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Christmas

Are these age appropriate gifts for 2-3

45 replies

AngeliqueInquest · 28/10/2016 22:51

My ds is almost 3, I find myself buying him things too old or too young for him sometimes, and waste money. This is his Xmas list (that I made) are these things age appropriate and do you think he'll love them (he is oldest DC so not really down with the age appropriate toys..) I have bought most of these already just not the toot toots or Playmobil but can easily return :)
He already has scooter, play kitchen, sit in remote control car, basically everything..

List:
Baby annabels brother
Jcb digger ride on
Magic sand
Play dough play date set
Balance bike
Play foam
Mr potato head
Remote control car
Toot toot school
Toot toot remote control set
Fireman Sam pontypandy play set
Post man pat play set
Crocodile dentist
Teletubbys talking soft toys x4
SpongeBob walks talkys
Gelli bath
Lady bird night light projector
Lego duplo basic bricks
Lego duplo rocket
Lego duplo tractor
Wooden pirate ship
Rocking caterpillar
Chad valley trampoline
Tumble train
Chad valley aeroplane
Pop up pirate
Tomy foam cone factory
Chad valley light and sound fire engine
Extra toot toot RC car
Chad valley grand piano
Track master Thomas shipwreck set
Bus toy
Playmobil water park play area
Dinosaur egg
IKEA easel
Desk and chair
My first helicopter
Power rangers figure
4 talking dinosaurs
4 Disney DVDs

OP posts:
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MommaGee · 29/10/2016 01:30

What are the ages on the toys? I'd aim for toys that are within 2-4 years. Does he still put everything in his mouth? So maybe not sand or small bits. Is he advanced or behind for his age? I think you just have to look and think can he play with it now and will he still want to play with it in 6 months.
My only real observation would be that of you're getting him everything on that list for Christmas, depending on who else buys for him, when his birthday is etc, he might just find there's too much to play with and actually never get chance to play with some of it

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FixItUpChappie · 29/10/2016 03:52

I love Christmas shopping and always go a bit overboard but I would suggest that your child is most likely to get bored of it, not appreciate each item and not play with a lot of it just on the basis of it being so much - I've had this with a quarter of what you have listed TBH.

My 3 yr old would love lots of your items though

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maisybobbins · 29/10/2016 04:18

This is a ridiculously long list. I got bored reading it and I honestly think a three year old will be bored opening all this. I'd wrap maybe 6-8 things and put the rest aside for later birthdays or Christmas gifts.

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BikeRunSki · 29/10/2016 04:26

That's an awful lot!! I'd sat the RX cars are too old for him.

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NaughtyRed82 · 29/10/2016 04:33

That sounds ridiculously too much for a 3 year old! Firstly need room to put it all and must have a mad high budget to get all that for one child for one Christmas.
Be easier just to pick few main bits that you think he'll play with and like the most, only you know what he's into and what interests him and then few other bits to open but not that whole list. He'all just get bored of having to open them after awhile if so many!

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Motherfuckers · 29/10/2016 04:38

Do you really really want all that shit in your house? I couldn't bear to have that much plastic tat.

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BumWad · 29/10/2016 04:45

Ya what.

Surely this is a stealth boast?

cringe

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BumWad · 29/10/2016 04:46

I bet you're going to post pictures on FB/Twitter/Instagram/Snapchat on the day too aren't you?

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MinnowAndTheBear · 29/10/2016 04:46

My son would be completely overwhelmed with all of this stuff. It will take days for him to even look at everything, never mind play with it all. You need to take most of it back.

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AnnaT45 · 29/10/2016 04:48

That is a lot of stuff! I would take half back and put the money in his bank account! Even then you'd have enough to give some for Christmas and then keep some back to give throughout the year. He'll never play with all of that

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Selfimproved · 29/10/2016 04:56

It seems a lot of stuff. Our 3 children combined won't get that much.

I find it better when they don't have everything they want. They appreciate what they do have so much more, they have something they desire and can save for /work towards and it prepares them for the real world where they really won't get everything they want.

However, it's your DS and you want to treat him, so it's your call. The toys all seem age appropriate.

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Bubbinsmakesthree · 29/10/2016 04:58

Even if money is no object that is way, way too much stuff!

From that list I think easel, desk and chair and balance bike will be great purchases, then I'd ration down to a couple of sets for imaginative play (playmobil or similar - some sets are very fiddly with lots of tiny pieces so choose carefully), some of the more crafty/messy stuff (playdough etc), some duplo and 1 or 2 other things you think he'd really love.

I think remote controlled car sets and structured games like pop up pirate will be better saved for further down the line.

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FixItUpChappie · 29/10/2016 05:02

in terms of your question the items I would drop in terms of age include:

-rocking caterpillar - too young
-walkie talkies - too old
-Rc vehicles - too old
-I'd give the desk and chair outside of Christmas as a part of normal furniture upgrade
-teletubbies - too young
-playmobil - too old - mine cant deal with all the fidgety little bits
-mr potato head - mine grew out of this early on

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milkysmum · 29/10/2016 06:02

Wow that is a lot!

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ninjapants · 29/10/2016 06:13

My DS is also 3. He would love most of this (and already has a fair amount of it Blush Disclaimer: not a stealth boast, much of it is second hand!)
I agree with others though, it's far too much. But you asked about suitability so here goes:

Baby annabels brother-no, limited play,
Jcb digger ride on-no, limited use (DS has a second hand one, glad I didn't pay full price),
Magic sand-no, messy,
Play dough play date set-yes,
Balance bike-yes ( DS's most favourite thing, fresh air, exercise, what's not to love?!)
*Bike helmet,
Play foam-too similar to Play Doh, don't get both,
Mr Potato Head-yes,
Remote control car-no, too old. consider the helicopter listed below or remote control Thomas instead,
Toot toot school-no, limited use/will outgrow quickly,
Toot toot remote control set-as above
Fireman Sam Pontypandy play set-this OR Postman Pat/Thomas set,
Postman Pat play set-this OR Fireman Sam/Thomas set,
Crocodile dentist-no, too old/limited use,
Teletubbys talking soft toys x 4-no, too young/limited play,
SpongeBob walks talkies-yes (adding similar to DS's list!)
Gelli bath-no! (way too messy and gloopy for me!)
Lady bird night light projector-no, pretty but limited use,
Lego duplo basic bricks-yes,
Lego duplo rocket-yes,
Lego duplo tractor-yes,
Wooden pirate ship-yes, OR the aeroplane,
Rocking caterpillar-no, too young (sold DS's rocking horse),
Chad valley trampoline-no, too young (sold DS's),
Tumble train-no, nightmare toy!
Chad valley aeroplane-yes, OR the pirate ship,
Pop up pirate-no, too old, limited use,
Tomy foam cone factory-yes (also added to DS's list!)
Chad valley light and sound fire engine-yes,
Extra toot toot RC car-no (see above),
Chad valley grand piano-no, limited use,
Track master Thomas shipwreck set-this or Fireman Sam/Postman Pat set
Bus toy-yes,
Playmobil water park play area-no, too old/limited use,
Dinosaur egg-no,
IKEA easel-yes, plus pens/chalks/magnets etc,
Desk and chair-no, better for when he's older,
My first helicopter-yes, OR remote control Thomas. (Helicopter looks good but my dog would kill it!)
Power rangers figure-no, limited use/too old,
4 talking dinosaurs-no, limited use/too young,
4 Disney DVDs-maybe (but can get lots on sky/sky go/Netflix etc)

Please consider buying second hand if you haven't already. At 3 your DS won't know or care if the toys are new (and no one else will either), you'll save a fortune which can be spent elsewhere (eg. other people's gifts, clothes for DS, days out, etc), it'll bother you less if he doesn't play with the items as much as you'd hoped, you won't have to unbox and set toys up on Christmas Day as they'll be ready to play with (which is very important to children), and you can sell/pass them on (if they're in good condition) when he's done with them. So many toys are barely used and sold on for half the original price or less in great condition, why waste money on packaging?
There are local selling sites all over Facebook, or there's EBay, gumtree, second hand shops (one near us specialises in baby and children's goods), specialist local markets, etc.

I hope your DS has a fab Christmas, please don't overdo the gifts, it's quality (of play) that matters and he'll love the magic whatever Santa brings him!

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DownWithThisSortaThing · 29/10/2016 06:28

All that for Christmas? Shock
My DS same age would get bored opening them.
A quarter of the list would do

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Nanasueathome · 29/10/2016 07:03

Far too much
The child will be overwhelmed

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43percentburnt · 29/10/2016 07:45

DS has just turned 3. I wouldn't bother with toot toot - it's frustrating as it's hard to connect the airport, garage etc with the roads. They clip together fine but the corner angles etc are crap meaning you can't connect all the buildings exits (explained really badly!).

He does enjoy large vehicles with moving parts, bin trucks, tractors, fire engine, transporters etc. we have got him some hot wheels cars and transporter for Xmas. He hasn't eaten small parts for 18 months plus so has a collection of older kids cars which he takes good care of.

He loved duplo cars, there is a set where you get bases with wheels and lots of different parts - he enjoys copying the designs on the enclosed leaflet or he can design his own. This has received the most play (about £13).

He also likes brio and loves marble run (well worth getting). He does enjoy pop up pirate. Cleaning trolley and Hoover are really well used.

Balance bike, large pedal tractor?
For the messy creative stuff I put him in the bath to play and hose him down after. I also bought a builders mixing tray from b and q (£20) it's a hexagonal plastic tray a metre by a metre and is very useful!

What about an activity instead of toot toot? Toddler gymnastics, dance, rugby or football? Or a year farm membership?

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instantly · 29/10/2016 07:52

This is a ridiculously long list. I got bored reading it and I honestly think a three year old will be bored opening all this. I'd wrap maybe 6-8 things and put the rest aside for later birthdays or Christmas gifts.

^ this

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NickyEds · 29/10/2016 07:58

That is too much for a three year old. And I never say that about Christmas lists. Is that from your whole family or just you?

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ChilliMum · 29/10/2016 08:04

I agree with everyone else. Way too much.
dd got only a fraction of that for the Christmas she was 3 and had had enough after about 6 presents and went off to play with her old toys.
I think a couple of big gifts eg the balance bike and easel with a few smaller ones is perfect.

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Equimum · 29/10/2016 08:16

While I totally respect that the amount you buy is completely up to you, as others have said, this sounds quite overwhelming, and that might be more of a problem that the age appropriateness.

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lauryloo · 29/10/2016 08:17

I think that's too much

I have a 3 yr old ds and toot toots and the character play sets are the kind of things on your list he plays with most

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Equimum · 29/10/2016 08:19

Sorry, I posted too early. Age-wise, most of that seems pretty reasonable. I know my four year old still lives things like Teletubbies (as well as more age-apropriate stuff), so often it's more about looking at what they enjoy and, provided it is safe, not taking too much notice of the ages in the boxes.

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Inthenick · 29/10/2016 08:32

You choice but that is a disgusting amount of stuff. I feel like crying at how little your nearly 3 yr old will give a shit about the majority of that, not least because they simply can't process so much stuff. Would you not get 2-3 things he can actually focus on and enjoy and save the money for a special day out or experience for him in Jan instead?

It is your choice so do what you like.

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