Bloody bloody christmas in October

[codswallopandbalderdash]

Reposting here - didn't realise there was a separate christmas thread - i usually avoid thinking about Xmas until December - but not this year!

Can't believe I am posting this in October, but what the heck do I buy my DS age 4.5 for Christmas? He has loads of inherited toys and bloody lego don't seem to have added much to their city range this year.

Playmobil doesn't keep his attention yet. He has more Brio train stuff than you can imagine (provided by friend whose son had outgrown it)

The only thing I know he wants is another one of the large build in yourself cardboard shops from Hobbycraft. That's it. I am panicking big time. My sodding entire family keep emailing me saying what does he want for Xmas (in October!) I know, I know

I need ideas. I am fed up with wasting money and buying toys that don't hold his attention. I am not very good at this. Pre-children I used to leave all my Xmas shopping till the week before Xmas

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

I cannot buy my DC presents before December because their "wants" change, DS is a December birthday, you need to store things,,,,,
Sainsbury usually have their Half Price Toys during half term
Then there's Black Friday end November, so plenty of time yet.

I just asked my near 18yo what he wants, (he already as his main present , huge TV)

"Money" he said (he saves all his Christmas/Birthday money)
"You always faff about buying me things I don't need"

Well that's my Perfect Christmas Planning put in its place

[craftsy]

Imaginext items are always a hot with my nearly 5yo.

[Annwithnoe]

If he likes Lego:
Lego tape
Big base boards or a selection of different sizes
Lego storage bag
Mini figure blind bags
Lego torch
Lego ideas books or Lego book


What about a marble run? Some nice plastic ones or hape do a range of fabulous wooden ones that you can add to over time

Personally I find open ended toys get lots of play:
Kapla blocks
wooden blocks
Football
Bike/scooter
rope and pulley

[Oncewaswho]

I used to hate this, it was hard enough trying to think of things myself let alone make lists for other people. I tended to just tell them to get books, at least they don't take up much space.

[DermotOLogical]

Why not go for books and clothes? Saves you money and clothes are always useful.

[Bornfreebutinbiscuits]

You don't have to buy gifts at full price, you have to big wow gift the box..I would get some stuff really cheap from eBay, charity shops etc to bulk it out at no real cost..

For family can they give you money for him?.pay for year tickets to local farm, attraction... Soft play.

[colleysmill]

How about getting relatives to put a contribution towards a day out? Or a season ticket for a local attraction he likes? I've done this in the past when the kids haven't actually needed or wanted things - my dddad buys a season pass to use for a year so ds who's 3 can visit regularly (He does like the place!)

[colleysmill]

Snap bornfree :)

[peachy94]

Does he like any of the Lego tv programmes? Nexo knights, ninjago, superheroes? Could you get some of those sets? Have you tried playmobil vehicles rather than buildings? DS loves his emergency vehicles. Board games, scalextric, bike, scooter, trampoline, imaginext, toys from a tv show? Paw patrol, pj masks etc DS is 4.5 too but he's asked for ALL the Lego so he's getting the big plane and airport, airshow set, police mobile command centre, some ninjago stuff, smaller creator sets, a big 900 price box of bricks and he wants the train, incase you don't have some of those sets

[Ilovecrumpets]

I have a similar only Lego DS - agree there isn't much new plus it is so expensive!

Has his bedroom been updated recently? We are 're doing' my DS' bedrooms - so new bed linen, a print for the wall, rug to make it a bit more grown up. Only works if needed though!

[Ilovecrumpets]

Oh and rather randomly my son loves sellotape, masking tape etc. He honestly will be delighted with a big load of that - is there anything practical like that?ast year I got DS then 4.5 a massive art case filled with pencils, pens etc. It wasn't too expensive, looked big and he has loved it all year. Something about it being in a case ( tbh I'm quite envious of it;)).

[MegBusset]

Definitely a craft box - Hobbycraft is great for this - pens, glue, pompoms, coloured card etc.

Ask the grandparents for magazine subscriptions (Lego mags / Cbeebies / Beano etc) or days out vouchers - zoo, cinema, Pizza Express or whatever you have near you that he enjoys! Or clothes.

[noramum]

Books, you can get Lego books for early reader or these ones like a dictionary. Good are factual books like the "Look Inside" range from Usborne for various topics.

Trip to Legoland and get all relatives to contribute. Friends did it with Disneyland, the relatives each gave an envelope with a puzzle piece of a picture and together it showed the Disney Hotel. Works only if you have all envelopes at the same time.

Ipod or cheap media player and lots of audiobooks with decent headphones. We converted several of DH's iphones when he upgraded and DD uses them in the car or when we are somewhere and need to wait or just in her room.

Annual membership of any attraction in your area. We did Merlin passes one year as a family present.

Science kit or book with experiments and a box with the necessary ingredients.

Bedding, blanket for his bed

[Avebury]

Marble run
Magna tiles
Playdoh
Dressing up clothes
Puzzles
Simple board games like pop up pirate
Craft stuff
Ball rebounder
Musical instruments
V tech dinosaurs
V tech smart watch
Kite
Remote controlled car
Mobilo
Geo mag (if he can be trusted with the small balls)
Books
Sticky mosaics
Skittles
ELC Build it
Pop up tent
Aqua draw
Hexbugs

All things my DC played with at 4

[jj21]

Wooden food for the play shop. We are still getting play out of ours (youngest now 10 and still playing with it all the time). We have fruit and veg, cakes, ice creams and lollies, condiments, meat, fish... loads of it.

Post office set for the shop. Sweet shop set. Cash register.... Shops are very popular in our house.

[BiddyPop]

I was going to suggest things for the shop, or things he can use to make things for the shop.
So play food, a basket, till, money etc.

Books

Something for outdoors - maybe in spring/summertime? Balls, sand table, garden tools ....?

Do they want to club together on a big present? Maybe a bicycle?

Or must it all be individual things? But could they be related to each other - so build a craft collection by 1 getting a storage box, another getting tools, another getting glitter and glue and pompoms, another getting cardboard and paper, someone getting pencils or paints, and 1 getting an actual kit with instructions or a book?

[steppemum]

if his birthday is close to christmas think about the year ahead (ds birthday is dec)

eg, ask people to give smaller present plus £10 (or whatever, depends on budget) towards a bike that you buy in easter holidays (or football goals, or a scooter, or a day out to somewhere, or just a big box of summer stuff eg bubbles and blow up toys, paddling pool)

how about something you might not do other wise, eg swimming lessons, or 10 trampoline lessons (they are great fun). Or some experience lessons eg one martial arts, one music, one ice skating etc so he can try some new things.

how about stuff for his room. Chose a new theme eg space and get space curtains, space clock, space duvet, space lamp, plus spce mobile to hang from ceiling.

As long as he has stuff to play with on the day, having some stuff which he will only 'get' later (eg bedroom stuff) actually spreads christmas out, you can take a day later a week or so after christmas and have the bedroom makeover day and it is transformed.

[steppemum]

Oh and rather randomly my son loves sellotape, masking tape etc.

this made me laugh, because as I child I loved that micropore tape, or was it elastoplast tape that you got on a roll, in a sort of click together tin.

I got a roll in my stocking and it was the best present of the day!
I still remember it 45 years later and I can't remember most presents!

[Ilovecrumpets]

steppe hopefully the mini tube of 5 different coloured masking tapes I have bought will have the same effect on DS!

[SockEatingMonster]

Binoculars (a cheap set of real ones are better than toy ones)
Disco light
Bungee bouncer
Garden toys like Swing Ball