A gift for a 6-year-old girl should be largely based on her personality. If she is a girlie girl, makeup and dolls might do the trick, but if she is a tomboy, you might have to give the gift a little more thought. However, some gifts are sure to delight, no matter what personality type she is.

Numerous board games are appropriate for children, and a 6-year-old may be starting to understand the concepts behind the more grown-up family-friendly board games, such as Monopoly or Life. These games are traditional family favorites that can help create lasting memories throughout her childhood.

Craft kits with predetermined themes are available, or you can create a personalized craft basket by purchasing individual supplies. Some items to consider are pipe cleaners, feathers, wiggly eyes, Popsicle sticks, fabric, glitter, puffy paint, poster board and craft scissors. Include a book of ideas along with these other goodies and watch her creativity soar.

For children who have access to a home computer, there are several different virtual pets that enable them to interact in online communities. These communities allow children to chat with friends, design their own pets and play a variety of games (see Resources).

Gift cards allow children to shop with their own money and pick out exactly what they want. Some gift-card ideas include those to book stores, department stores and toy stores.

Consider planning a day or night around her interests. Perhaps a visit to the zoo and then dinner at her favorite place, or a day spent at an arcade with unlimited game play. Another possibly is a day at a flea market (with a little money to spend of course).

A small deposit of $20 can set the birthday girl on the track toward a positive financial future. She'll be able to put future cash gifts into the savings account instead of spending them, creating a nest egg for herself to help with future large purchases, such as a car or a graduation trip.