What's a good Christmas present to 'do' or to 'play' on Xmas day?

[bapplebanana]

Last Christmas there seemed to be lots of toys but nothing to 'do' on Xmas day- I was wondering what a good gift might be/ might have been in your households where the children can get on and play with it straight away. Ie, nothing that needs other people, lots of setting up, an adult with them.

My children are 6 and 4, and I'm hoping to get less 'stuff' this year, but more things that allow independent play.

What's been a success in your house previously?

Marble run! I managed to get two of the same set off Facebook marketplace, and they had hours of fun.

Screwball Scramble
Tamagotchi
Lite Brite
Kinetic sand
Marvin’s Magic pens

Playmags, marble run, hot wheels track

https://giftgiant.co.uk/products/poo-head?variant=7830721396783

The younger members of the family found it hilarious.

Not sure on your budget OP but how about a Nintendo switch? Great family games on there, and depending how much your DC already do with tablets etc they're really user friendly for younger ones.

We are doing Bop It this year, similar ages. Perfection was popular last year (put the shapes in the holes against the timer).

Connetix magnetic tiles including the marble run set.

Those Glow tracks with loop the loops
Games like Kerplunk, Hungry Hippos etc

We normally try and find something cheap and cheerful for the kids to open first and keep them occupied - my DH insists all other presents have to wait until after lunch!

If you are gifting something that needs a lot of setting up, do the setting up in advance and then wrap. (Remember the year I read on here about the playmobil pirate ship took 2 hours to set up on 20th December and so we unwrapped the ship box and built it in the garage, carried it in on Christmas Eve done the loosely wrapped paper around it, thanks again to that MNer who saved Christmas that year!)

A board game. A magic set. Lego /duplo. Books.

A keyboard? A drumkit!

The playmobil aquarium was a big hit for us - fill with water - play - but it does take a lot of adult setting up that you could do before hand.

Also kinetic sand and shape cutters/rolling pin etc for pretend baking. You could also do simple real baking e.g. packet of Gingerbread mix.

Dd loves a good board game, Cat and Mouse, Funny Bunny and Don't wake dad have all been popular. Dobble and Uno card games are also good. We also had giant Pass the pigs one year, which we all enjoyed.

This is so helpful, exactly the sort of things I was hoping for, but hadn't thought of. Thank you!

Last year the win for us was dunk 4. Like connect 4 but with basketball hoops. Did take a little setting up, applying stickers and the hoops IIRC but not much.

Kapla is great.
Also at that age what went down well was a box of art and craft stuff that included Christmassy wrapping paper and sellotape on a good dispenser and they spent ages wrapping things up again for us all.
A good board game for that age - Alley Cats.

We always put a magazine with a cover gift in the stockings. Do, Read and Play all covered in one cheapish thing.

One thing I saw mentioned elsewhere just the other day was the Greedy Granny game - other posters agreed with the OP that it was disgusting, ageist and sexist etc.
Having looked it up, I thought it looked daftly hilarious, just the thing for Gdcs (who’ll be nearly 4, 7 and 8 at 🎄)

Lego and Duplo sets.
Easy craft type kits.
Magnetic tiles.
Any type of game but Orchard games are great.
Digging for gems or Dinosaur kits etc.

I've heard good things about Sushi Go

Small Lego sets.
Hot wheels tracks
Magic set
Rubik’s cube

we had great success one year with play doh sets like the toastie maker one

Traditional wooden bricks or block sets. With small animals or figures. Grimms wooden stuff is beautiful.

A playmobil zoo or farm…or fire station etc. depending on your child interests.

Jenga or Humpty Dumpty wall game, fuzzy felt, octons, https://www.smythstoys.com/ie/en-ie/toys/games-puzzles-and-books/board-games/preschool-board-games/humpty-dumptys-wall-game/p/122281