4yo girl's birthday - I know people hate getting piles of pink plastic, but what shall I get her?

[crokky]

I want to give this 4yo something that she will like. I know her mum hates pink plastic tat, but aside from it being pink and plastic, what else makes a birthday present unwanted?

Do 4yos really like to receive books? (I can remember thinking they were a boring present when I was a child ).

Any ideas that are different from pink plastic stuff greatly appreciated!

£5-£10 budget.

oh and also, where do you shop for stuff like this - all my local toy shops have been victims of the recession...

A non pink plastic tat present may not get the warmest welcome at the time but will be played with and enjoyed for longer. I go for jigsaws, easily within the budget.

I'm sure toys r us do jigsaws.

good idea, I hadn't thought of them. My 3yo is a boy and he wants cars, trains etc...girls a bit of a mystery to me!

books, puzles, games, cards, dvds - lots of ideas.

Those craft kits you get in ELC are good.

these ones

Perhaps a craft pack? Pompoms and nice fiddly things to glue and cut. Hobby craft and the works do those sort of things. ELC does one for £8

books or a go go hamster - they are fab - my fail safe is always pj's.

I know a lot of people have a complete aversion to all things Disney, but we just got some fab playsets for dd2's 4th birthday tomorrow from the Disey Store. They did a Toy Story case of figures for £10 which has all the characters in. Not pink either! They also do Peter Pan and all the usual Princessy suspects

Having a recently 4 year old DD I would say please don't get wooden spoon fairies - they do look quite sweet but are a pain to make with your 4 year old, as you have to do most of it while she gets a little impatient

Mine does like books - one of her favourite presents was a box set of little books about princesses. Anything on a cat theme was also liked here but think this may be particular to DD .

Various princess items have also gone down well

tbh I when either dd gets craft stuff for bday now. I know it sounds appallingly ungrateful but after 8 years of it I can only cope with craft things that are chosen under my strict juristiction. Presents other people have bought can be awfully.... random

sorry

books are always a winner though

oh im with you on the craft thing - ungratefully our craft sets tend to get ermmm recycled as we get loads as i suspect others do the same

I think books are always a winner, and easy to regift if she already has it

also hate craft sets
craft supplies all welcome but sets - never get made

ELC's dressing up sets are about £10. Pirate, doctor, police officer, etc. My 4 year old plays with dress up all the time.

Barefoot books publish beautiful collections of stories with a CD of them being read included. Look on amazon, there are loads of different ones.

hama beads?

art and craft stuff/books/dressing up stuff/audio books

Dressing up a good idea, my dd1 (just turned 4) is currently dressed as a policeman, her younger sister was a fairy and is now playing with the nurses set.

Other things my dd got for her fourth birthday a couple of weeks ago: a dressing gown; books (The Stick Man has gone down well; also one about a Street through the ages); sticker books; Buckaroo and Pop up Pirates; a skipping rope; a giant Peppa Pig Snakes and Ladders game.

Hopefully that will give you some ideas. A beading set we got for her third birthday is popular at the moment but I agree with the other comments about crafty activities....

I just gave a 4 yo girl a set of glitter glue pens, some foam stickers and some washable markers. Seemed to go down well with the mum and girl. Or maybe some stickers and a book token so she can go and pick her own book.