in buying gifts for their children and should set limits on the quantity as well as the budget. Going overboard will most certainly spoil the children especially during their growing years, which are very crucial time of development for them.

So what makes the best birthday gift from one year to the next? Something unique and captivating that reflects their passions and interests at each stage of life is probably the best gift you can give them in the early years.

Younger children love toys and games that are educational and creative. This is the age when they develop their reading ability, so storybooks can be gifted to young children. As they grow older, their interests change and as teenagers, they would be more interested in clothes, accessories, music and gadgets.

It truly depends on the nature of the child. For some curious children with an insatiable appetite for science, electronics and do-it-yourself kits is a great influence in their early life. For others, who are more physical and would rather spend more time outdoors it could be a bicycle, or some sports accessory.

The determined child may want something too expensive for the parents to buy, for example a music keyboard. However as parents, it is worth considering how committed their child is to using that to further their skill rather than asking ‘how long is this gift going to last?'

For older children, a simple inexpensive gift of parental affection can go a long way in making the child feel special and loved.

It is essential to give gifts as children can learn a lot from receiving like social skills and expressing thanks and appreciation. Over time, they will realize that gifts are symbols of love and friendship. But parents need to keep in mind that children will never be able to fully appreciate and understand the time, effort and money involved in buying the gifts. They are probably unaware of the difference between expensive and ordinary gifts. Therefore they should be taught to value these gifts and to express thanks with a note to the person from whom they have received it.