Christmas list ideas- 3yr old (x-posted)

[alegna]

I keep a running list for dd on Amazon for extended family. They're pretty good about checking it, so it's well worth it to keep it stocked with good choices that are mainstream enough to be bought easily in a weekend in town.

That said- great ideas? She went through a puzzle phase a few months back, but isn't so enamored of them right now. The selection of books/CDs and videos is pretty good.

I need great toys!

thanks!

-Angela

[boatbaby]

I like these on amazon.com -- they are on our list.

http://www.amazon.com/WJ-Fantasy-Cas...4553878&sr=8-1
and they go nicely with these
http://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-D...4553878&sr=8-1


We don't have the space for this but it is 50% off by PLAN Toys
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...CHFRE&v=glance

They have lots of Imagiplay sets on amazon too
http://www.amazon.com/Imagiplay-Arct...4554113&sr=8-8
http://www.amazon.com/Imagiplay-Zoom...554181&sr=8-6\
http://www.amazon.com/Imagiplay-3131...4554181&sr=8-7

[alegna]

Cool stuff! Problem is amazon is only good for the list- for these particular family members it needs to be stuff they can buy in town without searching.

thanks though!

-Angela

[Yo Becca]

I ask my family for nice, practical gifts rather than play stuff b/c I know they won't pick what I would. Like, my mom will get a full set of nice turtlenecks and leggings from Land's End in all the basic colors (very nice and useful), but for toys she picks crappy pink plastic stuff and cheap dolls. Gotta run, but I'm also looking for suggestions for my 3yo. We are also asking for $ for gymnastics class for her.

[alegna]

Yeah. My parents can be good for that sort of thing. In-laws.... I'm better off asking for a specific toy...

-Angela

[claras_mom]

When they come into town to go shopping, is it a small town with limited options or, you know, Houston-ish?

My almost three is super into tents right now; play kitchen stuff--pretend food, etc.; various kinds of percussion and bells; fingerpaints and crayons; doll clothes; trucks...

ETA She has a little bag of jingle-bells in different colors that we picked up at the craft store one day. Which could be another kind of idea--just a grab bag of felt, bells, pipe cleaners, etc. that could be used in all kinds of ways.

Not quite sure how you'd list that on Amazon, though!

In one of our malls there's a "Calendar Store" which actually has a pretty large selection of cool toys you wouldn't necessarily expect to find in a mainstream mall.

[tinasquirrel]

What about board games? You can find those at any Target / Walmart type of place. And being three years old, she is probably just going to start getting into them soon. Or dominoes, or that type of thing as well.

[Ell-Bell]

Posted in the other thread, too.

Why not set up a non-Amazon wish list? Then you can have all kinds of things on there, not just the mainstream ideas. It's also a good way to track things that YOU might want to get further down the line.

I like The Things I Want because you can add stuff from any website. You can also add a message at the top of the page. Ours says that they don't hav eto get these EXACT things, and that we are happy to get recycled/used toys as well.

[alegna]

Originally Posted by claras_mom

When they come into town to go shopping, is it a small town with limited options or, you know, Houston-ish?

It's Houston, but they're not heading to any of our plentiful fun stores. If it's not at target or walmart or best buy or the like- forget it.

Sometimes you just have to accept family where they're at- ya know? We get dd plenty of cool things and my parents are always willing to shop around. In-laws however.... they're sweet, they mean well, they will buy off a list, but if it's not easy for them, it's not happening- ya know?

-Angela

[alegna]

Originally Posted by tinasquirrel

What about board games? You can find those at any Target / Walmart type of place. And being three years old, she is probably just going to start getting into them soon. Or dominoes, or that type of thing as well.

Personally *I* am not a board game person : but dh is usually happy to play board games with her. Any great suggestions? We did get her Candy Land awhile back.

-Angela

[alegna]

Originally Posted by Ell-Bell

Posted in the other thread, too.

Why not set up a non-Amazon wish list? Then you can have all kinds of things on there, not just the mainstream ideas. It's also a good way to track things that YOU might want to get further down the line.

I like The Things I Want because you can add stuff from any website. You can also add a message at the top of the page. Ours says that they don't hav eto get these EXACT things, and that we are happy to get recycled/used toys as well.

In general, a fun idea. For this group? Forget it. We all have amazon lists. They will look there. If it's not there, then they're going to walk in a big box store and find the first piece of plastic that appeals to them- ya know? They're not going to go to a different list site.

But even more- they're not going to go anywhere but a mainstream big-box store to shop. They don't shop ahead of time or online.

-Angela

[zipworth]

How about.......

!. Any of the Cranium games/toys designed for this age group. I am a board game hater, but these are cool. We like Cariboo.

2. Wooden magnetic trainsets? They have these at Target.

3. Books

4. Tea set?

5. Water/sand play table? Little tykes makes some good ones.

6. A wagon

7. Matchbox cars

8. A berenguer baby doll set for the bath

9. Lego duplo or the like

10. Little tykes wooden table and chairs, or art easle

11. Art supplies

12. Movies

13. A tricycle


Hope that helps!

[LaughingHyena]

We are getting DD a CD player, it's a children's ones with microphones to sing along. Pink, plastic and possibly batteries : She got a couple of audio books for her birthday and loves them so we'll get a few more.

We've also got a Mr potato head set and some magnetic letters with a board.

[alegna]

What a list- thanks! What fun!


!. Any of the Cranium games/toys designed for this age group. I am a board game hater, but these are cool. We like Cariboo.

We have this one... have lost one ball


2. Wooden magnetic trainsets? They have these at Target.

Magnetic trainsets? We have a good set of wood trains (oh, I bet you mean the magnets to connect cars... We have a nice collection and unfortunately I think mama likes them a lot more than she does right now....

3. Books

Oh, if only you saw our book collection and list I made a whole separate amazon list for just books for her. : great idea though.


4. Tea set?

Great idea. I need to see if I can find a nice one to ask for specifically (or just get it myself... sigh)



5. Water/sand play table? Little tykes makes some good ones.

have one- not a hit lately somehow....


6. A wagon

have one


7. Matchbox cars

have a nice selection

8. A berenguer baby doll set for the bath

not sure what this is- will look up



9. Lego duplo or the like

added to the list


10. Little tykes wooden table and chairs, or art easle

we have an easel, and they don't buy big ticket items...

11. Art supplies

we have more than mama cares to admit to....


12. Movies

have some on the list always a good choice for this crowd


13. A tricycle

have one


Thanks! That was a great list

-Angela

[alegna]

Originally Posted by LaughingHyena

We are getting DD a CD player, it's a children's ones with microphones to sing along. Pink, plastic and possibly batteries : She got a couple of audio books for her birthday and loves them so we'll get a few more.

We've also got a Mr potato head set and some magnetic letters with a board.

I've been looking for a good CD player she could use by herself (with minimal help) I'll go search for one- good idea!

-Angela

[claras_mom]

Our local CostCo had a really sturdy (and pretty; it's wooden) easel recently.

I saw some nice tea sets at a largeish ToysRUs.

I know what you mean about just accepting people where they are.

[alegna]

Originally Posted by claras_mom

Our local CostCo had a really sturdy (and pretty; it's wooden) easel recently.

I saw some nice tea sets at a largeish ToysRUs.

I know what you mean about just accepting people where they are.

Thanks

We have a nice easel- so we're set there. I need to look at tea sets I know she'd love one.

-Angela

[tinasquirrel]

Okay, I'm thinking Target...hmm...

Board games that we have and enjoy:
* Candy Land
* Snakes and Ladders (sort of like Chutes and Ladders, but better, but not at Target)
* Cranium Hullabaloo (batteries, and a bit noisy, but a very active fun game)
* Dominoes
* Cards (I got the boys Briarpatch I-Spy card game at Walmart and they love it, it's sort of like Go Fish)
* We have a lot of other great board games, but they aren't readily available at big box types of stores.

Okay, or other ideas. Target has that one toy aisle with sort of "nicer" toys. They might have a nice tea set there. They also have some Scheich animals in that aisle. My boys love their Schleich animals. They also have some nice musical instruments and dress-up clothes in that aisle.

Legos/Duplus are always a good idea. What about Lincoln Logs or Kid K'Nex? They have both of those at Target/Walmart. My boys love their Kid K'nex.

[alegna]

Thanks for the ideas! I didn't even know about the Kid K'nex before someone mentioned them on the other thread- GREAT idea. They look really cool. I added several sets.

Off to look at and add cool games

thanks!

-Angela

[Yo Becca]

Tea sets: you can find cute ceramic and sometimes even tin ones at TJ Maxx and marshalls - you can also find M&D or other wooden toys there very often - Tuesday Morning also has nice stuff at good prices sometimes. Would the IL's go there? Thank *goodness* our dog chewed enough peices of the awful princess plastic tea set my grandmother gave DD for her 1st birthday that we can throw it away. But the next year they got her a ceramic set I think from W-M

I know stores are getting stricter with return policies, but to be honest, we return almost everything my folks get our kids. we thank them kindly, and sometimes admit we returned it ("wrong size for season, we got a bigger size" (and don't mention it was also a totally different item), "she already has an X but really wanted a Y", etc.), but usually I just say she's enjoying the item. We get store credit, then we go with DD, help her pick a few items to chose from, then discuss the merits of each - including quality. She has learned that she can trade several small, junky toys for one item that will last longer and is nicer.

We're really using all the recalls to defend our decision to seek mostly non-plastic and non-MIC toys and my more mainstream family is actually sympathetic. But I also seek NON-TOY things for them to get - clothes, art supplies, books, magazine subscriptions, feeding items (like new cups, forks, thermos, etc.), a tote bag for carrying to school, winter jacket, etc.

Also, I use the dog and now our baby as a reason for NOT getting things that are plastic (the dog chews them up - which she doesn't since she was a puppy, but I'll never tell!) or have a 1000 peices (choking hazard, or the baby will lose them). And I have strict No-Barbie, No-Princess rules, which my mom actually fully supports. DD ends up getting Dora junk instead....which we return (she has dora stuff from yard sales, the new stuff goes back to the store). But you are pregnant - you can start using the "choking hazard" line again