why are little girls so hard to buy for?

[shelley72]

DS is just 5, DD is nearly 2.5. I need some ideas for presents! DS is so easy to buy for - he has a clear idea of what he likes and i have to be strict with myself or i could end up buying him so much. DD on the other hand i always struggle with at christmas (and birthdays).

i just dont know what to buy her or to suggest when relatives ask. so what kind of things are you getting your little girls? she isnt a very 'girly' girl if you know what i mean - zero chance of dressing as a princess in this house - from her anyway!!!

[halloweeneyqueeney]

erm 2.5 year olds are 2.5 year olds, girls that age like the same stuff that boys that age like!
scooters, trikes, playdoh, books, dvds, lego, cooking sets, role play toys, mr potato head....

[GrimmaTheNome]

Its probably harder to buy for her if she plays with her big bros toys - she may simply not want as much. This is actually a good thing!

Does she have a toy farm? that might suit at this age and rellies can contribute livestock.

[halloweeneyqueeney]

what about a puppet theatre curtain (can attatch to door frames) and some puppets?

[halloweeneyqueeney]

(agrees with Grimma that she prob will just wanna snatch DSs present off him on christmas day though)

[mercibucket]

Dd is soooooo much easier but I think that's a 5 year old thing. We're big on playmobil here, and lego, and cuddly toys

[shelley72]

ok maybe i didnt phrase it very well - maybe its not so much about being a girl as being a second child. she does just like playing with everything that we already have about the house - scooter, duplo, lego, brio, toy kitchen, puzzles, pram etc. a lot of it was bought originally for her older brother so we already have it.

i get stuck for new ideas when people ask what to get her. he has definite interests (being 5) but she doesnt yet as far as i can tell which makes me struggle even more!

[GrimmaTheNome]

When my DD was small she asked for a sucession of musical (hah!) instruments. Xylophone, drum, trumpet (ELC toy one, obv), ending up child sized guitar. (now at 13 she wants a ukelele this year!)

[GrimmaTheNome]

Does she have an easel and paints/chalks?

[halloweeneyqueeney]

ok that is more reasonable, I do feel a bit sad for DC2 that he'll never have that moment when there's suddenly a trainset in the house, or a bike etc.. as there's been stuff like that around before so not as exciting as when DS1 got one for the first time!

bath toys are good because they are temporary, they don't accumulate! there's nice fishing/building/music/water crayon bath toys about

[mercibucket]

Ahem, lego duplo and playmobil 123 obviously at that age

[plantsitter]

DD2 (2 in November) is getting a scooter, an easel for painting, some Happyland stuff I expect, books, play animals. DD1 is 3.5 so no doubt they will share most of that stuff.

[Pos1]

Tool box and tools? My daughter loves to go round and 'fix' things........but I know what you mean about the second child thing, we're currently going through that too

[sunnyday123]

Take her to the Disney store! Seriously I was feeling the same about my dds aged 5&7 as they have birthdays coming up too! 10 mins in th Disney shop and I've completed all my lists!

[CherryMonster]

i have similar issues this year. my girls are nearly 8 and nearly 7. the boys are simple, at 13 and 11 they both want netbooks which is fine, dd1 also wants one, but i think she is too young, and if she has one, dd2 will want one and she is seriously too young. but i have no idea what else to get. they share a small double bedroom so dont have room for many big things, they both have ds's from last christmas, they are not into dolls, kitchen play, art etc, and indeed have had easels, dolls prams and dolls houses as well as a toy kitchen, and no longer play with any of it. dd2 just wants dinosaurs but has tons already, dd1 wants everything she sees.

[GoldPlatedNineDoors]

A Happyland set
An aquadraw
A scuttlebug
A Box of lego/duplo
A baby doll
A wooden train set

[GrimmaTheNome]

Cherry - at that sort of age, IIRC DDs 'big present' tended to be things on wheels (scooter, roller skates, bike...). Plus books, dvds and clothes and then little bits and bobs.

If you don't have one already and the budget allows, something like a wii as a shared present maybe?

[newtonupontheheath]

Re Pos1 's suggestion.... Ikea have a soft tool set, which my ds loves (about £6 iirc)

[loubielou31]

Playdough is a big winner at the moment with my DD who is the same age. Anything with stickers would be a hit and unlike her big sister she really likes playing with happyland type toys. The best present my girls got last year was a dolly each (one boy, one girl) a washing up bowl and a little towel, They both got soaking wet bathing their dollies but had a lovely time. My mum also got little oufits and toiletries for the dolls and they have been played with loads all year.
The dolls are like these although I think they were like the naked ones hence mum buying clothes.

[AnxiousElephant]

Boys dressing up if she doesn't do pink.
Craft ideas, painting pots, beads for jewellery, making badges
Bike/ scooter/ electric car?
playdoh/ camera/ video camera (toy ones)
ds and games / mobigo and games
book sets
musical instrument
sewing kits (kids crafts
lego bits
k nex
balance bike for 2.5 dd
lots depends on how much you want to spend really
I get my dds to look on the amazon site and create a wish list with us for santa
(4 and 6) but we used to get them to put dots on the argos catalogue!

[AnxiousElephant]

puzzles?
I don't go by age, just interest. Both mine enjoy looking at wildlife so here a bug catcher/ examiner is great or a microscope!
Mine had peppa pig etc but never played with it, same with kitchen, dolls house, prams!

[AnxiousElephant]

trampoline between them if the garden is is big enough/ if you have one.

[shelley72]

thank you for the suggestions.

she does have a scooter which she loves and a shared wheelybug and car. they had an easel and chalks/paints/whiteboard pens for easter. sadly the garden not really big enough for a trampoline (we have a playhouse instead) and also they have one at nana's. DH bought a wii for himself the family last year so i think the peppa game may be coming her way this christmas. she is also sticker mad at the moment so they are going to go on the stocking list.

it is the 'big' things that are difficult. DS is having lego whch is really expensive and large so i need something similar for her. she does need a bookcase but thats not very exciting is it?! tbh they will probably get lots from relatives and so i may be stressing over nothing. she probably wont even notice what she has/doesnt compared to her brother!

[shelley72]

also thinking of suggesting to relatives that they could put money towards our season tickets to local farm, baby groups etc as we do go out a lot in the summer!

[GrimmaTheNome]

She won't have a clue about the relative expense.

[GrimmaTheNome]

also thinking of suggesting to relatives that they could put money towards our season tickets to local farm, baby groups etc as we do go out a lot in the summer!

yes - when you've got enough 'stuff' that's a great idea. DD had season ticket (for her and us!) for the zoo from granny one year.