What are you buying ?

[newnamewhosthis]

I have a 16yo DSS and a 2.5 yo DD.

No clue what to buy either of them, they both have so much already. Tempted to give DSS cash as he will likely appreciate that most but feels a bit shit with little effort.

DD is completely different could buy a million things for her but all that would happen is that she would play with it once or twice and it would be banished to play boxes of doom 😂

What is everybody buying there kids this year?

Ds is 2 next week, for Christmas & Birthday he’ll be getting

Ikea dolls bed and doll
Dress up clothes
Shopping trolley
A few Melissa & Doug bits
Probably a paw patrol or toy story something

My dds are 8 and 6.

They are both getting Lego as their main present (Lego friends for dd2 and Lego pop stars for dd1).

Other items are:
Harry potter training wands
Diabolo and juggling balls
Foam sword and shield
Bath bomb making set
Wreak this journal
Some fiction books (maybe David Walliams for dd1 and not sure yet for dd2)
Harry potter books (Honeydukes scratch and sniff for dd2 and the Marauders Map for dd1)
Hats with moving ears
Notebook and gell pens

I have been picking things up since last Xmas!

My 2yo is getting a play kitchen and possibly a bike. Last year he got a ball pit and still plays with it every day.

The LOL glamper van for my 8 year old, and LOL OMG doll.

Just been looking a wooden toy kitchens on amazon and eBay for my 2yo - they are so much more expensive than the plastic elc ones though! She is getting an Elsa dress up costume too and maybe a new doll. Various family will get her a shopping trolley and till and toy food etc.

11yo prob get PS4 game and maybe a headset (he's getting a phone for his bday in November so won't be getting as much for Xmas!)

8yo prob Lego, maybe new bike.

They will all get books, new pjs & slippers, craft bits for stockings.

@icecreamsundae32 I got DD a fab wooden one from Asda. It's out of stock at the moment but it comes and goes keep an eye out

Dd12
Musical tickets x2
Nintendo switch game
Sushi Go card game
Divergent books box set
Couple of new manga books
Maybe new bed sheets

Dd6
Not sure yet, but probably a new baby doll, books, Lego, Playmobil plane.

DS3
Lanka Kade big wooden London bus
Way to Play rubber road
Wooden marble run

@icecreamsundae32 agree Asda are highly rated, but disappointed to see this year's is so hideously pink. Also check the IKEA ones, and Lidl and Aldi always have a wooden kitchen close to Christmas but they sell out quickly.

@icecreamsundae32 Asda currently have a grey and mint kitchen in for £45 if that helps?

We’ve bought the Ikea play kitchen and are planning to jazz it up with a bit of paint.

6yo is getting:
Roald Dahl audio collection CD
Willy Wonka PJ's
Charm bracelet making set
Uni-creature colouring set
+1 gift that she'll ask Santa for in December probably changing her mind 20x

Stocking:
Toroidz flow rings
Talking poo keyring
Emoji make up set
Willy Wonka t-shirt
Wonka bar
Bubble bath
Christmas socks

13yo is getting:
Moquette cushion (£60 for the ugliest cushion you've ever seen 🙄)
+1 gift - possibly a new phone as his old one is dying and he doesn't actually want/need anything.

Stocking:
Toroidz flow rings
Tin of shortbread
Snake puzzle
Socks
Top trumps
T-shirt

Thanks for the Asda IKEA suggestions for kitchens. @Someaddedsugar do you have that grey kitchen? If so does it come with accessories?

It's this one @icecreamsundae32 - I haven't got it but it's on our list for DS for Christmas.

The description says:

Let them cook up dinner for the whole family with this lovely wooden kitchen from George Home. They'll adore pretend frying on the four burners, heating up food with the toy microwave and storing their toy food in the cupboards. With cool, modern colours, it's easy to assemble and offers them hours of play, telling stories and serving meals to their friends.

• Wooden
• Turning taps
• Must be assembled by an adult
• Suitable for 3+ years
• Build Time: 60 mins
• Build Support: 2 people
• Box Dimensions: 56 x 93.7 x 29cm

Accessories sold separately

Ds is 4, he is getting:

A playmobil house which he asked for because he was sad that the playmobil people only had a campervan, cars and tents to live in.
A Djecco jigsaw
A Papo Knight, St Louis I think for his castle
More playfood for our kitchen
A board game
Books
Craft set

Dd is 1, she is getting.

A wooden balancing game
Some wooden animals from Lanka Kade and Holztiger to add to our zoo
A wooden castle playset and stacking blocks
Hey Dugee pjs
A Snow White doll
Books.

I'm really trying to cut down on what I buy as last year was ridiculous. We have large extended families so both will get quite lot of money/presents from relatives too so I think that plus stockings is more than enough.

They also currently share a room and I'm going to decorate it plus get them new beds for Christmas.

DS will be 2, he absolutely loves the garden so I've got him a couple of bee bombs, a bug house and a couple of books so far I've also got a tiny chair that was DH's when he was a child I'm going to sand down and paint.

He's getting a toy kitchen the week before for his birthday.

Ds 6. Legos. Possibly a skateboard. Couple of treats in the stocking.
Ds1. A box to open with a second hand toy inside.

They get presents from grandparents, friends, relatives and I'm wanting to have a more frugal year.

DS is 14. He'll be getting clothes and XBox games I expect as there is rarely anything else he wants these days. I'll get him some rubbish to open on Xmas morning to pad it out which will all get looked at and chucked into his room never to be used but hey, I never learn and still waste my money!

Ds9 Star Wars and city space Lego. I am thinking of getting him metal detector to find coins.

Dd7 Friends Lego and bigger versions of collectibles. She hasn't announced her main wish yet apart from wanting certain Lego friends sets.

DD (7) is getting drum lessons. Her birthday is march so if she enjoys it well get her a cheap starter drum kit then.

All girls

12 year old "proper" camera. Will be second hand.

10 year old her own trombone as we hire one atm. Will be second hand.

5 year old bike. Will most likely be second hand as dh will want her to have a decent one not just Halfords best. And a Spider-Man helmet as requested!

They will also have stockings.

12 yr old makeup, expensive conditioner and shampoo, some art stuff and some crap inspirational quote for her wall oh and a book or 2!

10 year old, science stuff, games, stationery, books

5 year old stuff with rainbows on for her bedroom. Books.

I'm limiting plastic tat and wrapped presents this year!

We're getting DS 3 (will just be by Christmas) a gold fish. He loves looking at fish

My older son (age nine but severely autistic)
Main present: Leapstart Go and human body pack
Learning Resources Microscope with slides
Leapfrog Rocket Twist (his request)
Chad Valley Smart Draw and Write
Top Wings set of figures
Leapfrog Leapstory
See Inside a Hospital (book)

He is a huge fan of all things Leapfrog which is why all the Leapfrog toys, he likes to set off the sounds and listen to them over and over again. He is still playing with the Leapfrog toys he got as a toddler.

My younger son (age six also severely autistic)
Main present: In The Night Garden Musical Activity Ninky Nonk
ELC Art Desk with glitter crayons
Learning Resources Bake It (play food)
Smart Splash turtles (bath toys)
Whirly Squigs (things that stick to a table and spin, he loves spinning things)
Wooden puzzle set
Build a Bear Skye from Paw Patrol
The Day the Crayons Quit (book)

He's going to be so excited about the Ninky Nonk, he loves the adverts for it.

Is your dss into gaming? Might be worth keeping an eye out for some games or console accessories. Primark have a good PlayStation clothing range for kids and men.
If hes a fan of marvel there's gunna be a tonne of dvds out soon of the movies that came out this year and merchandise surrounding that.
What about vouchers for hmv or cinema or something? X

@Lilicat1013 I was thinking about buying a leapfrog leapstart, do you have one and if you do would you recommend it?

@newnamewhosthis I would definitely recommend a Leapstart, my son has three currently and is getting another one for Christmas! That was partially an accident, I got him the original Leapstart the year it was released, the new Leapstart 3D the year after and in between that he got the Leapstart for younger children that a friend's child had grown out of.

Out of all of them I would recommend the new release, the Leapstart Go. As much as my son has enjoyed the Leapstarts he currently has they are cumbersome. They can be a pain to carry around all the books he wants to use with them and the device itself, they are also a pain to store being we have three of them and loads of books. The new one is based on the old Tag Reader pen so much easier to use and more portable. My son has been taking his Tag Jnr pen to use in the car currently and I think he is going to love being able to use his Leapstart books on journeys.

The Leapstart Go has the 3D effect of the Leapreader 3D (screen on top of the pen) so can still be used with the animated books. It can also be used with the fold out information packs which you can't do with the other Leapstarts, they have currently released Human Body and School Success.

We have the old style Human Body set for the Tag Reader and it has been the best present I ever brought my son, he learned so much from it. He is nine but educationally is at pre school levels due to his additional needs. The Human Body set taught him the names of all the major bones, all the organs, how different parts of the body work. It's a really wonderful set and I am so glad they have re released it.

I hope that's helpful with choosing.