Small present for 7 year old girl

[tb4122]

I would like to buy a small gift for a 7 year old girl's birthday. I'm not aware of any particular interests that she has. What sort of thing might go down well? DS is 7 months so I have no idea about what older children are into!

A little craft kit out of the Works or the Range. They usually cost around £6 to £7 and there are some nice kits available.

Galt are normally good from Amazon, headband making kit/jewellery making/science labs.

Lush bath bomb, maybe with matching soap.

Craft kit/art supplies
book
hair accessories
stationery -fancy rubber/sharpener/pencil case/ gel pens etc.
a summer garden game (they have some in the Works - mine liked those things here you throw a velcro ball at a hat, beach cricket etc)
small board or card game, top trumps game,
mini lego set
sylvanians

A purse shaped like a cat/dog etc, with 10p inside.🙁

Lego dots or craft type set.

a small cuddly toy preferably in rainbow colours and with glitter on.

My 7 year old DD loves Lego and card games (Sleeping Queens and Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza are excellent).

If you don't know her well, don't go for generic girly crap. I know loads of girls who would be at a bath bomb - you can neither eat it or play with it, so what's the point?! Same for a glittery soft toy.

I'd go with a good quality set of pens or colouring pencils - I'm obsessed with Staedtler or Stabilo - these are always useful. Pen 68 sets are fab. All my children loved these from age 7 up.

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/1958113

Bought this as a birthday present for my kids friend. She brought one to school and was the most popular kid in class that day, and all the girls were asking her where she got it from and bought some themselves as well.

A book and some sweets?

Hama beads are good at that age

https://amzn.to/3PDGNVm

And these books are stunning

https://amzn.to/44ym3T0

I know the op said ‘girl’ but jeez, rainbow, glitter, jewellery making.. I have a 7 yo boy and I didn’t think of any of these. I was thinking Lego, play dough, mini science kit/slime. Are we more sexist than we realised??

I hate play dough and slime.

It's just an excuse to make a mess.

And slime just get chucked away after it's been made.

There is other unisex toys. Unless you ask the mum you wont find out the girl's interests. Mine would also like small dinosaur toys or hot wheel cars.

Squishmallow

That’s what most girls are into, (yes, because of social expectations).

Miniverse Make It Mini Food Kits. They're insanely viral right now. Sold in blind boxed balls that let you make tiny miniature food (bubble tea, avocado toast, rainbow cereal etc). Definitely a lot better and creative than the horrifically ugly and overpriced LOL dolls.

@thecatinthetwat this whole sexism thing about toys works the other way too. I have done activities with boys and many love Hama beads and bracelet making as much as girls do !
For a 7 year old I would suggest a Lego set.
I might even suggest a Lego Friends set….oh the horror.
Or best bet - just ask the parents what they are into.

I think you're just being more "pick me" than you realised. (Pick-Me Women are those who pride themselves in being different to other women, usually with loud, demonstrative statements that deliberately go against what's typically expected of female behaviour). The vast majority of 7 year old girls I know love glittery, rainbows, unicorns and crafting. It's one of the easiest ages to shop for because they have very simple, clearly defined interests. Especially if it's someone the OP doesn't know well and presumably doesn't interact with regularly, a token gift that is typical for a small girl seems more appropriate than using it as an opportunity to make a statement about gender roles in society.

In the £8-10 range I'd get a small Lego set - either Lego friends, or one of the three in one sets that can be rebuilt in different shapes. Animal themes ones are popular with most girls that age.

Pass the Pigs, travel Guess Who, or these bad boys
https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/rockin-pens-acrylic-paint-markers-8-pack/6499261000.html?glCountry=GB&gclid=CjwKCAjwzJmlBhBBEiwAEJyLu1Idu0cC3Qy2NTsYvkb-IRA_U_Rn8TAHVCxgnAtzSu_OEHM9vhcBYRoC9QIQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds all you need is a few pebbles for hours of fun (peace)

In my DDS circle the 'real littles' are popular- you can get the mini backpacks with stationery or mini crafts. Very cute and they all have them on their school bags. Squishmallows are popular too.

If she is a reader Kiran Milwood Hargraves is brilliant. My DD(8) loves her books, the girl of ink and stars is her favourite and she read it at 7. They are lovely and have strong female leads.

I've been getting the Melissa and Doug Secret Decoder set for DD7's friends this year, both boys and girls, always seems to go down well :)

Lego (something other than Lego friends so she’s got some decent bricks to re-use)
LOL dolls - horrible little things but I don’t know a young girl who isn’t fascinated by them
water bottle- a funky one that doesn’t leak. Maybe with her name on and a top that pops up. At my daughters school they love to show off their water bottles to each other and the parents will like you for this!
hair accessories- can never have enough of these

sorry if that is too girly for some people! I have 3 DDs and have always given them cars, dinosaurs etc to play with when little but then they all gravitate towards the pink glittery unicorn crap.

DD is 6.5.
She would love a:
Squishmallow,
A book (especially if there was a bar of chocolate in there too!)
A pretty t-shirt with sequins etc on it
Arts and crafts - headband or jewellery making sets, blo pens, gel pens
Nice note pad
Anything from Smiggle!
A selection of chocolate bars!

She wouldn't like a bath bomb or jelly type sweets (like Haribo), but that's just her!