Last Sunday I took the girls to the toy shop in town to have a look around. I wanted to see the kind of stuff they were interested in before I started to buy stuff. Just because I think it’s a good present doesn’t necessarily mean that the girls will like it, or play with it. I’ve been so slack the past few years – leaving the shopping to the very last-minute and then going on a mad rush online or in shops grabbing lots of “that will do” presents rather than “that’s going to be loved”. Our family get their main present from Rob and I rather than Santa (this is weird for me as growing up we had it the other way around) but as Rob said – why should he get all the credit? So the girls usually get a big something from us, and then some stuff in their sacks.
This is a collection of stuff that I have got the girls, or things that they have that they LOVE and get used almost every day. I’ll also show you some good shops to go online for stuff and remember, NO ONE PANIC. It’s not even bloody December yet! The world has gone mad I tell you!
1. Lottie doll Welsh Mountain Pony $30
You might remember I told you about these cute little English dolls that I gave Harper for her Birthday? Well they went down a treat – with both girls – and the latest thing in our house are horses! So what better than to give the pony that fits the dolls? The girls play games for hours with dolls and horses, I’m hoping to get a few more hours out of these ones. You can grab them at Kidstuff or online here.
2. Meowsic $60
Harps was given this for her birthday from her over generous Auntie & Uncle and it’s been used every single day (and often more than once) for the past month. It is great for teaching basic music notes as well as being able to record their own creations. I actually don’t mind how it looks either. You can grab it from Kidstuff here.
3. Putty peeps $10
These are strange goop/gak/consistency but are better! They melt, they can be broken up and then squished back together. They can be made into a ball, bounced, then squished back into the teeny tin. You know my thoughts on Play doh and mess and shitty, annoying kid’s toys and this is NOT that. Harps got a tin for her birthday and each and every single one of us in the family have had a crack at it. I can’t find them online but I think you’d be able to grab them at most toy shops.
4. Sylvanian Families Ice cream van $40
Daisy still dabbles in Sylvanian families even though she is nearing 7. Having a younger sister to play with is a good excuse anyway! She is desperate for this for Christmas…we’ll have to see if Santa is kind though. You have to buy the actual people selling the ice creams AND the ice creams separately OF COURSE. You can grab them online here.
5. XL Glider scooter $129
The girls are getting one of these each from us. Daisy has outgrown her mini micro scooter from a few years ago and while that might last another 6 months for Harper these will last them both until they are 10. I prefer these to the razors – hoping they think so anyway! You can get them online here.
6. Recorder $10
I must have been drunk when I agreed to buy one of these for Harper who was DESPERATE for one. Daisy has been learning the recorder at School and so Harper decided she should learn too. These are cute, but they are annoying. There’s nothing else to say about them really. Good luck. You can grab them at any toy shop.
7. Djeco Art by numbers $30
This is as crafty as I get…colouring in! Daisy will love this (it’s a bit old for Harps) and the end result is something pretty that is actually worthy of your wall. You can buy them online from Flying Penguin here.
8. Tiny Folk Forest Shadow Puppets $30
Both my girls have LOVED these puppets. It’s the perfect late afternoon quiet game to play (we often roll it just out the bath before book time) and it’s great for their imagination. I’m happy to get involved playing with these and that’s saying something! We have the play house too that gets put up and down all the time. It’s covered with the girls drawings and it’s pleasing enough to the eye for me to have in the loungeroom. Shits all over a Dora playhouse. You can buy the puppets online here.
9. Beach Towel $30
I have officially turned into my Mother buying my kids a towel. We used to get a towel from my Grandma or Mum every other year and when I opened them I always used to feign a smile but I was really eye rolling. A towel? Really? YES. REALLY. You can get them anywhere, I grabbed mine from Bed Bath & Table here.
I also forgot to mention a SPIROGRAPH $36. Because: it’s back! You can get them online here.
If you are looking for some places to shop online than look no further than:
Rudy & The Dodo
Flying Penguin
Seedling
Lark
The top 2 have gift finders depending on the age/sex etc of the person you are looking for and are my go-to for getting my nieces/nephews/children a pressie.
I’m sure I’ve missed some other really good stuff. I know Daisy will be devo that there is no American Doll from Santa, but hey, you win some, you lose some. And you can be sure as shit that I will not be buying Monster High, no matter how much you ask me. I have a cold, dead heart.
What do your girls want for Christmas?
What do we need to add to the list?
Great collection Beth, I know a certain little lady who would love a lot of that in her Santa sack! We do the same as you too, main presents from us and a couple of small things from Santa, it makes more sense I think. xo
I think you and Rob are right x
So far I have Peter Alexander PJ’s, Star Wars Lego and I have got them both their 1st Uberpieces this year (um yes that is totally a present that I will love the most).. I have a feeling a Transformer will squeeze in there and then some Puzzles and Pokemon Cards (does your school do the card swapping stuff?)
We’re not into swapping cards…sounds like it could be a quick and easy stocking filler. UberKate! Lucy DUCKS.
Lucky on the card thing… but yes it is not too exy so useful of sorts.. Uberkids Range is also not that exy for what it is and now they are at an age that I can just have the chain grow as they do. We do main pressies from us too. Rob is right the big man can’t take all the best credit! π
Beth your girls would love these
http://www.foreverclover.com.au/index.html
Thanks so much!
Welcome!
Love these Beth, clever clogs. Especially the shadow puppets, gold. My nieces + nephew range in age from 11 years – 8 months. The baby to pre-school I’m pretty sorted with, but most of them are getting to Daisy’s age and it’s getting tricky! They just get a ridiculous amount of STUFF on Christmas morning which irks me so I don’t want to add to the mania, but don’t want to be the boring hated aunty – it’s a fine line! I knocked over 90% of my Christmas shopping yesterday in some sort of frenzy because I was within cooee of civilisation (nearest ‘big’ town 2 hours away). I got puzzles, pencils, lock-up journal, drink bottles and lunch boxes for the school starters, bathers, rashie and sunnies, horse chapter book…I think I did ok. My grandparents would ALWAYS get us a towel too! Or pyjamas. Without fail. Actually my 91 year old Nan catches the train to Melbourne to Christmas shop and still gets me PJ’s, but usually a Peter Alexander nightie so no complaints here.
P.S. I’ve got a kids gift guide in the works too for next week!
I’m looking forward to seeing it x
RECORDERS are you freakin’ nuts? Everything else gets a big thumbs up!
I know. I can only apologise for my lapse in judgement. The girls love them though…I thought I better add in something for them!
Not to sound smug or anything…. but my kids chrissy shopping is DONE!! And half the family too. I’m hoping to enjoy the days before Christmas without setting foot in a shopping centre at all!!! And if you have a cold dead heart, I do too…no Monster High shit for my Miss 6 either!
You own that smugness! You still had to do it…good on you for getting it done early! We are going away for Christmas so will have ALL the presents in the back of the car….God only knows how we are going to get away with it!
yikes! That’s hard!! Can you have things delivered to your destination (if ordering online??) We once hid a bike (yes, a whole freaking bike) and a trike in the back of our SUV …. it can be done!!
Hi Beth,
My 9 year old and her friends are MAD about Sylvanian Families. So you might find longevity from these critters past 7 years of age. A great stocking stuffer is Forever Clover swap card, newsagents sell them in Vic, maybe only online in NSW. My girls and their friends love collecting them and they are great for ages 4 -12 years. The other thing we have stopped is buying for the ‘cousins’ as it creates volumes of ‘stuff’ that they don’t really need. They just love hanging out together and enjoying each others company at christmas anyway. We now just buy for the cousin’s birthday, and the kids all make something to give to each other at christmas maybe a homemade card or a drawing, some origami or a bookmark, whatever makes them feel the love. This is informal (not masses of paper and another re do of the big present free for all).
I’m a newie to your blog and I’m loving your posts π – and your hair cut, you rock it lady. Luv Liz X
Thanks so much LIz! I just had a look at those swap cards…how gorgeous! I might get them onto those too. All the cousin kids on my side of the family get one present each. We do a KK thing where the number of kids balance to the number of adults so each adult buys for a lucky dip kid. Max $30. It works so well. Thanks for your lovely kind comment – much appreciated!
I don’t have any little girls but love your presents for them ,they are lovely Beth I am sure they will adore them xx
Thanks Lisa I think they will too π
My 9year old is still mad about her Sylvanian Families too. My son who is 11 wants more Lego……easy. All the shopping was done months ago, I just hope they don’t change their mind.
You can’t go wrong there!
I always received the larger gifts from Mum and Dad (and smaller things in my stocking (pillowcase) and I continued the tradition with my two children as well. I agree with Rob…why should Santa get all the thanks.
Thanks for some great suggestions for gifts. I have a nearly 6 year old great-granddaughter and am still waiting suggestions from her Mum but a couple of your ideas could fill the bill.
Hope so! Good luck Mimsie x
It has got to the point where I am trying to outdo Santa.
It is quite ridiculous. Thankfully Santa doesn’t come to girls that move out of home and Mummy gets all the credit she deserves.
Alas Boo is so damn random that I can never tell which is going to be the hero present to take credit for, and that damn Fat Man in the red suit wins sometimes.
I hope you win this year x
No Sylvania here. Refused entry at the door. Lego friends is a hit. The Schleig animals are always welcome. Mum and dad do big here and Santa brings tat, socks, knickers and lollies.
Schleig animals are the business! For some reason ours all end up in the bath?!
Ok so that’s all lovely but …. I’m in a friggin caravan!!! A teeny tiny caravan! How is the big man going to swing that? Plus I gave a 10 year old daughter who is trying to hang on to toys but in reality hasn’t played with toys for years and swings over to trying to be 20 – eek it’s a nightmare!!! Oh and somehow I already have harmonica sticking stuffers, and am adding ukuleles god help me/us π
Indeed! May the force be with you x
Yep we’re same…main present from us and just the crapola small stuff from Santa…seriously…we’re (read I) are the ones that do all the work! My five year old is getting a silver tooth fairy bracelet…for every tooth she loses there is a fairy charm and story thingo. There’s a loose tooth ATM so hoping it makes it till Christmas (probably not!). The Slyvanian catalogue has a million things circled…we’re got the ice cream truck already, it’s looking like the donut shop this year. Jeepers I wish I’d never started on Sylvanian! And books. Always books. I write a children’s book blog…clearly it’s going to be books. ‘Ruby Red Shoes Goes to Paris’ and the Ruby Red Shoes toy that goes with that set for the five year old. And a new reading tent…cause the last one went kind of festy, mouldy, mildewy in the Qld humidty!
Books! Of course! They are always added in there too…good luck with getting it all done!
and as usual, anything you suggest, I am so there. That shadow puppet set up is in the bag for madam 4. Christmas shopping DONE! This year I have gone low key with Santa (they both got ipads from their gr.grandfather for bdays in oct and nov this year) so generic santa pressies (roller shoes and barbie from santa) and lots of little things from us.