Gifts for Kids?
Every year around this time my husband gets nostalgic about making Christmas wish lists. He talks about how his mom would bring home the Sears toy catalog and he would pour over every page, dreaming about the toys he’s like. So now he’ll sit with our kids and have them dream out loud about their Christmas wish lists. I think the day dreaming phase will always be a big part of Christmas at our house.
But at some point the dreaming has to stop and the making and shopping has to begin! We’ve learned the hard way that just because our child puts, say, a talking pooping doll on her wish list, doesn’t mean she’ll actually ever play with the talking pooping doll. So I like to consider my options carefully. And it always helps me to hear what other parents, aunts, uncles, friends are picking out for kids. So how about it? Would you mind sharing what you’re getting the little ones this year? I hope you’ll leave a comment (PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE?) and let me know what you’re considering. I’ll comment too. And if you find something new and fun, stop by this post anytime and share.
What are you thinking of getting for the little ones this year?
1. Homemade gifts?
2. Books?
3. Fun stuff for their bedroom?
4. Outdoor and garage toys?
5. Bath toys?
6. Equipment for their hobby or skill?
7. Toys and electronics?
8. Tickets or vacations or memberships?
9. Gifts for autistic and special needs children?
10. Gifts for your kids to give to their friends at school? (do your kids do this?)
11. Anything else!
Tags: gifts for preschool boys, gifts for preschool girls, gifts for school age boys, gifts for school age girls, gifts that aren't stuff
November 16th, 2009 at 7:21 am
Here’s a start for me.
1. A felt crown for my niece/ a shrinkie dink ring for my sister with extra shrinkie dink paper for her
2. A gift certificate for my daughter to pick out an easy reader biography
3. a gumball machine for my son
4.
5.
6. The My First Lab Duo-Scope Microscope
7. Legos!
8. Tickets to a family night Giants game
9.
10. Battleship! the game/ a charm bracelet with a violin on it for my daughter
November 16th, 2009 at 7:49 am
Every year my husband and I try to make something for each of our kids. For my son, I’m thinking of making a mailbox set so he can play mailman without accosting our neighbors’ mailboxes. For my daughter, some small fairy dolls a la Salley Mavor’s _Felt Wee Folk_. My husband is working on a play (functioning) traffic light. Our nieces and daughter are into writing, so I’ll be putting together some writing sets: some with note cards, address labels, and stamps; one for the budding novelist with a blank book. Also, our kids are in love with audio books at the moment (James and the Giant Peach, the Frog and Toad audio collection, the Ramona series, and the Clementine series have all been getting a lot of play). I’m not sure about specific titles, but no doubt an audio book or two will make it onto the gift list.
November 16th, 2009 at 8:59 am
For my boys (ages 9, 10, & 13) They are getting pajamas, an ornament, & we’re taking them to the Nutcracker
My nieces (ages 12 & 9 They live close and we see frequently) We’re taking them to the Nutcracker this year.
My nieces (5, 5, & 2) I made Waldorf/Steiner type dolls for. They will get these and some clothing to go with that I made.
My nephew (age 2) I haven’t decided yet.
My 2 baby nieces are getting quilts
We have also given each of these children small photo albums that are for wallet sized pictures. We will give them updated pictures of ourselves for their books. These have always been the most loved gifts. Many of the children around 2-5 years old would carry them around with them. They always have their family with them.
November 16th, 2009 at 9:08 am
Our 5 year old is really into spy/imaginative play. We are going to get him an actual camping head lamp, small dome tent (Star wars has a pop-n-play), telescope and binoculars. Things he can use in our family room during the cold weather. They are not really toys, but it is what he enjoys. We are also going to get him a big box of “building” supplies. He LOVES tape…silly, but he does. So, I am going to put together a box that will slide under his bed with tons of different types of tape, string, building sticks and other things he can use to create/build stuff.
I am at a loss for my 2 year-old boy. We have all of the toys he likes. Although, none of them are “his”. They are all his older brothers. But I hate buying another toy exactly like the ones we have…I will have to keep thinking.
For my 6 month old princess, she will be getting a big girl car seat and probably some baby books. Definitely more practical gifts…because she will probably care less!
November 16th, 2009 at 10:08 am
This list is for my almost two year old – the only young one on our Christmas list this year, I’m afraid!
1. I have made some felt board activities and my mom and dad are going to put together the flannel board with some leftover wood they have lying around.
2. The snail and the whale, some robert munsch, and a couple others.
3.
4.
5.
6. Stocking an art cabinet – lots of paints, crayons, markers, coloured pencils, different types of paper, etc.
7.
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10.
11. His birthday is in February, and for that we are putting together a dress up bin out of an old suitcase and filling it with dress up clothes, hats, etc.
November 16th, 2009 at 10:31 am
[...] Gifts for Kids? November 16th, [...]
November 16th, 2009 at 11:14 am
We give each of our children three gifts at Christmas. This year I made a puppet theater similar to this one as a gift to both of them. My 14 month old will have to grow into it, but my almost 4 year old will love it. I am also making one for my 4 and 6 year old niece and nephew. I am including puppet “kits” that we are putting together for them to make. It’s craft time for them and quiet time for my sister and her husband!
The other gifts for my kids (from us) will be….
ball pit and balls
stories read onto a CD that correspond with their books.
When grandparents have asked for ideas, I have sent the following:
1. zoo, arboretum or children’s museum membership (family gift)
2. pop up tunnels
3. small set of kitchen pots and pans for the play kitchen mat I made for my little one’s birthday
4. stroller with dollbaby
5. left handed baseball glove
6. t-ball tee
7. tennis racket
8. real tools (appropriate for a 3 1/2 year old “toolman”)
9. Cars movie
10. church shoes and shirt, tights
11. apron & chef’s hat (to replace the ones that are outgrown and falling apart)
12. hand puppets
13. illustrated scripture books
We have four sets of grandparents and I like to have a lot of options! I’d rather not have lots of cluttery toys, but things they’ll actually use or give them an experience like the memberships.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:45 am
For our two year old daughter we are getting her books, craft supplies and either a train set or a little pretend stove top. I think I will also make her a craft apron out of oil cloth.
November 16th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
I’m loving peek-a-boo bags this year. This is what I’m getting for my children’s cousins and friends.
My oldest son is getting a digital camera.
November 19th, 2009 at 8:43 am
1. Homemade gifts?
Watercolor and coloring books : I am making watercolor and coloring books for my kiddos [son-7 and daughter-5] and for my nieces and nephews. Each book will be filled with my handdrawn doodles. If time allows, I plan to make an art ‘folder’, too, and fill it with the books, paintbrush, crayons/markers and sketchbook.
Puppet theater : I found the link in a post comment here, but don’t remember which. Anyhow, I will make it similar to a curtain to fit in a doorway with a shower curtain rod.
Dress up : I am making the kids a super hero set [cape, wristlets, mask, crowns] and the daughter will get a tutu.
2. Books?
I always pick out a book or two for the kids, depending on their interests at the time. This year, after reading your post, I think it will include a cool book storage as well.
3. Fun stuff for their bedroom?
4. Outdoor and garage toys?
The hubs and I have been tossing around the idea of getting the kids a play set of badmitton, baseball and such. May wait for their springtime birthdays though.
5. Bath toys?
Bubble bath and writable roll-0n soap.
6. Equipment for their hobby or skill?
Art / craft supplies for both —– the son loves to draw with markers and the daughter loves anything she can cut and paste. Markers, crayons, homemade playdough, pompoms, glitter. Basic crafty stash goodies.
7. Toys and electronics?
Our family gift —- Wii.
8. Tickets or vacations or memberships?
I am planning to take the kids to a Christmas musical performance. I would love to go to the symphony, but it might not hold their interest as much as a singing performance.
9. Gifts for autistic and special needs children?
10. Gifts for your kids to give to their friends at school? (do your kids do this?)
We’ll make cookies for the class and package them in bags. The daughter has a fifth-grader that reads with her kindergarten class and she’ll be making her bookmarks.
11. Anything else!
This is not so much a gift for each kiddo, but during the month of December [from the 1st through the 24th], we make an ornament each day. Love their creativity.
November 19th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
I’ve been watching our daughter (3 1/2) for months to figure out what to get her for Christmas. She’s young enough that she doesn’t ‘want’ anything, and she has everything she ‘needs’. Quite some time ago I realized that every time I took out my camera, she begged to use it. If she sees it laying around, she’ll ask to take pictures. So her main present this year is one of those kid safe cameras (bought on ebay, since retail on those things is ridiculous), and we’ll just have to convince her that hers is better than mommy’s. I’m hoping to do this for future years, as well- watch and see what she’s interested in, and go from there.
November 19th, 2009 at 6:02 pm
1) I’m making some bookmarks for my 7-year-old who is starting to read chapter books. He’s always looking for scraps of paper and post-it notes and I know he’ll love some bookmarks: I’m thinking I’ll just print some on cardstock with his name and pictures of him and then laminate them.
2) All three of my boys loved “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” the movie, so I bought the book and the sequel as gifts. They also really love LEGO’s and there are some great LEGO books they’ll get for Christmas: an easy way to encourage reading.
10) One of my kids has one really special “best” friend. I took pictures of the two of them together at the park a couple of weeks ago and I’ll turn them into a puzzle (lots of photo shops do this) for his best buddy.
I always send gifts for the whole class for my preschool aged children (they seem to outgrow this in elementary school). Last year I bought mini-M&M’s (they come in a tube that’s about 4 inches tall), and then printed labels with a picture of my child’s smiling face to wrap around the tube. That way, all the preschool kids (who aren’t reading yet) know right away who the little gift is from. They were a hit with the class, but especially with MY child. He loved seeing himself on the label and was so proud to give them away.
11. I also always do teacher gifts. This year I’m doing “hot” stuff: Ruby’s Sissy Sauce (hot sauce), Hot Tamales, Red Hots, wrapped up in red. I also like to package Bath & Body Works soap with coordinating fruit: apple scented soap with a small basket of apples, a lemon scented hand soap with a small basket of lemons.