What to get 5yo boy and 6yo girl that are not 'toys'?

[KnickersOnOnesHead]

Both ds and dd have more than enough toys to not play with and break and I am getting a little stuck as to what I can get them.

They are both getting a tv/dvd combi as their 'main' present. I picked up two brand new zu zu sets for dd for £8 off the carboot a few weeks ago.

They will get two new outfits each (one for xmas day, one for boxing day) then a set of pjs and dvd each.

I'm stuck! What are you getting your/other 6 and 5 year olds?!

Pillow pets - dd had unicorn last year. Loves it. They do boyish ones too.
Books
My dcs get a new set of pens or coloured pencils every year. Colouring books? Dd loves craft sets. This year she's getting the aqua beads spiral kit.
Mine love note books, stationery sets etc

chess set. better felt tips & colouring books.

Books.

A watch, if they are learning to tell the time.

A box filled with kiddie baking stuff. Mixing bowl, coloured spatulas and wooden spoons, sprinkles, bun cases etc.

Character bubble bath, towel, flannel.

Swim bag and googles, with swim suit.

Swim stuff, sports bags, new swim costume, hat, gloves, crafts (as they'll use up by new year!).

i'm always bit surprised when people say they don't need to any new toys as my kids are 8&6 and the stuff they were into last year, they're not now? Last year was barbie, this year lego and monster high for example. I find most kids have moved on to a new range after a year or so.

Swimming lessons
Riding lessons
Panto tickets

Mine don't play with many toys though have found a fair few for them. Also giving -

swim bag, pencils, colouring books, sledges, hooded towels if I ever get around to making them other ideas if not for this Christmas a birthday - mechanical pencil sharpener, labelling machine (I loved mine as a kid), prism, magnets, science stuff. Mine aren't particularly into latest crazies so will play with stuff that doesn't date - have been fighting for days over building with some wooden dominoes and jenga blocks!

What about board games?

Do swimming toys count as toys? They are a bit different, anyway. Sticks to pick up from the bottom of the pool, things like that. Zoggs do a range of things.

Trips. Nights away camping as a family. Kids theatre. Trains somewhere cool.

Some new dressing up clothes
Non-fiction books like the Usborne see inside range
Sticker books
Audio books (could be played on the DVD/video combi)
Cheap digital camera

DD is getting a framed poster (hopefully) of her favourite picture - Father Christmas is going to hang it up on the wall by the tree

Duvet covers you wouldn't normally buy

if you don't want more toys than it's stuff you can make things with really

crafty bits and cooking baking stuff as others have suggested

there are also loads of sciency type kits about

magazine subscription? adopt an animal type thing?

or resort to the "hard to buy for adults thing" of vouchers - like buy a compass or pair of binoculars and add a home made voucher for a walk in the wild woods, or a pond-dipping net and bucket and a home-made voucher for a trip to the seaside

what about tickets for something? Last year I got dd tickets to see the snowman at the theatre, I printed off a card saying you are going to see...and got her a small snowman teddy to go with it.

A membership to something, like a season ticket to the local soft play?

Wind-up torch?

Family games
Tent
Sleeping bags
A pass for the zoo or cinema
A basketball net for the garden
Scooters

Our best used and favourite present that was not a toy was membership of London Zoo (we live in NE London). We got loads from that.

We're moving now but will find our favourite local attraction where we're going and do that next year.

Walkie talkies are great too. And we did magazine subscription - all 3 things were gifts that (sorry be cliched) just kept on giving!