10yo DD - neither a 'girly girl' nor a tomboy...HELP!

[WyrdByrd]

Haven't got a clue what to get her really. A few ideas but none of them great:

Dough Vinci - novelty will wear off after an hour and it'll be another box of crap to add to the pile

Microscope: Not sure whether I really want this for me

Need gun that send secret messages - totally up her street but as she's an only child seems a bit pointless.

Basketball hoop: Perfect but DH has vetoed as we have gardens on 3 sides of ours & is worried about lost balls

She likes fantasy/sci fi/detective books and wants to be a spy when she grows up. Likes coding, basketball, loom bands, making kawaii figures with fimo & has dabbled with sewing recently.

Everything I can think of is either too expensive or will lose it's appeal quickly.

Any ideas?

Have just casually mentioned 'this great site called TWSU that someone linked to on MN' which led to a convo about raspberry pi.

I think we may have solved the 'big present' problem.

Thank you ladies !

I know you've got the main present sorted but if you want anything else I bought dd the John Adams hot wires thing last year and it is brilliant, lots of bits that you can join to make all sorts of things, very educational but fun.

My dd is very much like yours, not girly girl or tom boy, just with a wide range of interests and she loved this (she's 10 as well)

I have got DD1 (10) a kindle for Xmas as she loves reading and I'm sick of seeing books strewn across her bedroom floor or piled high in her bed.

She also has a nerf crossbow thing, some fashion designer stuff (very arty wants to be a designer when she is older) and some my little pony collector items.

Thanks Why - I think that was what she saw on TV this morning so will definitely look into that too.

Won't have anything sorted until I've done battle with DH & made absolutely sure The Olds won't go & by the same bloody thing. We're getting Harry Potter Studio tickets from the IL's so I don't have to worry about them this year. Families...who'd have 'em?!

Re the Nerf stuff - what do they actually do with them? Are the something that can be played with solo?

Dd is an only, has the Nerf crossbow and it's fab - I collect up empty pop bottles, milk cartons etc and she sets them up all over the garden (may need weighting down - marbles or smart price rice is good for that) and tries to shoot them down from further and further away. Honestly think she enjoys it more alone than using it with friends. Get a refill pack with lots more bullets though, then they don't have to be collected up so often.

Get a voucher for an activity, one off likd Go Ape or a series of lessons at a local climbing wall.

If you do get a Raspberry Pi there are some fab books out there for kids (aswell as more 'adult' ones) with various projects, learning to programme on it etc so you don't need to be techy minded yourself

athome

The ikea mats are really good. All different cours of green and a good size and thickness. They make a lovely gift. I bought one for dd2 (as an extra gift as she has a main) but I'll buy a much bigger one for dd1. They can be used for den building as they stand on their sides etc!

DS (9) got Hotwires last year. He loves it and 12 year old DD enjoys it too. Especially the more complicated projects. Remote control cars can be great for either too.

A kit to make a birdhouse? With some tools. A gingerbread house kit? Some of the silly science kits are fun, or a soap making kit.

Honestly I'd put my foot down for a the basketball hoop.

As well as basketball it's very likely Y5/6 will play inter school netball. It's inevitable in PE at senior school.

DD2's class were regularly slaughtered by the prep school. They would have loved someone who could shoot.

I've been trying to get the basketball hoop past him for the best part of year.

The irony is DH is really sporty (in fact playing basketball was how he injured his ankle hence being unable to rollerblade) and DD has never been until now, so I thought he'd be thrilled and really into the idea. She's tall as well so has the potential to get pretty good at it, however...

...our left hand neighbours are great, right hand OK, but rear ones a bit of a pain - no trouble on a day to day basis but as soon as any issue arises (mostly fence panel related) they want to pass the buck or just not communicate.

If all she's doing is shooting into a net with a back-board I don't think the risk is that great but he's really anti the idea.

Looking at some mini, indoor ones but none of the reviews seem great.

dd1 is into spying and got given a pair of walkie talkies. She LOVES them. She also got secret messages pen (UV) and a pen which records things.

She sounds very similar to your dd. recently she has had/will get roller blades, nerf guns, basketball, stunt scooter, build a bear workshop (she got a boy bear in a football strip) football boots.

She would love a tablet plus minecraft an some other games.

I am getting the soft archery kit from Decathalon for my soon to be 11 yr dd
She has been asking for this since watching the Olympics and also coming back from her school France trip where they played archery.

Was told its brilliant as one of my friends also have the same kit
Also got 4 extra bows and they are safe as they have suckers rather than points

That will be her main present whereas the 13ys dd will be getting a guitar and learn to play guitar as her main present

39 Your daughter sounds very like mine .

Which recording pen did you get? I've been looking at them on Amazon for a couple of weeks & the reviews are very hit & miss.

Your mentioning guitar has reminded me to add ukulele bits to the list. I didn't get any for her birthday because I thought ILs were going to.

She loves her Build a Bear too, but given that their wardrobe is more extensive (and expensive!) than mine I'm a bit loathe to indulge them anymore. I think they do a little flamingo 'buddy' though, which I might get her - a bit of an 'in joke' between the two of us .

Sorry - was twolittle with the guitar player!

DD keeps asking for a capo and in sure she'd appreciate a blingy new strap.

Thanks jamtoast12. Off to have a look