The secrets to giving a good kids birthday gift

When you need to buy a child a birthday present, you can always fall back on gift cards from popular stores or something adequate from a last-minute trip to Target.

It’s what many, time-pressed suburban parents do.

But when the recipient is someone special, you want to do a little better.

Below are some tips that, with the tiniest bit of planning, can make your birthday gift the hit of the party, and one the birthday boy or girl will remember for years to come:

1. Personalization.

It’s very trendy now to add a child’s name or initials to a gift. Frecklebox.com will put a child’s name on puzzles, coloring books and lunchboxes for less than $15. Give them along with a tube of puzzle glue, a package of crayons, or some fun snacks. Chicago-based PersonalizationMall.com personalizes gifts for all ages, but their most popular kids gifts include overnight bags (starting at $15.95), stickers ($10.95), pillowcases (starting at $18.95) and beach chairs with matching umbrellas ($29.99).

Another idea, which requires way-in-advance planning, is to try and get an autographed photo of their favorite celebrity. Put it in a frame, and maybe include a CD or movie poster to go with it.

2. Packaging.

Creative gift wrapping makes a present extra special. So if you’re going to give a Fandango gift card, put it in a microwaveable popcorn bucket with some Twizzlers and M&M’s. Toddler gifts can be packaged in a nylon storage boxes (can you ever have too many of those?) filled with tissue paper. Another good choice are eco-friendly, reusable totes, tied shut with a balloon or two from the dollar store.

3. Etsy.com.

The independent crafters website is where the most creative, handmade products are found. A teenage girl might like a $10 glass nugget rings made in Peoria. (www.etsy.com/listing/69960564/looking-glass-nugget-ring); a gift for a baby could be an amusing $13.50 hand-painted pacifier (www.etsy.com/listing/81885120/halloween-vamp-it-up-limited-edition? ref=sc_12); or kids of all ages might like customized aprons, starting at $7.50 (www.etsy.com/listing/81780622/childs-apron? ref=cat2_list_11), which you can package along with a box of cake mix, a bowl and a wooden spoon.

4. Get gifts the pros recommend.

Kristen Chase, publisher and CEO of CoolMomPicks.com and a mother of four, has a few suggestions for the gift-challenged and cash-strapped. One is to stock up on Scholastic books, which help out your own school and offer great deals on popular books. Wrap them in cute book bag to complete the gift.

If you’re going to get someone a gift card/certificate, consider getting one for a local attraction — a museum, a cooking class, a mini-golf course, or a paint-your-own-pottery place — rather than a retail store. Giving an experience makes the gift more special.

Since tweens and teens are obsessed with technology, get them some funky earbuds or phone/iPod covers. Chase recommends trying TJMaxx, which she said has surprisingly good deals on tech items.

Another top pick are gifts that arrive in the mail, such as a Cricket or Highlights magazine subscription. If all of her children are going to a party, or the gift is for two children, Chase said she might splurge on a product like, “Little Passports,” which delivers a monthly package from a different country filled with native games, souvenirs and educational information about the country (packages start at $41.95. www.littlepassportsillinois.com/Products.html).

“Kids love to get mail, and it’s one less toy in the house,” she said.

5. Technology.

Anything related to technology is a slam-dunk favorite. Rather than just an iTunes gift card, you can give specific applications (apps) as gifts from the App Store and print out a sheet that says so-and-so gifted you this app. Maybe package it with something else, like a cool-looking YOU-SB Cable ($11.99, yousbcables.com).

Other ideas include the “lost” Dr. Seuss books, which were just released as e-books last month, which you could give along with a real Dr. Seuss book. Or try a gift card to the make-your-own-jewelry app, makercraft.com, that lets the recipient create their own design and have it sent to them.6. Local, specialty toy stores.

They#146;re not as expensive as you might fear, and they have the best, creative toys around. Brilliant Sky Toys in Deer Park sells products like color-in messenger bags ($29.99). You can pick up the popular OgoSport Minidiscs ($29.99) or a Sherlock Deluxe Memory Game ($14.99) at Marbles: The Brain Store in Schaumburg or Naperville.

IKEA is known for its solid, inexpensive gifts, such as a basket full of 14 plush vegetables ($14).

The granddaddy of kid birthday gift stores is Psychobaby in Chicago (also at psychobabyonline.com), which is famous for their fun, personalized T-shirts and learning toys. They#146;re fast, and gift wrap for free.

7. Think outside the box.

You don#146;t have to rely on the heavily advertised characters, shows and products. Does the birthday girl love chocolate cookies, pancakes or waffles? Scented jewelry from Tinyhandsonline.com ($18 and up). Toddlers will love to dress up with a custom-designed Powercape (starting at $24.99, powercapes.com) or try a less-expensive Do-It-Yourself Cape Decorating Kit from SewPlainJane.com, which start at just $6.50. The Daily Herald#146;s Suburban Parent readers can get an extra 10 percent off from Sew Plain Jane by entering the promotional code: EARLYSHOPPER between now and Nov. 30, 2011.

For elementary school-aged girls, you#146;ll score big with a click-on MOGO charm bracelets or headbands (starting at $26. see mogocharm.com for the list of suburban retailers) or color-changing nail polish and sunglasses ($10, at delsol.com).

And kids of all ages will be hard-pressed to put down the Perplexus mazes (starting at $19.99, see perplexus.net for suburban retailers).