Main/play on the day present for DD age 6

[drspouse]

DS is getting a 10 year old Wii to play Mario.
DD doesn't play much on the tablet anyway. She still plays a lot of pretend. She has a Lottie doll so we'll probably get some bits for that. She has exactly one Playmobil set and I don't think we'll really start collecting that. She is more likely to put Lego together than DS is but she can't manage a really big one and she'd rather have something she can play with as well.
Also we are travelling so no play kitchens etc (she's a bit old for that anyway).

Our Generation Horse or foal from Smyths? My youngest DD can loose hours playing with their horses and dogs. Depends if she is into animals.

She is... But a little afraid of dogs and I don't know about horses yet!

Sylvanians? My daughter started getting into these about age 5

Sylvanians.

I'm afraid I'm not that keen to introduce yet another plastic set of toys! That's why I don't really want to build up the Playmobil collection.

Spirograph?

I feel your pain as I have a 6 year old who doesn’t like toys! She asks for books, crafts and Lego which is fine but doesn’t leave much to actually play with on the day (she likes making the massive Lego sets but not actually playing with them). She’s not into ‘small world’ play at all. Watching with interest.

Buy a toolbox type thing and put lots of different craft stuff; felt tips, glue, crayons, glitter pens, clay etc in it?

We have SO MUCH craft stuff already!

Melissa and Doug do lots of wooden play sets. Horse in stables, construction sets so she can build the ideas in the book, Pet care, town play set and castle sets. Also I saw B. Click Jewellery making sets on amazon that looked good.

Our generation stuff! Dsd loves it still now at 8.

Boardgame for 2 players, you could play with her? Also Sylvanians. Air dry clay set?

The 'our generation' horse was a massive winner for our daughter when she was 6. It comes with hair accessories and a book on how to do plaits, she still gets it out now at 9. It's also beautifully presented.

How about one of the Lego Friends house sets? Stephanie’s house or Mia’s house? the Lego friends sets tend to be easier to put together than some of the other sets, and as it’s a house set it has some immediate imaginary play value.

Or since she already enjoys Lottie dolls you could look at the Treehouse and some furniture or a horse and stable.

I'm not sure about the houses - they are awfully pink - but I think she'd like the lighthouse

www.johnlewis.com/lego-friends-41380-lighthouse-rescue-centre/p4169236

All the others are really pointless (hair salon? Mmm no) or not that playable with (big vehicles) though the fire station is also a possibility.

I think I'll get the grandparents on the Lottie/horse case too!

We have Mia’s house and I don’t recall it being particularly pink.
The lighthouse looks good though.

She’s 6 so you may have to buy into the plastic/pink/hair salon stuff eventually.

My six year old wants LOL stuff (caravan and fashion doll) as main gift

A hair styling head? My daughter got one when she was 6, and still plays with it aged 11.

My DD would not be interested in hair styling... She hates clips, elastics etc so had a pixie cut at the end of lockdown. Hasn't mentioned (or I suspect heard of) LOL dolls.
We were at a park party in the summer and all the other girls except her and one other were talking about "who's your favourite princess". The other girl's mum said her DD says she feels really left out when they talk about things like that. I strongly suspect my DD didn't understand the question. She is in her own little world which is good when it comes to peer pressure (not when you want her to put her shoes on).

My 6 year old isn’t into hair styling/dolls/make up/pink stuff either. My 5 year old on the other hand lives for that stuff! Funny how different they can be.
OP if there are no toys that she actually wants or will play with then it’s probably best to give up on the idea of a toy. That’s what I’ve done! DD1 is mainly having books, which is what she has asked for. DD2 on the other hand wants the entire Our Generation collection!

At that age my DC has bike/ scooter/ doll/ Lego
1 think a generous aunt bought them discmen ! Does she like music players ? Mine used them for stories .

I've just bought my DD a camera for her 6th birthday , she really loves it.

How about open ended toys then?
We have kapla and it’s a fantastic toy. As simple, or complicated as you make it. Everyone who passes through our house, child or adult, plays with it.

Does she play creatively with Lego? I got ds a big box of 2x4s which you’d think of as the standard Lego brick. Except that there are hardly any in modern sets. It’s his favourite gift ever because it makes creative building much easier.

fuzzy felt is a classic that she might enjoy. Just making pictures and scenes in felt shapes.

Would a marble run appeal to her? The wooden ones, if she has good motor skills, take a lot of concentration to put together. On the other hand, if you’re primarily looking for something to keep her out from under your feet on the day, a plastic marble one might be better.

Also in that line of thinking are domino sets. Hape do a nice one.

I think that there’s a point to shift from toy play to craft and sport type play and maybe she’s getting there. Are there any special interests that you could encourage over the next month or two that might lead on to some gift purchases?

Will she do an age-appropriate jigsaw on her own?

Keyboard/drum kit (electric or real)
MP3 player with headphones so she can listen to music, make you playlists etc
Football goal/basketball hoop
Polaroid camera