3.6yo DD, 1.4yo DS - present ideas?!

[AlgebraRocksMySocks]

I have no idea what to get my kids for Christmas. So I'm going to be immensely rude and just list our requirements! :o I would be really grateful for any suggestions or if you could tell me what you're getting your little ones!

• small house so can't have anything really big.

• budget, not sure exactly but definitely less than £100 for both of them. probably a lot less TBH!

• prefer stuff that I can do with them as opposed to just leaving them to it, as I'm making a big effort to play with them more, especially with DD.

• they aren't really mad about branded/character stuff yet so I'd prefer to avoid it as they're usually more expensive.

• I have a leaning towards educational stuff but I don't want to go overboard with it, DD is also more into imaginative/role play since starting nursery.

• I get discount on everything in Boots (they often do ELC toys etc), but as we have internet now I'm thinking Amazon :o

TIA! :)

oh - 2 more sorry

• DD isn't massively girly though she does like pink, but is equally mad about trains etc.

• only got a front lawn, it's tiny and not fenced so garden toys are out of the question :(

sorry to be completely unhelpful but marking my spot

The aquadraws are fab, they can draw without making a mess and DS still uses his now for noughts and crosses etc. Playdough and collage items are also great and easy to store.

Orchard toys do some fab games and jigsaws and have an online store or you can buy from Amazon.

Can't really help with your DD, but my DS (now two) loves www.boots.com/en/BRIO-Fun-on-the-Farm-Set_950849/ this]] Brio train set which came from Boots and can be easily added to as he gets older with bigjigs wooden train accessories (which are much cheaper than brio).

I second Orchard toys - www.boots.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CatalogSearchResultView?storeId=10052&catalogId=10551&langId=-1&pageSize=12&beginIndex=0&sType=SimpleSearch&resultCatEntryType=2&searchTerm=Orchard+toys&newDepSearch=&x=0&y=0 Boots]] now stock a selection of them. DS loves his, and I know a lot of friends with older DCs enjoy them too. The instructions usually have a few different ways to play the game, so it grows with them IYSWIM.

How about a pop up tent/tunnel - if space is tight at least it can be put away at bed time.

DS also really likes his happyland sets now - he probably started to get into them at around 18 months. Also available at Boots 3 for 2. In fact both your DD and DS would probably like it.

HTH.

Oops

brio

orchardtoys

thanks both :)

they already have a wooden train set (not Brio though :() and a tent/tunnel. and my parents got DS some happyland for his birthday - the massive martian moonhouse! he's opening it today while they are here. orchard toys are great, she's got shopping list, insey winsey spider and pick n mix people. what other ones are good?

anyway I looked around yesterday and thought I'd post what I've found for OhCobblers and others.

bath basketball

fridge phonics

doctor's kit or similar tool kit

maisy game

car transporter

camera

silly stackers game

noisy thomas

thats very kind Algebra!
love the fridge phonics!

dd 3.1 has a fridge phonics that is aeroplane shaped with room for 3 letters, it has diffrent levels that can just tell you a letter sound and progresses to finding letters to form 3 letter words so will last longer, dd loves it.
elc easel is very good.
hungry hippos.
elc keyboard.

ok, not sure if this will be helpful but our toy tray thing is divided into

lego/duplo
doll clothes
musical instruments
things that go (cars etc)
blocks
animals
fuzzy felt

My kids are 4 and 2 and play with all the above together.

ooh familyfun thanks for that - I'd seen that 3-letter phonics thing, but didn't realise it had the one-letter option as well so I will check that out :)

another thing I was looking at for DS was spinning cogs

and if anyone's interested, this is what we chose for DS for his birthday tomorrow, from my parents (they used a voucher so it was £32) - he's already opened it while my parents were here and it is absolutely fantastic! DD loves it too. highly recommend it :)

Sorry can only help with DD:

Roller skates
Scooter
Hama Beads
Sticky mosaics (search on amazon - they are great)
Games - Guess Who, My first Monopoly, Ludo, Snakes and Ladders
Duvet cover - character of her choice. I know you said no characters but DDs duvet was her favourite gift last year.
Playmobil

A bit boring but I got this for my best friend's 4 year old DD last year because her mum wanted to have some concept of the days of the week etc. before she started school.

Also if your DD likes role play etc then maybe stuff like this or this

When mine were that age their presents were mostly ebay, charity shop, nct sales or home made they don't notice boxes at that age so in other words were what we saw cheap but good.
Off 'mum and dad' (opposed to Santa) they get a 'christmas eve' present of new pjs, a book, slippers/or dressing gown and maybe a home made blanket or soft toy.
Off Santa they get one thing plus a stocking which is big enough to fit in a few decent size things
Over years best toys we have had are

• building stuff - wooden blocks for youngest if you haven't got, mine still used them at 8
• happyland when they were young
• toy food and pans etc - early learning centre stuff that you can use to make ice creams or sandwiches etc are fab
• dressing up clothes!! Some actual outfits others hats/scarves/necklaces from charity shops
• Early learning centre farm is good - can ask family for animals
• puppet theatre - I made one that hung in a doorway on some hooks I stuck in door frame (and hence rolled up small). The some second hand ebay puppets.

Mine are the same age, and the toys they play with together (again and again) are...

Toy post box & letters (ELC)
Toy microwave & food (M&S)
Playdoh and cutters, rollers etc
Magnetic letters/numbers

sorry to jump in like this, but just thought i should mention if any of you are near a home bargins the fridge phonics is only £6.99 there saw it the other day so got one.:)

ooh will check that out thanks :)

my parents asked me to choose the kids presents from them, and they agreed on a kidizoom camera for DD (it's cheaper online ATM) and the ELC car transporter which I'm getting tomorrow as I have one of those little stars vouchers.

My DD was 3.4 last Christmas and her big present was a wooden cooker. The grandparents (many, divorced families!) then bought wooden play food and saucepans etc. It is worth its weight in gold and every visiting child has to be dragged away Look at BigJigs or similar on Amazon for the best food and kitchen bits.

A puppet theatre is also very popular, as is a wooden farm set (again, easy to add to in small bits)

I hear what you're saying about the small house but although the cooker is free standing and large, the stuff is all stored in it (cooker and cupboards and washing machine etc on all 4 sides and up to DD's head height) so it is really quite useful. I have a tiny 2bed house and I was OK. Nightmare to store beforehand though It was new and boxed from Ebay for about £70 with delivery but it can be done cheaper. I just really liked the dimensions of this one and didn't want a plastic version.

Revolving Disco Glitter Ball with light, my DD loves hers.

about £16 on Ebay.

A cooker is great - I got one last year for dd3 (2 3/4 then).

I can't think of much else tbh - but thanks so much for mentioning the fridge phonics - dd3 is v in to phonics!