Ideas for Christmas presents to give this summer?

[Dysgu]

Since DD2 was born (Dec 2008) we have given both DDs their main Christmas present in the summer - this works for several reasons:

• DD2 is a Christmas Eve baby and this means that she gets a gift at a different time of the year rather than absolutely everything being within the same 24 hours.
• I am a teacher so I have the 6 weeks off - this gives us plenty of time to play with whatever the gift(s) are.
• It means we can budget and buy big gifts now and other gifts later.

Girls still get a couple of small gifts from us as Christmas (usually something in the 2 for £15 in Argos) and Father Christmas brings them a stocking with about a dozen small things (pencils, colouring book, socks, pants etc!)

SO...
We are stuck for what to get them this summer. If we ask them (considering they are 5 and 3.5yo) they basically want anything or nothing from the Argos catalogue.

DD1 has said she still wants a main present at this time of year rather than have everything in December - she is a September baby.

Previous presents have included:
2011 DD1 bike DD2 scooter
2010 DD1 balance bike DD2 picnic bench/sandpit (best gift ever!!!!)

We do like it to be either something 'summer-y' or else something worthy of being main Christmas gift - any ideas??

My DS has a December birthday (he'll be 13 yo this year) so I know it's a pain and an expense buying Christmas and birthday within the space of a few weeks.(Though DS is the first week in December)

One of the best things we bought them ,when DS was 4 and DD was 1.6, was a wooden playhouse, like a little Swiss Chalet.
It's got a slightly raised wooden plinth floor (very important in later years), 4 windows (perspex) a wooden door. The floorspace is 5'7" x 5'5".
They had tiny chairs and a table in there. A little cupboard for toys.

Then last year we had new residents move in (which is why I'm glad it's raised). Our 2 guinea-pigs have the Playhouse. The window has been mesh and wire lined and we can take the perspex part out.And a screen door fitted behind the wooden door for ventilation.
It's kept them safe and protected.And after years of outdoor play for the DC I'm really glad it's got a new Incarnation.

Thankyou 70 that is a good idea - I think we will look into it. We only have a very small back yard which is decked on two levels and the girls have the lower level. I think I will have a look and see what I can find that would fit - and DD1 especially would love the idea that it could one day turn into a guinea pig house.