WWYD 6 yo dd only wants tat for xmas..

[FilthyRascal]

I know it's not a nice way of putting it but you know the sorts of things I mean... Tat that she has fallen for because of the ads not because they will actually be good /have a long play value..

So her list is:
The chill factory frozen yoghurt maker - we already have two, the jelly and slushy which she has used about twice.
Sparkle science - probably going to be messy and unsatisfying and will be a huge pain to do with her as I have 2 small DS's
Some other things like a blow up chair etc.

I have actually bought her:

Felt mermaid scene making set - she found this when she was being nosy though which has taken the shine off it a bit. I'm planning to give it anyway but I kind of feel a bit deflated.
Labyrinth junior game
Magic set - dh bought this, I'm very dubious about its value. I think it will be too hard and bits will get lost. But don't want to return something he bought iyswim.
Eye saw it game ( the Richard scarry one)

Other things I'm considering:
Candy grabber - I stumbled on this, as she's obsessed with them I thought one I'm not always saying no to might be nice! But it's £25 so a bit much for a novelty and as all her presents are looking a bit noveltyesque im thinking no?
Famous places book and tube of statues

At some point she needs / I want her to have a Desk. Not sure if will be Christmas / birthday etc though.
I suppose I'm conscious she doesn't have a "wow" or big gift? But perhaps I'm over thinking it. She doesn't really play with toys, loves craft. What would you do? Any advise for a slightly stressed mum?!

One of those huge sets of felt pens, crayons paints etc etc ,Pritt stick, some really good scissors that are safe for her to use, lovely paper especially shiny stuff so she can do cutting and sticking, colouring book. What about a book for her to read? I don't think you can go wrong with crafty stuff, especially if they can get on and do some of it on their own. I have to say I was surprised at how successful a dolls house was with my girls and their friends, they spent hours playing with it, and I used to add a bit each year. Is that her thing, or is she a bit young? I think as long as they get some of the stuff off the list that's fair enough. But no point in wasting money on stuff that will be cast aside. I have always set a spending limit and now mine are big girls they still stick to it!

How about a jewellery box to keep her treasures in? A really nice musical one?

Thanks so much everyone 😊

She has a dolls house (which she doesn't play with) and a jewellery box which she likes.

We have a spending limit too penny, in past years I've split it, half for things she's asked for and half for things I've chosen for her. Usually it's the things I've picked that she ends up actually playing with! I don't want to sound like the grinch though, I believe in the magic of Christmas and it being a time for getting exactly what you like (not all!) etc, it's just harder this year as I'm struggling to find something as a "big" gift rather than lots of small things that won't go the distance.. If that makes sense?

Fay, it's not that one it's from the entertainer. That one looks much better! Think it was £10. I think I may speak to dh about returning it tbh.

Do you think just getting one or two things from her list is ok?

I've got her some origami paper for her stocking and a few crafty bits and we always buy a nice book. I suppose I'm looking for a main present type thing, but I guess she could just have several smaller ones?

What does she like to do? eg if she likes to build then maybe a small Knex, good value in Smyths or a doll and pushchair. Or a dress up dress if she likes that.

When Dd was 6 she asked for and really wanted a rocking horse. Which we paid a small mortgage for. She never actually used it as a rocking horse but he was a character in various made up stories over the years. What I am trying to say is she probably doesn't really know what she wants.

I've decided after 12 years of parenting dd1 that the baby and the baby on the way will not do Xmas lists! They are more trouble than they're worth. Santa will just get what he thinks from now on

Something which was better than I expected & is on an Amazon Lighting Deal was a Disney Princess Snow Globe maker. Not really sciency & will require some help but may be something she'd like and a cheaper alternative to the science set.
I think I'd get the inflatable chair as it can't cost much and is the sort of thing that can "accidentally" get burst if it turns out to be a real pain.
And then I'd go to Hobbycraft and get bits. DD got her own sellotape dispenser for her 6th bday and was very excited by it!

My ds - also 6 - had a candy grabber for his birthday and has spent lots and lots of time playing with it! He doesn't always eat the sweets, he puts them back in. It's the 'winning' he likes. The music is somewhat loud though. I was woken by it every day for about a month.

I did a sweet shop thing once that was really cheap - would that do instead of the Candy Grabber? You can get little jars from Ikea for about 60p each, striped paper bags from ebay are cheap, little silver tongs from there too, lots of pick-and-mix. They play for hours with that (especially if a till and play money are involved!).

Your desk idea is a good one - I painted an old-fashioned one that I got in a charity shop for £10. It looks great and they can play schools with it as well as being functional, so maybe something like that filled with nice stationery? WH Smith have a huge Sharpies set for £12.99 when you buy anything else (big box too for wrapped impact!).

Looking back on when mine were much smaller, they actually remember you buying them the indulgent tat so I would go for it anyway .

I have a ds, he's getting a new helmet for his bike (which he asked for) does your dd have a bike? Or a scooter? Ds has asked for one of those scooters with a split down the middle to one foot plate for each foot iyswim!
I've just bought that magic set! Thanks for the idea :)

Shameful - yes she has both a bike and a scooter. That was last Christmas and birthday!

Falling - I do wonder if they remember the tat! Perhaps that's what Christmas is about?! I'm not one for buying any old thing they see during the year. Books, pens and that's pretty much it between Christmas and birthday! So I do wonder if I should just get her what she's asked for..
I love the sweet shop idea :) think she'd love that. Didn't they just eat all the pick n mix though? I wonder if mine might!
That has made me think though, last year she got a teachers set and post office which she LOVED so I might buy the expansion pack for the teachers set?
Will have a look at the desk - wondered if it was a bit dull?!

Giving - glad your DS liked it, it's got great reviews! Maybe I'll just get it for her, she asks to go on them every time we see one and I always say no!

That's not- I can't find the snow globe maker! She would love that! Think I must have missed it on lightening deals :(

Jw- think you're right on the Christmas list. DS (who is 3 and the easiest child to buy for ever) just says whatever comes to mind and then I feel I ought to buy it so I scrapped it for him this year!

Carrie- it's really tricky, she's not into Lego or any "toys" as such. Likes to play teachers, put on shows with her brother, crafty things. She does like playing with a dolly occasionally but we have all the basics (pushchair, bed etc) I think a rocking horse would go down well but don't really have the budget or space sadly!

Mine both adore the snow globe makers too. I think it's fine to only get a couple of things on list. I've gone mad in the past trying to get it all!

How about something like this?

www.amazon.co.uk/BIGJIGS-Wooden-Table-Puppet-Theatre/dp/B001N0EFZ2

With a packet of cheap socks and some googly eyes etc and a promise to show her how to make sock puppets? Or even a 'how to make sock puppets' book?

If she's really into craft stuff, make up a box of bits & pieces. I remember doing that for dd at around that age - and was a big hit. So packs of different coloured paper, glue, scissors, new pens, glitter etc all in a big box.

If she likes to play teachers, has she got a blackboard or easel that would also work well for her craft and drawing stuff?

ds is 7 and he had ordinary Labyrinth when he was 5 which he adored and still does. he also loves crafty things, making little stories and stuff so I've got a little animation set - has some backgrounds, some playdoh type stuff to make models, a book about it and other bits and bobs. There are plenty of apps around that will animate things if she has access to a smartphone or tablet... It wasn't expensive, all comes in a neat case, so looks good too.

Alternatively how about giving her a camera? ds1 had his first one when he was 4 (I got fed up of him pinching mine when we were out!) and ds2 is going to get his this year (at 7). I jumped the kiddy camera thing and got them proper cameras - you can get them on offer for reasonable prices. Avoid brands like vivitar and the ones that are made for £30 but when you start to look, you can often find ones from canon, nikon, panasonic, olympus etc (especially last year's models!) that get reduced to £40-60 instead of £100. Or you can get cheap smartphones for about £35 instead of £50 that have cameras in - don't put a sim in, just use it for taking pictures and put some picture apps on along with animation ones, few educational ones and a game or two...

Depends on how much you want to spend but it can be a great time to start taking pictures and films!

How about some musical instruments? I got my DCs a set a couple of years back, stuff like mini cymbals and tambourine etc. This year I'm adding to it with more unusual things as they still use them loads.

Can I ask, do you have a link for the tube of statues please? :)

A camera's a good idea :).... We bought ds one last year and he loved it :)

Yep, they do want to eat all the sweets - small jars . You can use grapes, orange segments, raisins, anything really - they like the bags and the scoops more than anything.

Also, I got them to set prices and then give them some cash each day over Xmas to buy them from themselves. Funnily enough, the prices got extortionate when everyone else was buying . . . even the teddies .

Mine want what I think of as expensive tat. £20 for a plastic bird in a cage..... I'd rather buy craft and construction. Its a hard line to walk isn't it!

My 7yo DD is only getting two things off her list, the Furreal Unicorn and a talking Chase stuffy, I know the other stuff on there is mainly cause it looked good in the toy catalogue, not stuff she has been hankering after IYSWIM.

Is your DD into Littlest Pet Shop? I just got a bargain on Amazon for the Pet Shop Style Set, it is a playset, but also a creative type toy with stickers and decorating bits. Comes in a big box so good for wow factor!

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00HX8OKQM?keywords=littlest%20pet%20shop&qid=1449457743&ref_=sr_1_6&s=kids&sr=1-6

It probably does class as tat though!!!

I do make sure there's a little tat each year but I would never get lots, just can't afford to. Christmas and birthdays are the only time they get new things really, so I can't waste the money on stuff that won't last the year.

I've banned any telly channels with adverts, and the argos catalogue :).... Seems to keep the wish list down!

Ah yes we restrict to cbeebies and cbbc ... but they've been to friends houses... who have THINGS!

DS1 (nearly 6) got a craft box as a main present last year - it was a cardboard box filled with pritt sticks, sellotape, a ream of paper, scissors, card, glitter glue, felt tips (nice ones!), colouring pencils, watercolour pencils, stickers, washi tape - cost about £50 in the end, there was loads! He absolutely loved it and it's still going strong nearly a year later.

His big sister had something similar for her birthday in the summer to stop her pinching all his stuff.