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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Original poster

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

67 replies

Dancergirl · 26/12/2015 22:39

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.

OP posts:
JustWantToBeDorisAgain · 26/12/2015 23:50

Monster high huge hit fir dd's 10 8 and 6. Likewise spy pens from tiger ( invisible ink and an ultraviolet light on the end to read the message!

Lego elves ( and friends) also very popular and has kept them busy most if today. Alongside a stack of books and some audio books and the now92 cd.

InQuiteAChristmasPickle · 27/12/2015 03:08

A drone and scalectrix were the biggest hits here. She also got some heelys off my mum. She's never really been into dolls although she has asked for them over the years and they haven't really been played with.

She's also never really shown an interest in Sylvanian Families but DD2 (nearly 5) got the Windmill and a few bits along with the rabbit family and they've played with them non-stop! Confused.

wigglesrock · 27/12/2015 08:20

Descendants dolls and backpack
Shopkins
Jewellery box
Stationery - notebooks and sharpies
Lego elves

Both my two elder daughters (10.5 and 8) got Funko Pop vinyl figures (Hunger Games and slightly obscure My Little Pony figures) - they've absolutely loved them.

llhj · 27/12/2015 08:25

My dd is obsessed with The Smiggle Shop.

raisin3cookies · 27/12/2015 08:26

Today is my dd's 9th bday. She got a few bits of jewellery and hair clips, some junk food, a magazine with "gifts" inside (we never buy them so its a real treat), some dreaded soap and lotion gift boxes, story cubes game, and a rainbow furby (the most desired gift of all). She also got a large lump of cash, probably most excited about that one. ;)

I agree it is a tricky age. Claire's helps to bridge the gap from older child to preteen, I find.

raisin3cookies · 27/12/2015 08:27

My eldest broke her arm good and proper on her heelys. She was going fast!

MrsPnut · 27/12/2015 08:33

Dd2 is 9.5 and her best gift was the balloon modelling kit from her stocking, closely followed by her iPad mini.

She's never been into dolls so we haven't ever had any, she had her big sister's sylvanians as hand me downs but they all live at grandma's in the dolls house.
She also got lots of books including a couple of coding ones and the David Walliams new one.

Original poster
Dancergirl · 27/12/2015 09:18

Is it better to get one wheel or two wheeled heelys?

OP posts:
WiryElevator · 27/12/2015 09:25

DD(9) - in order of playing use last 48 hours:
Mog
Just Dance 2016
Ripleys book
Giant "baby" full of Jelly Babies - she isn't eating the sweets but playing with the container

Re Heelys - DD is on her second pair, they are quite intuitive, last time she had 2 wheeled, this time gone for one. Re Smiggle - it's my go to place for gifts for DDs friends.

mouldycheesefan · 27/12/2015 09:35

Mine have never been into dolls
Hits this year
Hudl
Fluffy socks
Monopoly deal card game, so much better than monopoly
Remote control skateboarding dog
Books already read two
DVDs watched a couple already

mouldycheesefan · 27/12/2015 09:35

Smiggle
How could I forget that?

pinkmagic1 · 27/12/2015 09:36

My 9 year old DD's best presents were a kindle and ice skates. She got Heelys with her birthday money in November and has worn them constantly since. She is not really into dolls generally but currently loves the 'My Generation' ones. She also likes anything crafty. I got her a bathe bomb and lip balm making kit as a little extra present and it went down well.

Original poster
Dancergirl · 27/12/2015 13:22

wiry which are easier, two wheels or one?

OP posts:
daisydalrymple · 27/12/2015 16:38

If you're after a big ticket type item, Fuji instax camera, like the old Polaroid cameras, MASSIVE hit here, with both dd (6) and DS (8). They have loved taking pics and watching them develop!

nulgirl · 27/12/2015 16:48

My dd loves her rollerblades but heelys are easier. Sports Direct do a version called sidewinders which are cheaper at £30 and just as good.

BrandNewAndImproved · 27/12/2015 16:50

My dds ten in a couple of weeks. Her kindle fire was the best present with the kids unlimited for £3.99 a month.

Kitla · 27/12/2015 17:25

My youngest turned 9 in Nov and we found this a very tricky age to buy for as she has not only grown out of toys, but also inherits an awful lot of her older sister's stuff. However recent hits have been:

  • The pointless book
  • CDs (latest now album, little mix Cd)
  • kits (make your own bath bomb, a volcano etc...)
  • cooking kits
  • tickets to Harry Potter Studios etc
januarysnowdrop · 27/12/2015 17:33

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.

WiryElevator · 27/12/2015 20:24

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

SideOrderofSprouts · 27/12/2015 20:37

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

ontheginalready · 27/12/2015 22:02

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

Girlfriend36 · 27/12/2015 22:10

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 Grin she tends to be a child that falls over a lot at the best of times though!

Original poster
Dancergirl · 28/12/2015 10:00

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?

OP posts:
franksidebottom · 28/12/2015 22:21

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

deepdarkwood · 28/12/2015 22:30

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)
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