birthday suggestions

[Rose-Roget]

Okay, I've scrolled through a few pages and didn't find a thread about this (although quite possibly, if I'd dug deeper, I might have).

Ds will be 4 in September. I don't necessarily want to buy him a Montessori work for his birthday, but what are some ideas for a "nice" present from us. I have realized that he has accumulated enough crap over the years (some from us, but most from others), that I don't want to just add to the junk pile. I'd like something that is fun, stimulating, and educational and could, potentially, still be enjoyed for a couple of years down the road.

He's got a wide range of interersts, although building and crafts aren't top on his list. Favorites at the moment are puzzles, maps, music, and imaginary play. Oh, yeah, when I say "nice," I'm thinking under $100 (possibly significantly under that!). Any ideas??

[mamalemon]

What about a Playmobil set? Other big hits around here are the Quadrilla Marble Run, our train table and tracks, the threading tree.

A balance bike would be fun too!

[Koloe]

What about arts and crafts supplies?

Tool bench and tools? Can you do real tools vs toy ones? I'm asking myself this question with my almost 3-year-old and I'm thinking we need to wait awhile for "real" tools.

Small versions of "real" yard tools - rake, hoe, shovel, wheel barrow. Assuming you have a yard of course.

[MattBronsil]

I am just going to throw this out there. When we were growing up, my parents did not make a lot of money. In fact, for a few years, my mom worked as a Montessori teacher and my dad was an assistant teacher in the classroom. Talk about having no cash...

As a result, my parents had to get inventive. My dad made several toys that are still used today by my nephews (ages 3 and 7).

I really enjoyed the TV show "Tom and Jerry" and I had a stuffed animal cat and a stuffed animal mouse that I named "Tom" and "Jerry." (Guess which one is which). With just 5 pieces of wood and paint (and tools) my dad built a "mouse hole" like you would see in the old Tom and Jerry cartoons. It was 4 pieces of wood for the walls, one for the roof, a cut out window in the back, and the mouse hole shape on the first piece of wood. It was all painted to look like a real house. I probably got that when I was 2 or 3 and played with it for years.

That might not be a toy of interest, but let me suggest one that I can't imagine would not be:

We have a road that EVERY child loves. My dad simply took a board, attached legs to it, covered it with plaster to form small hills, and painted a roadway on it.

The road starts in a parking lot on the top of a hill. There are parking spaces for, I believe, 4 cars. Your matchbox car "drives" out of the parking lot and over a bridge (I think the bridge was just a piece of wood that connected them two paster pieces. I'm not sure), went a little farther to another bridge right before a winding downward hill. At the bottom of the hill was a 3 way intersection. If you turned left, you basically reached the end of the table. (I used to imagine there was so much stuff over there, though). You drive and come to another 4 way intersection. If you go straight or left, you're off the table again. If you turn right, you go under the two bridges mentioned above and eventually to the end of the table.

It was fun making cars climb the hills...there was a little space next to one of the hills that I always put a police car, waiting for people to burst through the intersection or speed. And, of course, when a car crashes off the hill into that area between the two bridges, air care had to be called in.

Sorry...just thinking back. In all honesty, though, I don't remember a child being at our house that didn't love the road. The lanes were wide enough for your standard matchbox car...it was an inexpensive toy...and it's nearly 30 years old and still in perfect condition, minus minor paint chips.

My suggestion if you're looking for a good toy...

[Koloe]

Home made gifts can be really good. Especially when so much out there is just throw away toys. My Dad made me a doll house when I was probably around 7 or 8. A STURDY one that stood up to being sat on and otherwise abused by 7 children. Something none of the store bought ones could last through. I now need to refurbish it for my own DD. Mostly just cosmetic stuff though - and maybe finishing the stairs that never got finished.

My younger brothers around the same time got a jeep made out of plywood from my older brothers - with Dad's help of course. It had 2 seats in front and I think a bench in back. That lasted a very long time as well. It didn't "go" anywhere, except with your imagination. Though I often found my little sewing machine in it, as the pedal along with the whirring of the motor evidently made a great gas petal for the jeep.

[BCFD]

Have you looked on Etsy? Look under "toys" or "woodworking" and then "toys". There are a few folks out there that make some really cute wooden puzzles.

I think this would be a really neat idea and I'm toying around with getting them for my kids for Christmas this year. My middle daughter is SURE to be a BMX racer! LOL:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...15256157&hl=en

Under $100 even! http://www.amazon.com/Strider-Kids-R.../dp/B0019AC8XW

[wrzos]

My son will be 4 in October, and some things we are considering include:

** lego set (he has duplos now, we are debating whether to move up to legos)
** construction vehicles (thinking plan toys stuff here - he LOVES their crane)
** books are always a hit
** playmobil is good - hadn't thought of that, but am adding it to my list of possibilities!


You mention an interest in music - how about an acoustic guitar? Drum kit? even a set of bells? A neighbor girl gifted her guitar to my son and he LOVES it. His Dad has one too, and they'll play together.

We already have 'real' yard tools in child size for him, plus we allow him to use most all of our garden tools if he wants to - and working in the yard - pretending to be a landscaper is a current favorite past-time.

He plays often with a 5 year old neighbor (girl) and they often play dress up. I'm planning on stocking up on costumes this year. He insists he is a different animal every time he passes through a doorway (fruit bat - think stellaluna, rhinoceros, moose, pelican, dog, you name it). Often the animal he'll choose is related to something we've just read or seen. Back to books - he has been into the step 2 reading series animal titles: gorillas, dolphins, dinosaurs, etc.

One of his favorite gifts from last year was a real fishing pole and tackle box from my parents. And then of course they now take him fishing - mostly to catch-n-release places that the state parks group runs, but you get the idea. When they aren't around, he enjoys casting off our deck to practice.

I'm sure I'll think of others...

[Lillianna]

For my dd's 4th bday we gave her a melody harp:
http://www.montessoriservices.com/st...h=101_160_2562
You do need to tune it periodically.

I would also recommend these CDs:
For the Kids http://www.amazon.com/Kids-Various-A.../dp/B00006L7QX
Children's Celebration of Folk Music http://www.rhapsody.com/album/212616...?artistId=5806

[Flor]

Ds just turned 5. He really enjoys his real tools from www.forsmallhands.com He has his own real work bench with a wooden top where he hammers, glues, and even saws. He also has cooking items from that site. We also bought him the child-sized wheelbarrow. For his 5th b-day we got him a child-sized guitar and the child-sized conga drum. Soon we are going to get him a microscope. Though it isn't really Montessori, he also loves his collection of dinos/animals from Scheilt and Safari Ltd.
http://www.amazon.com/s/qid=12186008...eich%20animals

He also likes to dress up and I like the costumes at novanatural.com

[BCFD]

Originally Posted by Lillianna

For my dd's 4th bday we gave her a melody harp:
http://www.montessoriservices.com/st...h=101_160_2562
You do need to tune it periodically.

Ohh...this is a good one. We have this same harp and my kids LOVE it!

I think we have every one of the Schleich animals, too. They are some of the most played with toys around our house. The Learning Express has a huge selection of them (some of the more hard to find animals than what Target has).

[wrzos]

Love that harp as well! Adding that to my short list of possible gifts... :

[Rose-Roget]

Thanks for all of the suggestions! I actually saw the harp on the For Small Hands website, and was telling dh how cool it looked.

I would really like to make a gift for him, but I'm very much do-it-yourself impaired, so it would take me way longer than a month to finish! lol Maybe, though, we could make Matt's road as a family project sometime. There were so many wonderful ideas - thanks again!