To not have a clue what to get my 4 year old girl for christmas?

[fixarupa]

Fairly trivial problem, I know. I trogged round ToysRus for an hour and still none the wiser. Is it me or are girl toys a bit crap? All pink, sparkly and mostly all trying to instill values in my little girl I would rather avoid. Oh alright she does have some barbies and stuff but I wanted to get her something with a little more substance.

Any ideas? Anyone???

Has she not given you any ideas what she wants?

If you think she would prefer something in the 'boys aisle' then get her that though!

My DD is getting playmobile vet and a dress up vet outfit. The ILs have got her a my little pony wedding set she has had her heart set on for ages.

Budget?

A Micro scooter?

I went to ToysRUs this week, and it frightened me!

Playmobil is great. Or a wooden dolls house, if she likes dolls. Train set if she prefers trains.

Have a look on Letterbox, or a similar toys website for classic toys.

Duplo was our best the last two years running. She's nearly five now and has asked for it again.

I also got her a CD player from ELC and a baby Annabell. She still prefers her first baby annabell which is smaller.

We are getting DD1 (almost 4) a bike and a dollshouse because she plays with SILs one and loves it.

We were going to get her a camera but we are waiting until her birthday for that.

Books? A CD Player? A kids tablet?

How about some Lego?

My DD is 4 too, she's getting a muthafuckin' drum kit...(high fives self)

Have you asked her what she would like? Scooters are a good bet, DD adores her scooter.

Playmobil? Sylvanian families? Wooden train set? Art stuff? Model animals or dinosaurs if she likes them?

First, get an argos/toys r us catalogue. Invite her to look through it and circle any that she likes the look of. Then if you are doing the Santa thing, write The List and put it on the mantelpiece. When she has gone to bed, remove the list to a safe place and sprinkle the mantle with elf dust (aka glitter) then sit down on pc and order toys according to your budget/preference on click& collect/home delivery etc. all you need to do then is wait for them to arrive, hide them, wrap once she is in bed, and produce them at the appropriate time. Make sure you point out the missing letter and the elf dust the next day for added effect.
If you aren't doing the Santa thing you can just skip the middle bit and take the catalogue and make your own list.
We did 10 toys on the Santa list this year, of which the man in red will select 5 to bring for them. That way they get stuff they want, but there is still an element of surprise in there on the big day.

We have no fixed budget really, just up to about 60 quid I guess if it was something really special. We got her a scooter last year (for £15) but she has hardly used it really (lazy little legs!) I liked the idea of a dolls house as it could be something to add to in years to come, but my goodness they cost a fortune! My husband wanted to get her a large model of the human body complete with internal organs!!! I had to talk him out of that one, I couldn't do that to the poor child. Although she would probably love it as she likes gruesome stuff! Its not exactly your typical christmas gift though.

Thomas the tank engine
Duplo/lego
books
puzzles
playdough
skipping rope
paint/crayons
games like snakes and ladders
dvds or audio cds
set to make your own cards

Tag Reader? DD (almost 5 this year) got one last year and really enjoys it. She's getting an interactive map of the world to go with it this year.

Audio CDs from Amazon - DD likes My Naughty Little Sister and various fairy tales to listen to in the car. I've got her some Roald Dahl ones for Christmas.

On the not so worthy list, she's getting a Barbie, a jewellery music box and an assortment of Hello Kitty tat.

first mistake was going to toys r us! ;)

I like www.nicnacnoo.com/ for internet shopping, and a couple of local stores for other shopping.

Since you mentioned barbies, what about a house for them? Or a closet thing to organise all the precious crap they will accumulate? Car?

What tv shows does she watch? What does she like?

If it helps: I've bought my 3 1/2 year old DD this for her christmas pressie.

Dolls house for £35 here

We have already built ours up and its really sturdy. Not cheap crap.

Dolls house furniture here

The furniture looks a bit crap but we intend to add good furniture over time. This is just so she can play with it strainght away.

compare.ebay.co.uk/like/170948319211?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&adtype=pla&crdt=0

sinagalongz dont know if its any good - won toy of year or something....the cat sings along with the child - very cheap on line the entertainer shop.

hobby horse

My DD (10) is getting that Asda doll's house.

My 4 yo DS is getting a Kiddizoom camera (because I am fed up.of him pinching mine and finding full of 4000 pictures of the floor and loo).

oooh! Good idea, Bikerunski! I will suggest that to DH, who doesn't know what to get our girl...

:o Bike!

DD1 takes pictures of her own feet and the dog, aswell as random pictures of walls and floors. Some of them were quite good so I kept them.

dd not quite 2 has a drum kit too

I've got my 4 yo a leap pad 2. I've got it all set up, downloaded the apps so it's all set to go. We're going abroad for Xmas so should keep her quiet for a bit on the plane!

Things that my girls loved last year were from yellow moon- a school set and post office- have a google they've been brill!

I always find it really easy to buy for my girls usually because of the dog eared Smyths catalogue.

My dd2 has just turned 5 and between her birthday and Christmas she is getting/has got :

Books
Brave stuff
The wedding My Little Pony thing
Lego/Playmobil
A jewellery box with music
Some blue teddy/tatty teddy light/mushroom house thing
Scooby Doo Pirate ship

She still loves Lalaloopsies - which are reduced everywhere.

My dd1 got the Asda dolls house a few years ago, it has really stood the test of time.