Ideas for non toy gifts for children

[dancingsnowfairy]

Dd, 4 has so many toys already and as a result so does other dd who will have her first birthday just before Christmas. Will definitely go through and do a bit of a cull before more toys arrive, but just trying to come up with some non toy, useful alternatives. I'm hoping to get the youngest dd a little wheelie bag for when we go away / weekend visits to relatives and ballet uniform for the eldest but any other ideas would be much appreciated!

New hat, scarf, gloves.

My 4 year old loved a pink sparkly handbag her godmother have her last X-mas.

We are doing similar this year - although some toys as well. My youngest is 7 so older but she is getting
Guitar and "voucher" for 6 lessons
Decent tennis racket
Personalised gymnastics/dance bag
Character lunch box/water bottle
Baseball cap with initials on
Smiggle stationary
Panto ticket for Boxing Day (whole family going)
Horse fleece blanket and pillow for bedroom

Things we would have bought anyway but a bit nicer than usual and she will love them.
A friend of mine has got her horse mad 5 year old a pair of jodhpurs, horse t shirt and a block of riding lessons.

Sleeping bag
Travel pillow
snuggly blanket
Novelty clock/lampshade/rug/cushions/bedside light for their room
Torch
Fun wellies
Dressing gown and slippers
Personalised items eg. bath towel, swim kit bag
Camera

I agree with the swimming stuff, if she's a swimmer. A new swimming costume wrapped lengthways (for maximum mystery) was a big hit in the stockings herelast year. You can get good swimming games too.
Has she started school yet? I saw some nice sticker books based round starting school the other day.
Blank postcards were another surprise hit here. We took them on holiday and DC drew their own postcards, but they could also work for thank you cards, if you so wish.
If you're looking at craft stuff, she might be a bit young for a flower press yet but you never know.

Lush make Little Robot bath bombs. They are lavender and ideal for use just before bed, make them very relaxed!! They aren't expensive either.

Marking place, great ideas here!

DD is nearly 4 and for next bday and christmas my non toy ideas are:

• a wall mirror for her room
• canopy for her bed
• lunch box/bag
• sports bottle
• hair clips
• party shoes
• new scooter helmet
• more grown up books (chapter books) for reading to her

These are such great ideas, thank you all. I can't believe I didn't think of swimming stuff and your other suggestions are right up the eldest's street Emeralda. Will definitely be including some of those bath bombs mycat, we have had a distinct lack of sleep here the last four years! Will also look at galt puzzles, we enjoy orchard games, but would be good to try something different too. Some other great suggestions to keep us going every birthday and Christmas for the next few years!

Agree with personalised swim bag and towels. Also other bags, fun storage, personalised pens/ pencils/ pencil case/ notebook. Also got personalised wooden key ring from ebay for book bags. My dc like anything with their name on!!

Den kit.

Anything for the bedroom: rug, lamp, wall stickers, big photo frame with photos of family members, cuddly cushions.

Neck cushion for when you're in the car (travell pillow? I'm making a giraffe one for DS). Last year he got a wonderfully soft cuddley big blanket for the car that he loves snuggling under in the morning - it's a grey hippo with a yellow bird friend, it was from Lidl. It was a huge hit.

This year he is 5yo he is getting a Paw Patrol umbrella (last year's has broken, bye bye George Pig, hello Chase!). I got him a PP toothbrush last week, for his stocking. He will get new pants, too, it always makes him laugh when he opens "Pants? Pants! PANTS!" and puts the whole pack of 5 on at once

He also got the wind up torch from Ikea last year and, hand on heart, it has been played with every single day. I made shapes on sticks (moon, lightning, bunny, sheep, house etc) as a shadow-puppet theatre type thing so he could make stories in the dark with his torch. He loves it! And he has an Ikea playtent which is his reading den, when it isn't a teddy bear hospital.

My eldest loved torches her best present 1 year was a wind up cow torch was 2 quid from Hawkins Bizarre

She is now a police officer and we got a new torch (not a cow ) for work last year and she was delighted she was nightshift Xmas night and skipped to work

Mine always loved torches too.
I'm glad you've replaced your daughter's cow torch now she's in the police force, MrsJ

Love that Mrsjayy!

Aye can't see cow torch being taken that seriously wonder what it is about torches ?

DS1s favourite stocking ever included a giant magnet, binoculars, torch, magnifying glass etc. He still plays with these things three years on.

For DS2s birthday we have made a big hamper of craft materials. He loves drawing and Mali g things. We would buy paper, stickers, glue etc anyway, but I think he’ll find it super exciting to have a huge set at once. We have also included some kits for some quick and easy activities as the weather gets worse.

The most played with Christmas present last year was a tepee. We bought the ‘decorate-your-own’ one from Hobbycraft and I sewed some fabric we already had onto it. Looks lovely and saved a fortune. After Christmas, we wrapped some battery operated fairy lights round it, and both boys love it.

Another popular gift here was tickets to see a show in January. It was lovely to have something to look forwards to.

This year, I will be ordering personalised aprons from Etsy for our children and our nieces. They all love baking/helping in the kitchen, but are outgrowing the toddler/ pre-schooler ones. I may also buy them some baking bits.

@MsWorthington the craft box is a brilliant idea. Is it ok if a borrow that? And can you help with stuff to put in? dd1 loves doing craft stuff in nusery...

@Luxplus

This site will give you some good suggestions on what to put in a craft box for dd:

www.thesprucecrafts.com/what-to-put-in-a-kids-craft-box-620036

I'd add some bags of pasta (cheapest you can get obvs!) and for a bit of pasta craft inspiration:

www.diys.com/crafts-made-from-dried-pasta/

There are many mum blogs with ideas and you could lose yourself on Pinterest but it really is a great gift.

Baker Ross have some nice gems, stickers and buttons etc in their clearance section from 99p. Including a roll of 400 hat stickers and very cute butterfly buttons:

www.bakerross.co.uk/arts-and-crafts/clearance?product_list_order=price

@ImNotHappyaboutitPauline thank you so much bought loads from the clearance sale

A subscription to something like the toucan boxes. I'm going to be asking someone to buy that instead of toys this year.