need ideas for a "big" birthday present for 4yr old

[alegna]

Okay- dd is turning 4. My parents are looking for ideas for a "big" present. Probably in the $100ish range had I to guess- though they'd spend more for something fabulous.

And yeah- it has to be a *thing* (they do pay for experiences too but for this they want a thing...)

She has a trike, but we don't ride it enough to move to a bike yet (too hot too much of the time and the mosquitoes are EVIL here...)

They're planning for an American Girl doll for Christmas... so probably not a doll or doll stuff.

She has a doll house.

She has a leapster (though it's currently not 100% sigh...)

She has a play kitchen.

What do other kids love?

-Angela

[smashlie]

My dd loved her swingset at that age. Maybe a tent? Playhouse?

[artgoddess]

My son loves his train table has for two and a half years. But I'm guessing that isn't much help. One of our friends got their DD a little wooden playhouse for the yard at Costco. It's adorable, but I don't know how much it cost.

[LynnS6]

Hmm...that's a hard one:

We have this doll stroller from Nova Natural and love it. I know you said "not doll stuff" but this isn't a doll or clothes. It's really sturdy (41 lb. dd still tries to sit in it!).

Would something like a fairy silk canopy be something she'd be interested in?

a hammock?

Since it's hot and buggy inside, do you have room for play furniture? Ikea sells a swinging chair, Leaps and Bounds sells a "Rainy Day Combo Kit" that I've coveted for a long time.

Do you have a good wagon? they can run up to $100 or more.

[Justmee]

Does it have to be a physically big present? Someone gave me $100 to spend on my kids and I was instructed it had to be a toy. I got them the playmobile zoo set and they love it. Is she into that type of pretend play? Or a nice lego or other building set?

[mightymoo]

My DS (3) got a sandbox this year and he and DD (5) both love it. It's the wooden frame kind and I think it cost about $100

[LuckyMommaToo]

Does she have a fantastic dress-up box? It would be cool to buy a lot of different things (shoes, jewelry, wings, a veil, dresses, etc) if she's into that.

I also second the Playmobil sets. I like browsing here:
http://www.utoypia.com/playmobil.php?Name=Playmobil
for them.

Hope you find just the right thing!
-e

[alegna]

Originally Posted by smashlie

My dd loved her swingset at that age. Maybe a tent? Playhouse?

Swingset is an interesting idea. I haven't figured out if we have space for one with where the trees and such are in the back yard. Hmmm. Still have the mosquito problem though. We have some tent-ish play houses for inside. Outside, same mosquito problem... sigh.

-Angela

[Red Pajama]

My favorite place for gift ideas is the online store, Fat Brain Toys.

[alegna]

Originally Posted by LynnS6

Hmm...that's a hard one:

We have this doll stroller from Nova Natural and love it. I know you said "not doll stuff" but this isn't a doll or clothes. It's really sturdy (41 lb. dd still tries to sit in it!).

Would something like a fairy silk canopy be something she'd be interested in?

a hammock?

Since it's hot and buggy inside, do you have room for play furniture? Ikea sells a swinging chair, Leaps and Bounds sells a "Rainy Day Combo Kit" that I've coveted for a long time.

Do you have a good wagon? they can run up to $100 or more.

We have a doll stroller that's a hit (super cheap one, but I can't see getting something redundant in this case)

*I* love the canopies... not sure if she'd use it... tempting though.

I love those swinging chairs... I wonder how hard it would be to find a beam to install them... hmm...

We do have a wagon- last christmas My parents are very good to her...

thanks!

-Angela

[alegna]

Originally Posted by RachelEve14

Does it have to be a physically big present? Someone gave me $100 to spend on my kids and I was instructed it had to be a toy. I got them the playmobile zoo set and they love it. Is she into that type of pretend play? Or a nice lego or other building set?

Does not have to be physically big. Just seem super-cool to said kid

I don't know if she'd get into a big set like that, but it's an idea. Legos are on the list, but I think a smaller general play set is more her speed right now.

good ideas though, thanks!

-Angela

[LuckyMommaToo]

Oh, Angela, I have one more idea -- do you guys have the Fairy Houses book?
http://www.amazon.com/Fairy-Houses/d...6911226&sr=8-2

They could get her the book plus some fairy dolls (I'm thinking like this: http://atoygarden.com/index.cfm?fuse...Product_ID=516 ) and a basket full of materials (shells, feathers, acorns, anything natural) to build houses. Definitely not a straight-forward gift, though!

-e

[alegna]

Originally Posted by mightymoo

My DS (3) got a sandbox this year and he and DD (5) both love it. It's the wooden frame kind and I think it cost about $100

She has a sand table, but sadly we really haven't been able to use it for the last 2 months as she can't be out there for more than 5 minutes without mosquitoes swarming...

maybe the real solution is something for mosquitoes if only it was that easy...

-Angela

[mamazee]

Puppet theater and puppets?

Or maybe some kind of musical thing, if you can handle the noise.

[alegna]

Originally Posted by LuckyMommaToo

Does she have a fantastic dress-up box? It would be cool to buy a lot of different things (shoes, jewelry, wings, a veil, dresses, etc) if she's into that.

I also second the Playmobil sets. I like browsing here:
http://www.utoypia.com/playmobil.php?Name=Playmobil
for them.

Hope you find just the right thing!
-e

Dress up is a good idea. She has some stuff, but needs a place to put it all and would love more. I'll toss that out to my mom and see if she bites...

Keep the great ideas coming!

-Angela

[alegna]

Originally Posted by LuckyMommaToo

Oh, Angela, I have one more idea -- do you guys have the Fairy Houses book?
http://www.amazon.com/Fairy-Houses/d...6911226&sr=8-2

They could get her the book plus some fairy dolls (I'm thinking like this: http://atoygarden.com/index.cfm?fuse...Product_ID=516 ) and a basket full of materials (shells, feathers, acorns, anything natural) to build houses. Definitely not a straight-forward gift, though!

-e

sigh- those are SO cool... Wonder if I could fly that with my mom.... hmmm...

-Angela

[alegna]

Originally Posted by mamazee

Puppet theater and puppets?

Or maybe some kind of musical thing, if you can handle the noise.

puppet theater is an interesting idea... I'll investigate that.

She has tons of musical things... her current favorite is a harmonica. And I did that to my own stupid self

-Angela

[LuckyMommaToo]

Okay, this is my final idea, I swear --
http://www.twirlygirlshop.com/reversible_dresses

A friend of mine knows the woman who makes these and says they're absolutely gorgeous. $$$, though. You could still get some fairy wings or sparkly shoes to go with them for $100.

I'm hoping Mimi will be onboard for this for Cmas for DD!
-e

[green betty]

My 3.5 year old is nuts about photos, so we're going to get him his own digital camera for his b-day. There are some rugged, attractive kids ones out there.

He can use it everywhere--to document sand castles and shaving cream sculptures, to track the progress of his garden plot, preserve funny faces for posterity... he can just take as many as he wants and download them onto my laptop.

I also think we'll give him his own blog address (I keep a blog for him, but this will be his very own thing we work on together) and he can save his faves there. He's dying to blog like Mommy! In your situation, something like that would be a big continuing Thank You to the grandparents...

[smashlie]

I seriously know what you mean about the mosquitos. Same problem here. And the heat. Yikes. What about an instrument? With lessons? And YES to a camera! My kids loved those!