Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Oakland, CA

Here's the dilemma: we don't want to make toy buying at Target a habit and drive our local shops out of business, but the trend in boutiquey children's stores around here has made birthday shopping for a "friend" an budgetary nightmare. Small wooden pull toy for neighbor's first birthday, $29.99. I don't think so!

Here's the answer: Mr. Mopps.

Located on Martin Luther King between Rose and Vine, Mr. Mopps is a toy store from the good old days. The shelves are crowded and crammed with a mixture of classic brands like Lego and Fisher Price and new brands like Melissa and Doug, plus imports.  The bins of party favor toys are in the $0.25 range, so you can grab a basketful of bubbles, kazoos, or tiny plastic dinosaurs without braking the bank.

Have a 4 year old party this weekend? Here are three gift ideas, all available at Mr. Mopps.

1. For the "gifts are optional or we barely know you" friend: a small musical instrument, such as a harmonica, recorder, or tambourine. A toy like this gets used immediately and costs less than $5.00.  Put it in a cute gift bag to dress it up.

2. For the "we're in the same clique or construction crew at preschool" friend: a set of special markers (glittery?) or colored pencils and a nifty notebook to use them with. Coming in at less than $10.00, this gift is appreciated by parents and generally well liked by kids.

3. For "my best best friend in the whole world", Mr. Mopps carries Thomas trains up the whazoo and pocket-sized dolls and animals. Put together a collection of three or five and you have a deluxe gift for less than $20.00.

Keep it reasonable, people. We're all in this together.