Xmas present for five year old who has everything?

[ilex]

Help! I need to get something for my 5 yr old niece and she really does not need anymore toys/books/clothes, and she has so much that I am worried that whatever I do get her will just get lost or overlooked anyway. So, I really need some advice on unique and useful gifts! Ideas??

[PiePie]

books:
adele & simon, by b. mcclintock (especially great if she is a madeline fan)
alphabet explosion! by j. nickle
christmas, by r. sabuda
flotsam, by d. wiesner
foam gliders by http://www.klutz.com/
the miraculous journey of edward tulane, by k. dicamillo
museum trip, by b. lehman
owen & mzee, by i. hatkoff (about the tsunami)
satchel page, don't look back, by d. adler
snow globe family, by j. o'connor
yoon and the christmas mitten, by h. rocorvitz (about korean-american)

toys:
airport by http://www.lego.com/en-US/default.aspx
kast & paint krazy cars by http://www.skullduggery.com/
puzzle by ravensburger (go for 49-60 pieces)
mag xl magformers
monster trucks custom shop by http://www.creativityforkids.com/
only hearts club doll
stuffed animal by http://www.manhattantoy.com/
word whammer fridge phonics

video:
popular mechanics for kids

[HannahsMomma]

What about a gift certificate for something like a children's museum or science center that you could take her to. It's something that will be memorable for her and you get to spend time with your niece. HTH

[philomom]

Magazine subscriptions! They come once a month with the kid's name on them and they come in a variety of topics. I always get good feedback on the mags.


Cricket
Ranger Rick
My Big Backyard
Ladybug
Muse
New moon

[maya44]

WEBKINZ. I am telling you that this is an absolute favorite amazing toy.

It is a stuffed animal, cute sure. But it also has a code to go on line at www.webkinz.com. (clik on "take a tour).

There you build a home for your animal. You need to feed your animal and bathe it.

You play fun games to buy more things (like a bed or a bathub or food) for your animal.

You can invite others to play (NO personal or any info can be put on line so it is totally safe).

You can get dogs, cats, unicorns (especially cool), monkeys, frogs, bears...

It is CHEAP, less than $15 bucks. You will NOT do better for the kid who has everything!

[Inci]

What to get for a person that has everything they need, and then some -
something non-material, or something material that's temporary. Such as:

- Fun bandages or temporary tattoos
- Tickets/passes to some local attraction
- Bubble bath
- Home-baked goodies, or some version of her favorite food
- Glowsticks
- A huge, long sheet of bubble wrap (with the BIG bubbles)
- Make a batch of edible playdough (Google it to find recipes)
- A bouquet of her favorite-colored flowers, in a kid-friendly vase, for her room
- A disposable camera

[vermonttaylors]

What about something like "Adopt a Whale/Elelphant/Rhino/Dolphin/Polar Bear?"

There is always really cool info included in the packets and I remember someone getting one for me when I was a kid and I was so excited! Plus, it's the gift that keeps on giving:she learns something and an environmental group gets a little more dough for their conservation work.

Just a thought.:

[funkygranolamama]

savings bond!

[Flor]

Do you live near by? You could arrange a date with her for later for an afternoon or a buy a craft kit for her alone, or you two together. I love the Klutz books. I buy them for myself.

www.klutz.com

Though, I'm sure you've seen them.

[TwinMom]

I'll tell you what my 5-year old would love--a huge pack of Scotch tape and a ream of plain paper. Fancy scissors, too! My kids all have had this paper/scissors/tape disease, so one Christmas a friend of mine actually did give those things to my girls when they were five. You've never seen such excited kids when they EACH opened up a 10-pack of Scotch tape!

[boobear]

Start a tradition with her and take her out somewhere. Lunch, early dinner, movie or a local play. Other ideas, depending on your lifestyle, hikes, ice skating, help you do volunteer work (senior home, animal shelter).

You could tie this in with maybe a charm bracelet and get her a charm every year that relates to the activity.

My 5 year old would love this kind of attention from one of her aunts, but my sisters are busy with their own broods

[Liquesce]

Originally Posted by boobear

Start a tradition with her and take her out somewhere. Lunch, early dinner, movie or a local play.

:

When I was a kid my aunt always took my sister and I to something "cultural" for birthdays and holidays, mostly ballets (being the I-want-to-be-a-ballerina-when-I-grow-up types). Aside from the fact that we loved it then, it instilled in both of us early on a lifelong appreciation for the arts, classical music, and so on -- to a suprisingly large number of little kids, looking down upon an orchestra pit can be something really magical.

[jennnk]

• zoo
• ballet (nutcracker ?)
• children's museum
• aquarium
• sledding/tobogganning
• ice skating
• coupons for once-a-week or once-a-month afternoon tea/trip to the park/playdate with you
• cheap digital or film camera (thrift stores often have working film cameras for $5) & a photo album or set of picture frames; take her out one day to a park or around town & have her take pictures of what she sees - the artistic quality of some of the shots will amaze you & she'll learn a useful skill AND get to spend time with you.