Presents for 2 and 3 year olds on a budget?

[xMinerva]

Due to a massive move we're in the process of doing, money is tight this year.

We can stretch to £50 for each of them. (Not including the £10 each on stockings)

I have just bought a pink digital camera for ds1 (3yrs old) off eBay for £10. That'll be his main present as he's been asking for a pink camera for months now.

Ds2 (2 today) has just got loads of Happyland stuff (2nd hand as well, right bargain hunter I am ). He also just got loads of dinosaurs and trucks off family members which are the only 2 things he's really interested in at the moment.

I was thinking of finding one present for ds2 as well then spending the remaining money on a joint gift (and therefore possibly making it even cheaper)

And that's where I draw a blank.

Any ideas?

Pop up tents and tunnels £20

www.elc.co.uk/Pop-Up-Tunnel-and-Tents/122605,default,pd.html

Big and impressive, loads of fun, great for joint present, can use indoors and out. My dd1 got hers for her 2nd birthday, she's 10 now, and all 3 were having a ball with them last week!

And folds small for stashing away! Should have said.

That's a fab idea. Folding small is a bonus. Means I can buy it now and still take it with me in the suitcase for the move.

That was pretty easy.

Thank-you.

Does the move involve a garden? If so I would stick with what you have, and get them garden toys when you move. At that age they don't give 2 hoots about volume /value of presents

I was about to suggest play dough from poundshop and other such budget stuff when I.saw.£50, is that budget? Really?

Obviously not in your opinion nailak?. I did say we were stretching to £50 and I wanted to try and get it cheaper if possible. (we're actually only putting £25 towards it, my mum is giving us the other £25 each for them)

I don't think £50 is that much really. I mean for my 11yr old Dss, that just about buys him one Xbox game.

Even for smaller children. Ds1 has been looking at pink cameras for months and if I didn't go down the 2nd hand digital and got him, say, the kiddiezoom camera instead, that's £30/35 right there.

However play dough from the poundshops sounds good, will have to keep an eye out in my local one to see if they get any in.

Poundland does great socks and sometimes has good branded toys in too.

Wilkos does good colouring ins and usually bogof.

I buy all dds books from charity shops, have a few stashed to wrap up.

Could you buy them a big joint prezzie of say a wooden train track and trains then just need stockings?

You'll be moved by Christmas right? In that case don't forget the change of seasons - the weather (in theory!) should be lovely, so outdoor stuff will get lots of use. I second the play tent idea as a joint present.

What about bucket/spade type stuff? You could hold of getting it until you arrive.

They are fairly easy at that stage, but one thing you'll probably notice is how things are a lot less materialistic (at least for kids) here. I don't seem to see as much branded stuff out and about.

Also wilko does playdough set with cutters and small rolling pin for about £3 Avon sale sometimes has good kids stuff like giant board games, camera, etc.

Asda has good selection of pre school toys for around £3 like microphone, also my ds likes cars so we buy him cars die casts from Asda/Tesco they are around £4, I bought my dd a talking cooking pot thing, came with spoon and plastic chunky veg, it sings, teaches oppossites like on and off and stuff, it was £12 in Asda, they also have toy laptops etc for similar price.

Poundland also has good DVDs for kids sometimes like singing ones etc, and bubbles 9 for a pound good for stockings, soft balls 6 for a pound and stuff, although I wouldn't buy the plastic stuffs.

Also my mum has wrapped up my old barbies for my eldest dd who is 5 before, so might be an option.

That's all I can think of at the moment.

Just don't stress, your kids are young, I am sure they will be thrilled with anything you get them, and just the whole experience of Christmas and opening the presents under the tree etc will be just as important, if not more important then the presents. In years to come they may remember this Christmas due to the excitement and wonder, and laughter and fun, but they probably won't remember what their presents are.

Sorry for.coming accross aggressive before.

Cars as in cars te movie, btw not random cars

Car boot sales are brilliant. Mine never had anything much new as kids and were quite happy. Or try charity shops and ebay. Kids loved lots of presents to open. Local papers often advertise outgrown toys for sale. Good luck!

vviola are you in the southern hemisphere? Because quoting in £ assumes OP is not and at Christmas the weather is likely to be shite most definitely not lovely for playing outdoors!

Great ideas on here people - I am inspired.

Bonzo I am, but I also know from chatting to the OP elsewhere, that she's heading in this direction too (xMinerva hope you didn't mind me mentioning it).

Otherwise, yes, for N hemisphere I wouldn't be recommending bucket & spade type presents ... brrrr ....

bubble rocket great fun

LOL! £50 is normally our generous "big" present cost per DC!

Second car boot sales idea. DS is 15 mo and loves anything with wheels. We've picked up loads of toys for 50p to a couple pounds each.

Do you have brio? A sh brio bundle will keep them busy for years. Duplo also has hours of open ended play.

I agree. £50 is top end in my opinion for children so young. I would stick to the second hand stuff you have already and buy a swing set or playhouse for the garden as a joint gift that will last.

Tesco and Asda have play dough less than a quid usually, and it is proper stuff, not imitation.

As you are moving, perhaps curtains or duvets on a theme if you have not got them already?

Hi vvv yes, we'll be there by Christmas. Just over 2 weeks to go.

I wanted to try and get most stuff here before we go, that's why I'm thinking the pop up play tents would be a good idea. Easy to transport.

Both dc have full baggage allowance on the flight but all of our clothes will fit in one suitcase so thought of using some of the other baggage allowance for little presents and stuff for Christmas.

Bubble Rocket looks cool. The dc love bubbles.

Right, thanks everyone. Will look at getting a few bits from and boot sales and then getting bucket/spades etc when we moved.

Perhaps I won't need the £25 each from mum after all. And that's a good thing.

Good luck with the move
I agree with nailak that they won't remember their presents at their age. Just make it as stress free as possible for you!
Try home bargains or B&M if you have them near you. They are just getting Xmas stock in now and I got the bubble rocket I. There plus lots of other buts for the stocking for a pound or two

Ah if you're heading NZ/Oz way things will be cheaper over there anyway so I would wait until I got there to buy bigger things, especially the outdoors stuff. Good luck with the move. Sounds v exciting.