What were your 8/9 year old girls' best presents?

[Dancergirl]

Youngest dd is 8 (9 in February). I seem to have got her presents a bit wrong this year so want to get some ideas for her 9th birthday.

She's always loved lots of toys, dolls, Sylvanians etc. She put on her list (only about 6 weeks ago) lots of new clothes for her dolls including dance stuff and nightwear. I bought her these plus a surprise I thought she would love - a Fur Real Star Lily unicorn (cost £££). She played with it a bit but was a bit underwhelmed and told me this evening she thinks she is going off/outgrowing dolls.

Nothing wrong with that but it's so sudden, it's as if she's grown up overnight.

As Christmas was a bit of a disappointment for her, I'd really like to get it right for her birthday so need some good ideas. My older two dds are teens now but were still very much into toys at that age. I know it's very different for her having two older sisters, plus her school friends are into music, clothes etc so there is obviously influence there.

So should I take the 'no toys' thing seriously or is it just a passing phase? And what would be nice age appropriate presents for her? I'm not keen on electronic stuff for young children so I wouldn't be comfortable with an iPod or tablet just yet.

[Olivo]

Smencils and things seemed to be the biggest hit for DD9 and her friends. She also loves all the things for the bath (bombs, fizzers, "posh" bubbles) . She always asks for lip balms and nail varnish too, and Santa brought her some eye shadow this year. A new duvet set and towels Went down surprisingly well.

[GetifuYaBassa]

Sorry Dancergirl, got caught up and forgot to return to thread.
The lamp was just a plain white, bendy LED desk lamp from IKEA, DD was very clear about no gifts with Disney, lovehearts, butterflies etc. (She loves owls though, so I did sneak a few little owl gifts in, can't let my girl grow up too fast!)
As for her Heelys, DD is currently in a 2 & half, she's a tall 8 year old, so I bought a size 3. To be honest, I was worried that they'd be too small, as to me they looked pretty short when measured against her trainers. However, she assures me they feel fine, that her toes "aren't squished" and that they are comfortable.

[GiddyOnZackHunt]

A sonic screwdriver has been her #2 fave after more of her collection of cuddly toys! And books. Many books.

[Pippioddstocking]

My dd will be 10 in 2 days .
Best presents were an iPod nano and a sew your own teddy . For her birthday she has asked for UGG boots .

[NowBringUsSomeFuzzpiggyPudding]

Aww get I would've absolutely loved that desk as a present. I hope if we move house and so the DCs get their own (non-minuscule!) rooms we will be able to do that for them! :)

[NowBringUsSomeFuzzpiggyPudding]

Oooh I'm off to investigate a balance beam, never thought you could buy one for your house :o

DD 8.6, some of the ridiculous amount below is shared with her 6.4yo brother

Lego (creator sets)
Pop up play shop
Den building kit (frustrating as hell though!)
Beanie Boo bat
Monster High Frightmare
Lalaloopsy Bea Spellsalot (or something)
Bounce Off game (was skeptical about this one, it was the one thing we got from the adverts they liked, but it's actually really fun!)
Sleeping Queens game
Musical instruments
Box of little gemstones
Gym leotard for her Lottie doll
Playmobil playground
Chin up bar (we're attaching it lower down so she can tumble over it)

For her birthday she'll be getting a mini sewing machine as her favourite thing to do is make dresses for her dolls.

[Dancergirl]

A question about Heeleys - are they true to size?

[Dancergirl]

That sounds lovely get. Dd has fitted furniture in her bedroom including a desk which we got for her to grow into and she hasn't actually used yet (does homework and drawing etc on kitchen table). Underneath the desk is cluttered with dressing up stuff and toys she's outgrown. Maybe I'll get her a chair to go with the desk and a lamp - get what sort of lamp did you get?

Dd also loves Harry Potter, the trivial pursuit game looks good.

I think she would be much better with heeleys rather than roller blades. We have an old pair of roller skates (were dd1's) and dd3 finds them quite hard to use.

I've also found a Hermione bag on Amazon which she might like.

Great ideas!

[GetifuYaBassa]

DD is 8yo and loves the Heelys she received for Xmas. Still at the practising stage but so far so good.
Her main gift though was a desk, which she is obsessed with, and sits at morning and night, writing stories and drawing. We also accessorised the desk with a 'grown-up' lamp and lots of stationery, ie. pens, notebooks, sticky notes and magnets for the attached magnetic board. She truly is thrilled.
It's not often we get it so completely right!

[steppemum]

dd2 is 8 (birthday Nov) and she wanted lego friends and sylvanians.
She got that and loved them,

BUT I was a bit worried about it as I know that around this age they do suddenly grow out of this stuff. I didn't buy until quite close to Christmas just in case. I doubt if next year she will want this stuff.

So, skateboard, bike, roller blades, heelies etc.
Beyblades is what her 10 year old sister is into.
If she like craft, then go up a level, more older girl stuff, complex sets etc.

Harry Potter stuff, slushy maker, cooking stuff, something cool for her bedroom.

[BrandNewAndImproved]

Harry Potter trivial pursuit was the best on a whim present. It was played all Christmas day and boxing day.

[4yoniD]

DD just 8 (and cannot get the hang of her Heelys, but not great balance)

Best pressies:
Lucy the dog
Amazon Fire tablet

[madamginger]

DD is 9 and we bought her an electric keyboard and she LOVES it, it has light up keys to help you learn, she also got a password journal and a Disney descendants leather jacket that she hasn't taken off since Friday.

[fairyjasmine]

DD (9 just before Christmas) loves her Lego sets and Kindle Fire most of all.

[hazeyjane]

Best

Sewing machine (biggest success)
Jewellery making set
Pictionary

Worst
I Do 3D

[Looseleaf]

Dd is about to be 9 and loved her scented pens best (she was desperate for a certain American set of 12 pens a friend had I found on Amazon with scents like apple etc).

Shes also been v interested by ds' magic set and a detailed colouring postcard book thing. And enjoys Where's Wally and the Guinness book of Records!

Also loved a big Electricity kit and lots of books. I haven't bought her toys for ages as she doesn't play with any other than Lego.

[TheOldestCat]

DD was nine in November. She loved her Heelys, gel pens and notepads, plus the new David Walliams (granddad something).

[deepdarkwood]

We liked at heelys for dd and ended up with proper roller boots (Rio brand which are cool retro boots that I would have loved in the 80s!) - I was nervous that heelys were only usable on very flat surfaces ... And also know a couple of kids who've hurt themselves (although obviously that's true for roller boots too! )

Otherwise dd's favs (she is 9 ) were:

• nerf rebelle cross bow
  
• books, books, books
  
• clothes for her much loved teddy
  
• big tinc stationery set similar to smiggle)
  

-

[franksidebottom]

My dd is 8. Loved getting chocolate moulds and a load of art and craft stuff. She isn't into dolls at all. Walkie talkies were also a big hit

[Dancergirl]

Thanks all, some really great ideas. I will definitely look into heeleys, think dd might really like those. Any particular ones I should look out for or are they pretty much the same?

[Girlfriend36]

My dd is 9yo going to be 10 in Feb, her favourite present was a Hudl 2 from Tescos, its the first time I have bought her anything like that and she was amazed!

She also liked the craft sets, lego, aqua beads and the hanna bead sets.

I think my dd would like some heelies but I am not sure she wouldn't break her neck wearing them she tends to be a child that falls over a lot at the best of times though!

[ontheginalready]

My dd is 8 but has never been into toys. She is very tricky to buy for. This year her favourites have been:

A Johanna Basford Colouring book
Stabilo pens
Derwent pastels
A beautiful notebook and fountain pen
A bop-it Tetris

[SideOrderofSprouts]

DD1 is 9 next month. Her hit toys this christmas have been her sew cool sewing machine and refills, her ipad, shopkins and her micheal morpiggio books

[WiryElevator]

Two wheels poss slightly easier to wheel along on, but only marginally. More difficult to walk on, though.

[januarysnowdrop]

A potion making kit from Flibberty. It was the one thing I got her that was a genuine surprise and she was delighted with it.