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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Original poster

present help!

14 replies

littlemisschatalot · 06/10/2009 09:27

we have 2ds 4 and 5.am struggling for ideas..the 5yr old wants a ds but hes not having one. they have scooters/bikes/train sets/hot wheels...just bought a star wars toy for ds4yr b'day..not even pla\yed with.
any ideas for boys who seem to have everything? only decent idea so far is a kite. x

OP posts:
itsbeingsofearful · 06/10/2009 09:31

What do they play with at the moment. Do they like outdoors or in. Do they play together, make dens, play fight, colour, draw?

More clues needed if we're going to be successful Santa's helpers

katylou25 · 06/10/2009 09:55

My ds1 - 4.5 has just got into Lego - how aobut that or playmobil??

Original poster
littlemisschatalot · 06/10/2009 12:55

hello, thanks for replying. we have enough lego, he has the digger, garage, helicopter, plus smaller star wars sets, and a big bucket of bits, they are outdoor boys, but seem to have everything eg, scooters, bikes, balls, football nets, trampoline etc. the older one likes lego, consruction stuff, we bought him the gears set last year, (not really played with) the younger on doesnt seem intested in much, just watching his brother. he has missed out a lot of play with duplo/kidknex/garage etc as he wants what his brothers playing with, but cant do it, so soon loses interest.
they rely on the tv for entertainment
but when they come in from school thay are tired, and on weekends we have football, rugby, swimming etc so we are not often in.
i did think skateboards?
they dont seem to play anypretend play even though we have actioon men/tanks/car mats/rockets/etc. i really am stuck and dont
want to waste money.
my other thought was a wii, but they are alraedy using the tv too much. (and they havnt asked for one)
please someone help!

OP posts:
lilysam · 06/10/2009 12:58

skateboards sound good to me...you can get them with tv and film 'characters' on too i think. Argos do a lot..

itsbeingsofearful · 06/10/2009 13:16

Is your garden big enough to get a swing/climbing frame in as a joint present?

I wouldn't get a skateboard for such young boys tbh. My 8yo got one last Christmas and just didn't have the coordination to handle it and got really frustrated. And he's an all- action boy too

Original poster
littlemisschatalot · 06/10/2009 13:19

we live opposite a park, so not sure if a swing set would be used. thanks for the ifo about skateboards btw

OP posts:
englishpatient · 06/10/2009 13:28

I think you can get skateboards with some sort of handle for younger children - friend's DS got one when quite small.

ninedragons · 06/10/2009 13:30

Do you think they are overwhelmed with stuff? Would a season ticket to the aquarium or something engage them without contributing to the toy boredom?

Original poster
littlemisschatalot · 06/10/2009 14:06

maybe not overwhelmed, i rotate the stuff so they dont have access to everything at once. i think the problem is that the toys we have have been about for ages. i like the idea of a ticket to an attraction or something but at 4/5 would they understand that concept?

OP posts:
Lindax · 06/10/2009 20:40

if they dont have already how about some family board games to get away from tv? my ds 5 likes monopoly junior and frustration. getting him tumbling monkeys this year and still deciding on another board type game but there are loads out there.

mine also loves anything dinosaur (models, dig out kits, walking with dinosaurs dvd's, encyopedia (sp?)) and pretend plays with them better than "people" toys (has lots of animals too, nice Scheidt (sp?) ones)

I am trying hard to buy things that are age suitable and not ahead of him iykwim, if you buy a skateboard now, what will you get them when they are 6/7 and ready for one. last year I got ds the lego police station which was fab and very detailed but way beyond a 4.10yr old, he just couldn't play with it properly and lost interest, totally turned him off construction toys - its now bagged up and in the loft for a year or so until he's ready for it.

Ohforfoxsake · 07/10/2009 10:06

Ker plunk and Buckeroo. Frustration is a big hit here too.

PJs

Toothbrush (flashy one)

Crazy soap

Sweets

Sticker books

Whatever you do DO NOT as rellies for lego. They will go to TK Maxx and buy the biggest and most complicated kit they can find and you will spend your christmas losing essential parts. Unless of course you just love making lego car carriers yourself

itsbeingsofearful · 08/10/2009 11:18

Slight thread hijack. But is anyone else really disappointed with the new-style Frustration?
I say new, could be at least a decade old, but I remember loving playing it with the 'Popomatic' dice shaker and the little hats, which sat on each other and you can go forward or back if you 'caught' someone else. DS's new version is just a pale imitation.

Now back to the thread.

DS also still plays Shh Don't Wake Dad, which he's had for a couple of years.

jazzandh · 08/10/2009 12:16

I have the same problem - my DS (just5) is massively into Lego, and will independently build the sets - then mix it all up! So really how much lego do they need?

Dh got him a go-kart which has been quite a hit outside, and for his birthday got a digital scalextric set. This has potential for add on bits and can be grown into, plus DH loves playing with it!

Wii is good - perhaps they can play on that instead of watching TV. Some games are very simple - DS has been playing basic ones since he was 3 - so good for both of them to play together.

Another big hit for birthday was a mini microscope, and a weather station.

jazzandh · 08/10/2009 12:18

Also a playhouse of some sort - their own garden den!

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