Help -What present do I get for a girl's 7th birthday party

[perpetualworrier]

I'm really struggling with this. I had a look in the shops yesterday, but everything seemed either too young eg Polly Pocket, cutesie animal things or in inappropriate like Bratz, makeup sets etc, which I know her mum would not approve of. High School Musical seems to be the in thing, but I know, from her mum, that this girl has been suffering at school because they all like HSM, but she prefers Sound of Music! Any suggestions?

Hannah Montana?

A dress made of curtains? Spiders in a jar? OK, something not Sound of Music themed...

Skipping rope
Advanced craft - those tinfoil scraping things or plaster moulds that you make & paint.
A charm bracelet (Fenwicks etc)
Beaded bag or flip-flops from Monsoon
Umbrella
Clarice Bean paperback book (not the picture books)
A secret diary with a padlock on it

What does she like/do? Ballet/horses etc?

HAMA beads are quite good for that age, DD1 (5) really loves them but struggles a little with the designs. I think a 7 year old would enjoy them. HTH.

I have an 8yo and a 6yo dd (and no HSM). Mine like almost anything arts or crafty - sketch pads, watercolour sets, paint a piggy bank, design your own this that or the other, and they like books. (what about a book token?). They like Sylvanian families and animal hospital. Also anything to do with animals or bugs. You are right I think they would find Polly pocket too young.

Mine don't seem to suffer at school for not having HSM in the house. nor do we have Rainbow fairies. nor bratz. Some of their friends are into those things but not all of them.

Oh! Thank you for all your ideas. I knew it couldn't really be that hard. The thing that was putting me off a lot of those craft sets was that they often say 4+ and I didn't wasnt to insult her.... even though IME with DS's the minimum age is usually set too low.

Secret diary is a great idea - my dd (8) loves anything to do with writing and so scented pens, gel pens, glitter pens, writing books etc would go down a treat.

Also, a bag/purse always goes down well here, as do hair accessories (pretty slides, hair grips and alice bands).

My dd also enjoys top trumps (the dog one is a good one) and things like skipping ropes are good with the weather getting warmer and more opportunity to play in the garden.

hth

I got a china Shire horse for my 7th birthday, which I still have.

My DD (7 in June) likes:

Polly Pocket
Any tiny stationery/glittery pens and notebooks
Books (she loves Rainbow Magic but is moving to other stuff too)
My Little Pony
Hair stuff or jewellery (check Claire's Accessories or Sainsbury's)
Craft or colouring books or those Usborn "How to draw" ones
Hama beads

(Haven't let her see Sylvanian Families as she would love them)

If that's any help.

(bluenosesaint we appear to have identical DDs. Mine loves those dog TTs too)