What did you get for DCs if you didn't get them a tablet/kindle/ipod/gadget ??

[Demolicious]

Just had fabulous Christmas and Boxing Day, lots of food/games/family. Nieces and nephews aged 6 to 11 got given the above from their parents, mainly to stop DCs running their parent's phone/ipad batteries down. We didn't get these for ours, mainly because we already have laptops in the house, DH's ipad, xbox, ipod, etc, which are used by everyone, and because there were other things on their list. We did suggest kindles but they said they didn't really need one because even though they read alot, kindles aren't allowed in school and hence they couldn't put reading books on there and take to school. They don't mind carrying books around.

Just wondering what else people bought for their 10-13 year olds ? DCs are fine, it's just me, I am feeling really awful right now and feeling like a terrible parent.

DS who is 11, got a tool box, ropes, a hatchet, Swiss Army knife and tarpaulins etc. he's made a zip wire and his auntie went down there tonight!!!!

Ooh beachy, my Ds would love that. He got a Ray Mears survival guide and a book on knots and a compass. I'm not going to tell him about the death slide!

Ds, almost 6, got scaletrix as his main present, also Lego.

DD 7.7 got a we sing game and disco light, a lego house, a few clothes, lots of books.

DD aged 15 - remote controlled helicopter, cds and dvds.

DD aged 12 - jewellery, stuff for bedroom, bags

Neither wanted anything like an ipad etc so I took advantage and had the cheapest Christmas that I've had for a long time. I did have a bit of a wobble in the week before but they got what they asked for and were happy with their haul.

DD is 10, she didn't get a single 'big present' - mainly because we were going to buy her a surfboard but she has been given one on long term loan!

Instead she got some books, a wooly hat with fleece inner, a wii game and a new dressing gown (latter an 'extra' as she desperately needed one so would have had it anyway IYSWIM). She seemed very happy with all the above :)

What she would really like is the VW to go with the surfboard, but she's got a few years to wait yet

Ds just 17 was given a dart board. We've all had great fun today...now we've managed to secure it to the wall...it's incredibly heavy!!

Ds is just turned 6 he got imaginext batman stuff, spiderman costume and crap accessories, star wars vehicles, hexbug, playmobil.

My mum did get him a wii and he's been very chuffed with it but his favourite present by FAR has been a cowboy hat that cost me 50p at a car boot

Dd is 2 y 3m she got baby annabell, mr tumble doll and a wooly the spider.

Ds is just turned 6 he got imaginext batman stuff, spiderman costume and crap accessories, star wars vehicles, hexbug, playmobil.

My mum did get him a wii and he's been very chuffed with it but his favourite present by FAR has been a cowboy hat that cost me 50p at a car boot

Dd is 2 y 3m she got baby annabell, mr tumble doll and a wooly the spider.

Bea where did you buy woolly from?

Marbulous marble run
Mandala
Toy dog agility set
Detective set (that I had to invent as there is no such thing) with notebook and pencil, trilby, false mustache, glasses, white gloves and pipe.

presents they liked the best:

A watch for my 12 yr old dd - old fashioned analogue watch, so she can tell the time when waiting for lessons/the bus etc... hasn't taken it off yet.

Harry Potter UNO for 10 yr old dd - keeps trying to beat her competitive dad

(present I liked best - a home made coupon for "A moment of peace and quiet")

9yo got a lot of lego. His big present was this, which took him a good 2 days to build.
www.amazon.co.uk/LEGO-Technic-9395-Pick-Up-Truck/dp/B005KIQ2YA/ref=sr_1_12?s=kids&ie=UTF8&qid=1356720042&sr=1-12

Our kids are 11,9,6,2. They got a little bit of lego, books, a CD each (either orchestral or choir), that sort of thing really.

Nothing electronic at all!

DS (9) got Lego Technic, compact camera (big hit!), Skylander figures & books.
DD (nearly 6) got roller skates, Barbie mermaids and craft sets.

Board games, books, Wii games, Lego.

DD got five balloons filled with rice and sequins from me. She loves them! She's only 1 btw and I'm saving for future years.

Pearlywhites - iwantacampervan on here made him for me

Dd (11) did get an iPad from her grandparents but she was equally as excited at the seeing machine and portable ballet barre we bought her. She also got £20 clothes gift voucher

Oh and we also bought her a ted baker themed make up set. & Bloch cosmetics carrier.

Dd (10) clothes, boots, craft kits, beanbag, cds, books
Ds2 (10) cheap video camera, Lego, Cd player/radio (which is permanently tuned to 5 live sport!) Loop the Loop car track thingy (with matchboxy type cars)
Ds1 (12) Nerf gun, cds, Bean bag

No ipads or ipods or kindles here. Dh has one, and we've decided ds does better with books after a few kindle reads which he has not really taken in. They had ipod shuffles but lost them!

DD (9) got a book, some clothes, some nail polish and a paper weaving kit.
DD (14) got a book, some clothes, a manicure set (inc. polish)

They got a WII game to share.

We're not hard up and could easily have afforded ipads etc for them but they just don't need them. They're happy with books and clothes and (for DD2) toys still. I'm not in a rush for them to grow up too fast.

That's a Wii game - not a war game!

My DDs did get tablets from their grandparents, but from us they had had Olympic tickets in the summer, so we didn't do major gifts thus year. My DD (9) got 7 framed pictures (of Nadia Comaneci, Louis Smith, her with Beth Tweddle and some professional pictures that were taken of her whilst she was competing), a silver ring (one of her favourite presents - a bargain at £6!), a holder to hang all her medals on and a new leotard. She also got a beam as a joint present with her sister from her other grandparents.

Other gifts she liked were: board games, bingo, clothes, books about gymnastics, music CDs and Heelies.

Dd1 (11) - Camera (not sure if that counts as electronic or not), Hollister hoodie and craft kit

Dd2 (nearly 10) iPod touch and Matilda tutor doll

Dd3 (5.5) - unicorn huggle buddy, lego friends set, ballerina doll

I don't like too much electronic stuff too soon. My rule of thumb is, wait until they've wanted something for a year or so, they appreciate it more...and don't buy when they're too young. I can just about justify an iPod for a 10 year old if they've wanted one for a while....but a £300 ipad for a 6 year old?? No way.

picturesinthefirelight, tell me more about the ballet barre. I have a keen ballet dancer here!