Henry is going to a birthday party in a couple of weeks. I asked him what the birthday boy likes, and he said “NINJAS!!” So we are looking at ninja ideas.

Ninja costume (photo from Amazon.com). I bought this costume for Henry, for Halloween next year. It might also make a fun gift idea. But when I bought it for Henry, it was marked down to $8.50 on a post-Christmas clearance; now it’s $16-something. I find it difficult to pay more for things I could have gotten for less. Also, I’m not at all sure about the quality: the reviews are quite mixed, and for me it was worth the risk for $8.50 and for my own kid—but I feel more nervous spending $16+ and giving it to someone else’s kid.

Matryoshka ninjas (photo from Amazon.com). This was the very first search result, which is good because I never, ever, not in a dozen years of ninja birthday parties, would have thought to look for such a thing. And yet—this is exactly the sort of toy I would have found enduringly interesting as a child. Hm. Well, we’d be unlikely to be duplicating someone else’s gift!

Ninjago Training Outpost (photo from Amazon.com). I KEEP hearing about Ninjago: frequently a party is Ninjago-themed, or else the mom mentions Ninjago when I email to ask for gift ideas. It’s expensive like a lot of Lego stuff, but I think the play value of this particular set looks better than the others in the price range: it’s a little ninja training center.

Or there’s a Ninjago t-shirt (photo from Amazon.com). I’d be uncertain how clothes would be received as a party gift, but would consider this as one of Henry’s birthday presents.

Or a Ninjago sticker book (photo from Amazon.com).

The Boy Who Cried Ninja (photo from Amazon.com). I probably wouldn’t choose a book for another child’s party, but this is the kind of idea I like when choosing a selection of gifts for my own child: a toy, a book, a costume, etc.

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