As parents and grandparents we spend a lot of time and money trying to please our children.   Sometimes, however, we don’t have to spend a lot of money to make our kids happy.  The simplest surprises are sometimes the ones they like the best. 

1.  My Photo Album:  One of the easiest and most effective gifts is a little photo album.  You can get one anywhere from $1.00 to $5.00 at your local dollar store.  They are small, plastic, and colorful and can hold between 5 and 20 pictures.  Kids of all ages love these.  Fill them with shots from the family vacation, of their pets (past and present), of Mom and Dad when they were kids,  of favorite family members they don’t get to see often, or of their best friends.  They love to take these to school and show them to all of their friends.  Toddlers carry them around the house, naming all the family members.

2.  Basket of Gum:  Most kids from 4 to 20 love gum.  Get out a little basket you've put away in your closet for free or for around a $1.00 buy a small basket at the dollar store, flea market, or garage sale.  Fill the basket with different kinds of gum—bubble gum, sugar free gum, sparkly gum, sour gum, etc.  Wrap it in wild  colored cellophane and put a fun bow on it.  You have a magical gift!

3. Creative Key Chain:   Again, this is a gift that works from 2 to 20—just be careful of small parts and avoid the lanyard for the 2 year old.  As you shop in different stores, flea markets, yard sales, or even in different countries, look for unusual key rings or attachments that could go on key chains.  Hook them all together and attach them to a lanyard so they can be carried or worn around the neck.  Kids and teens absolutely love these!   Small children love all the colors, textures, and shapes.  Little children like to pretend they are adults with car and house keys.  Big kids actually keep their car and house keys on them. Another advantage is that since the chains are big and individualized, they are harder to lose.   

4. Tokens:  If you want to be considered “cool,” give this gift.  Take one of your old change purses or a drawstring clothe bag and fill it with $10 of tokens from the local arcade.  If you have coupons for a free or reduced sandwich at a place near the the arcade, put that in the bag, too.  Kids can enjoy a real afternoon treat. 

5. Pizza with a Buddy:  Want to make your kids feel special at school? Arrange for your children to have a buddy lunch.  Call the teacher and make sure it is not against school policy.  Tell the teacher you are sending a pizza for your child and one other child of his/her choosing.    Then, order a one topping medium pizza and have it delivered to the school at lunch time with a couple of cold drinks.  Pizza places have coupons and specials all the time, so you shouldn’t have trouble finding a deal for around $10.00   You will be combining two of your child’s favorite treats:  pizza and a buddy lunch.    If your child is having trouble with something in school, this is an excellent incentive.

6.  Chips and Dip:   Another great school treat is chips and dip for the class.  You can use it to celebrate something your child has done or something the class has done as a whole.  Send about 2 to 5 bags of chips, depending on the age of your child, and a couple of jars of ranch and cheese dip.  Again, to avoid problems, always make sure you clear it with the teacher, first.   Also, don't forget the papertowels for the chips and plastic bowls for the dip, along with a couple of spoons.

7. Treasure Bags:   Take brown paper bags and decorate them with stickers or colorful pictures.  Fill them with 2 hands full of candy, gum, coins, and small toys.  Staple the tops.  When you want your children to have a treat, let them pick a bag.  You may want to make one or two bags extra special with a nicer toy or a $5.00 bill.   This is even a good idea for birthday treat bags.  The mystery adds to the fun!

8. Personalized Flip Flops:  Personalized flip flops will cost you a small fortune if buy them.  Don’t bother.   Buy a cheap pair, go to the craft shop, Wal-Mart, or K-Mart.  Pick up a couple matching bows, some sequins, and some puff paint and have a ball decorating.  Part of the reward may be for the kids to decorate their own shoes.

9. Big Team Pillows:   This gift is especially great for the guys!  Go to a fabric store, Wal-Mart, or K-Mart and select fabric related your children's  favorite sports team .  Get enough material to make a giant square or rectangular pillow (They are the easiest to sew.) , some thread, and some stuffing.  The pillows may be hand sewn or done on a machine; either way they don’t take long.  If you child is too young to be interested in sports, you can usually find a variety of materials with cartoon characters or animals on them.

10. Five Helium Balloons:  Finally, whether your children are agess 2 or 20, make their day with helium balloons.  For the younger kids, pick wild colors.  For the teens, you may want to pick more sophisticated colors like black , silver, gold, or white.  Your local flower store will be happy to blow up a few and put a ribbon around the strings.  For little kids, ask for long strings.  Tie them to your child’s door handle or put on their chair for dinner.  If they are teens, think about delivering them to school or work. 

All 10 of these surprises should bring about a smile and just help remind your children how much you love them.  The added bonus is that none of these ideas will break the bank!