Four year old girl birthday present?

My daughters' closest friend is turning 4 next week. I'd like to get her something fun or funky or interesting for her birthday. Any ideas?

In case it helps, I'm also close friends with her mom. They're not into plastic toys, anything with batteries, or little pieces. And my price range is anything up to about $50. One present or two... doesn't matter.

Thanks in advance!

 

I love Melissa and Doug stuff, and my girls really like their dress up magnetic dolls.

 

Leighann, my girls love the M&D dress up dolls too... aren't they great?

 

How about a nice dress-up outfit of one of her favourite Disney princess? My nieces all love to dress up.

 

I had a birthday party for a 4yo last year and I was told dress up too. Toys'r Us has cute outfits, tutus etc.

 

My daughter is 5, but last year she loved anything arts and crafts, princessy and dress up. This year, for Christmas my Mom got her a Fischer Price Kid-tough MP3 player. She loves it!! It does itunes, MP3's and has a microphone to sing into it. And she has dropped it 3x's already and it's still working like the first day.

 

A big box of art supplies? Just about the best thing my kids got for their 4th (I think?) b'day was a big plastic tub with packages of markers, crayons, stamps, etc.

Their favorite gift for Christmas this year (when they were just 5, but they're fine for age 3 and up) was Magna-Tiles. They are plastic, but they're also a creative building toy, so maybe that trumps plastic? However, they are pricey. Any chance you could go in with someone else on them?

A Disney princess costume would be lovely (although based on what you said about the mom, she might not be into that either), but alas, a high-end one will run you more than $50.