No toys on DS6 list

[QuackWoof]

Hello, my budget for Xmas is £400 for my DS6. He wanted a Nintendo switch which eats up most of that. I’ve bought it tho as it’s what he wanted. His other gifts are pants, Pjs and a new toothbrush (he needs these), and then bath bombs, chocolates, a hair gel, a book, a puzzle, 1 small selection box, colouring in book, new felt tip pens and a football strip (top only, and got it on sale).

We don’t do gifts in our families so he doesn’t get other gifts other than what we give him.

I’ve just realised he basically isn’t getting any toys for Xmas, and I’m worried this is a bit sad at only age 6? But he doesn’t need new toys, as he has plenty, and he doesn’t need a bike or a scooter as he has these.

Me too

I mean I disagree too not I like character underwear

What about something you can do together like a board game or a science kit of some sort?

Can anyone recommend good chapter books for age 6?

My kids get underwear with charcters the like on all year round... they litrally cost the same and are a standard item.

@QuackWoof depends on reading level but The Cat and The King and sequel are both good.

Not a chapter book but my mum has bought DD a book called Illumibugs which looks amazing.

@QuackWoof Mine at 6 liked Mudpuddle farm, Animal Ark books but he loves farms and animals so depends on interest. Rabbit & Bear are good too but no chapters. @Tartifletti i have got that book for DD5 it’s a beautiful book.

Thanks I’ll take a look at those book
recommendations.

Isn't a Switch like £260? If the pants, toothbrush and toiletries aren't in the budget something doesn't quite add up. What about adding something like a novelty hot water bottle or a microwave hottie (Wilko do a soft monkey one for £7 I think) a few books, a board game/puzzle/Rubik's cube with the rest of the budget?

the switch is £350, and that was a Black Friday deal. It’s a bundle with games in it (as getting the console with no games wouldn’t be any good!)

Pants, PJs etc not in the budget but they were £60 at Next. Just a 3 pack of PJs (£32) and a 10 pack of kids boxers (£28).

things are just so expensive these days 🙈

so £350 on the switch, £30 on the football top, and then about £20-30 or so on little bits eg book, art stuff etc.

then the £60 on PJs and pants on top of the £400.

My DC always had things like toothbrushes, pants and socks in their stockings.They had other toy-like things but the more mundane things helped to pad the stockings out and they seemed equally excited about everything.

Don't assume children will be sad at getting ordinary things. One Christmas the biggest hit for DS was a roll of Sellotape all to himself. He even wrote about it in his news book at school in the January, ignoring the things like Lego and Playmobil.

I think it sounds great. If you’ve got Mario games, you could get little figures that match up?

The Tom Gates books are great. We like the faraway tree by Enid blyton too.

I'd get him a couple of board games from the works or something

Mine loved The aIron Man and simpler Ronald Dahl at that age, eg the Twits.

What about Top Trumps?

One kid could unwrap hair gel and think it's brilliant, another would think it's irrelevant.

It's not the actual individual items.

You know your child best so it's impossible for anyone else to know what their reaction will be.

Once he opens the switch everything else will be "some other stuff". Relax OP. It will be fine.

but sellotape is a unnessacery item not a 'need' and is a craft/stationary supply... its entirely different to getting underwear and a toothbrush.

Oh I always get mine pants and a toothbrush at Christmas 🙈. They get plenty of other stuff but every year they get those. I never thought it was weird 🙈

You’ve got him loads, and the Switch is a toy. You have been incredibly generous. Toothbrush etc is fine -normal to put that in a stocking -often maybe one that’s more snazzy than usual-with a character on or something.

I think hair gel is a bit of a waste for a 6 year old, isn't it? Do people use hair gel on children so young? Maybe I am out of touch.

I would not have spent so much on a switch at the expense of actual toys. You can call it a toy all you like but it is an expensive console which a 6 year old could go another 4 years happily without. I'm not against tech/screens in the slightest, mine have all had these things, but I couldn't see a 6 year old not wake up to a bundle of toys on Christmas morning.

Sounds great to me. I always put socks and fancy shower gel in DC’s stockings, and now mine are getting bigger some body spray.

I also would absolutely class the football shirt as a gift, they’re £60 full price and that’s not something I’d be buying without a reason. Usually mine save some money to buy football shirts when they come out as they know I’m not spending £60 on a t-shirt.

The switch is a great console for his age. It’s probably all he’ll play with for a good while after so it definitely classes as a toy.

Imagine his disappointment when he wakes up to a big pile of presents but not one is what he asked for. The switch is completely age appropriate. My 7 year old is always playing online (under direct supervision) with his classmates on minecraft. Most of his class have switches.

£400 budget is massive!! I wouldn’t give this a moments more thought.

Imagine his disappointment when he wakes up to a big pile of presents but not one is what he asked for.

I think if the budget is so limiting then you tell them before Christmas morning, 'Santa won't be able to bring a switch' and lower their expectations.

People are saying £400 is a huge budget, which it is, but using £350 of it on one item limits the gifts massively. It definitely needs to be bulked out a bit, maybe with lentils

Jokes aside, a few cheap games/toys will make all the difference here.

That sounds fine. My DS was just never into toys like Lego or dinosaurs.

He loves getting PJs and footie tops & I think pants & toothbrush are standard stocking fillers. Not sure why people are criticising this.

Could you give him rest as pocket money/cash to spend on some switch games in January?

Alternatively I would put into premium bonds - a 6 year old doesn't need any more. But if you save for him each year then when he's older he will be grateful to have the cash. It's better than buying Lego just to make a pile look bigger under the tree.