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birthday party idea

10 Great Group Gift Ideas 4 Kids

by inlu blog patrol on February 26, 2011

THIS IS A GUEST BLOG POST WRITTEN BY INLU, FEATURED ON:

Got a kid’s birthday party to plan? Why not collect for a group gift and give back to a cause at the same time! With inlu.com, you can collect enough money to cover a special gift from friends and family and anything above and beyond can be pooled and sent automatically to any cause. This makes everyone happy! Your child gets what he or she wants, guest don’t have to pitstop on the way to the party to grab a gift (we’ve all been there), and you can feel good about going easy on “stuff” that will likely end up in the landfill. Plus, you’ll be supporting a cause “in lieu of all the wrapping paper and cards” your guest would’ve purchased. Sweet, right?

Here are 10 popular gifts that make excellent group gifts (most have been actual Inlu group gifts by our users):

10. Bike- Aaaah, the bike. What better childhood gift than a shiny new bike? When it comes from all your friends and family, it’s even better! One Inlu user got a bike and gave back to Make a Wish Vermont.

9. Ice Skates - These are a classic gift that every child can enjoy. They make an excellent group gift. Why not give back to polar bears for a chilly themed charity? It’s up to you and your little skater.

8. Playmobil Pirate Ship – Ahoy Matey! Get a pirate ship, give back to save the seas. That’s a great combo, me thinks. ;)

7. Plan City Toys – The Plan City Wooden Toys are awesome! From the Plan website: “PlanToys® practices the “FOUR R’s” of green living: Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Our manufacturing processes are designed to reduce waste and save energy. We reuse materials, and have introduced innovative methods to recycle paper and other products. We are always looking for new ways to improve and preserve our environment.” These make a great group gift for many reasons. See how one little Inlu gift honoree got something sweet while giving back:

6. LEGOs – Unlike most gifts, you can NEVER have too many LEGOs! That’s why these make a timeless group gift option.

Image from lego.com

5. Plan Toy Dollhouse - Another Plan Toy, this group gift is great! We’ve seen a happy little Inlu user furnish her Plan Dollhouse with some sweet new furniture.

4. Nerf Guns- Are a favorite for boys in that “hard to figure out what they want” stage. We’ve seen it-whether it’s one gun or a small fleet, Nerf™ is a just-right choice for boys around ages 8-12.

3. iPod Touch- With tweens especially, the gifts are gettin’ pricey! This is a high end gift that will get plenty of use. They can take pics, play games, listen to music,watch video- and more. As a parent, you can trust this hours of entertainment (perfect for long car rides!).

2. NEW Skateboard- Ask the friends and family to pitch in for a new deck, wheels, bearings, helmet and you’ll have a happy little ripper.

Image courtesy Talent Skateshop in BTV

1. Kid’s Kitchen- This big ticket item is one of childhood’s most magical memory-makers. It was a classic when we were little and it’s still on the wishlist for little people everywhere. Inlu idea: you could collect for the kitchen and give back to feed kids in poverty. Skip the runaround and all that gift wrap. Win-win-win!

For more info or to create an Inlu, visit inlu.com!

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Sweet Birthday Party Idea for Kids! Group Gift. Give Back. Chill Out.

by inlu blog patrol on February 14, 2011

Kids + in lieu of gifts in lieu of TOO MANY gifts = AWESOME

Times are a changing. In an era when TV shows are showcasing over the top parties, there’s another trend happening more quietly:  lieu of gifts…for kids. We’ve seen bring-a-book parties, no gift parties, bring a canned item parties, in lieu of gifts charity parties and that’s why we’re excited for parents to know all about Inlu. Inlu is the “in lieu of too much-stuff-that-will-end-up-in-a-landfill”  meets “give-back-and-feel-good-about-helping-a-cause” option. Kids definitely know the perils of environmental destruction– they see the nature shows, the headlines and the cute polar bears on TV. They also like gifts. Which is totally fair. We had gifts growing up. So why not bring balance? Get something you love, give back to cause. Skip the mess. Done.

Inlu a perfect option for kids parties. It’s easy- as the organizer, you create an invitation with event details. You write a blurb about what your child would REALLY like and then, if you want, you can add any charity to go along with the gift. So for example, let’s say your child wants a new Nerf Gun™, you write that down and all the guests pitch in when they RSVP. At the same time, let’s say you know your child loves dolphins. You add a charity that saves dolphins and your guests can pitch in for the gift, charity or both when they RSVP. The idea is that in lieu of wrapping paper and a card, you can give that money to a cause that matters.

In the end, your kid get a cool gift AND you gave back. There’s no mess from a pile of “stuff” but you didn’t have to skip the gift altogether! It’s all about the balance.

Good idea? Let us know! Want to create your own? It’s free to create and send so give it a shot. OR view a sample.

P.S. The gift part is really flexible. You can set a gift collection limit so excess funds will go to the cause. :) (For example, if  you only need $50, you can set the option to cover the gift, anything over that will be put to the charity fund). Or, if you want a traditional “in lieu of gifts” party, Inlu makes that easy too. Simply check the “no gift” box and all the guests can RSVP and contribute to the charity in one step.

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