At the end of September (yes, September) my mom sent me an email that read this:
Hi Family,
You know I like to start early on Christmas gift ideas.
Please have your kids email me links to things they’d like...otherwise they will get coal in their stocking.
Love,
Mom
My mom is great, she's a lot like me. Ha! That sounded funny as I re-read that sentence. I may as well said she's AMAZING - a LOT like me! OK, ok what I meant was we both like to plan ahead and we enjoy things so much more when we have all our "to do" lists done. To have to RUSH around wildly to find Christmas gifts for kids or friends is the LAST thing we would want to do close to Christmas.
All to say, it was the first time I began to think WHAT IN THE WORLD my kids might want for gifts this Christmas.
I was completely overwhelmed looking on Amazon, but while I was searching I had the idea that it might be really helpful if I did a post on some gifts my kids have LOVED over the years. I could list gifts or toys that have lasted.....lets say for more than 6 months, OH and was NOT an electronic! ;-)
The ages of my kids right now are 5, 9 and 11.
These gifts were given them over the past 3 years.
Top 10 Christmas Gift Idea List:
My #1 gift my kids has received - it's lasted FOREVER and has had a ton of use!
Quadrilla Basic Set (if link isn't working from your inbox just click over to my blog for Amazon link)
My kids have loved this gift, and I am always so happy they pull it out instead of going downstairs to watch TV. My kids were 2,6 and 8 when we received it. They are now 5,9 and 11 and still enjoy it.
Pros: Made of real wood, will last forever and is something you could even pass down. Educational and gets kids minds thinking (instead of the grand ol Video Games!)
Cons: Until they get to an age they can follow detailed picture instructions (age 7?) you will be putting it up for them yourself! Just be aware, if you bump the table or the actual pieces, it will fall down! (but that's not the end of the world, just have fun rebuilding it!) This was an issue when my youngest was two!
These fun WOODEN pieces have been around forever.
My in-laws might have first purchased these with the hopes of my kids becoming math scholars but my kids and ALL the grand kids (my in laws bought a set for their house too) love playing with the them.
They make unique towers, shapes, patterns. I would buy a set that comes with trays for each color and not just one jumbled container for all the pieces. (read amazon reviews....)
Obviously the Cons would be the small pieces not being suitable for babies. Oh, and yes, you'll find missing pieces in your couch and under chairs. Part of the FUN package!
Oh my word - my children ADORE this collection (it has three large hardbound books in one case) and has entertained them for HOURS. They never tired of it and sit by the fire and just laugh and laugh. They quote me entire comic stripes and will tell me how Calvin would have reacted had HE been in a similar family situation This is such a classic gift to get a child. They are all hardbound and definitely something that could be passed down. I can't think of any cons for this gift. :-)
Ideas for THIS Christmas!
#4. Small Jumparoo Boing! I Pogo Stick
I think this could be a huge hit. My 5 year old has wanted a Small Jumparoo Boing! I Pogo Stick since last year. I think my older kids would be the ones to really enjoy it though. I would buy two since who wants to jump alone - right?
#5. EZ Steppers - Fun Feet! (it says an "educational toy" and yes, they have girl Raspberry EZ Stepper
colors too)
From what I read from the reviews these are tons of fun and an instant winner with kids of all ages! Most people mentioned they would buy more than one set because it is twice as much fun with a cousin or sibling!
Actually, after I wrote this post, my youngest (5 year old) told me all about these "stompers" that were at her school that everyone wanted to use but they didn't have a lot of them so it was VERY special if you got to use them. Won't she be excited to have a pair all to herself!!!
Inflatable 'Rody Horse' Children's Ride-On Rocking Horse:
I have to add this gift that was left in the comments because it sounds like a ton of fun and is for a younger child (ages 2-4ish). She said her son plays with it all the time and discribes it as "a rocking horse mets a giant bouncy ball" ! It's all about collecting good ideas at this point isn't it :-)
Lasty get your child a pet. :-)
"I PROMISE to take care of it mom and dad, you won't even know it's there!" Is there any parent that has not heard that yet??? Yes, we gave in and got my eldest pet lovin daughter a hamster last Christmas and she said nothing has ever come close to "her best gift in the world" hee, hee. She worked her dad HARD to get that gift!
That's it!! Please leave me a comment if you have other fun ideas to add to this list! AND if you get one of the above as a gift, tell me how the kids liked them. :-)
We have some very excited children in our house awaiting Christmas Morning!
The links to Amazon are my affiliate links - if you have any questions please see my full disclosure page. Thanks you friends!!!
These are fun ideas! The first two especially were ones I hadn't heard of and thought Greyson would really like. Last year we got the 2-year-old a Rodie (Rody?) Horse and he still plays with it all the time. It's like a rocking horse meets a giant bouncy ball. He bounces all over the place on it. Great for 2-4 year olds. Thanks for the starter ideas. I'm in denial about Christmas and plan to pretend like it's not coming for as long as possible.
ReplyDeleteLOVE that idea! I'm going to add it to the list above. Keep those tried and true long lasting gift ideas coming :-)
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