Thinking about Christmas

Tanya - posted on 12/08/2008

Kitchen sets are a hit in my household. He loves big cars for little hands. My son doesn't sit still at table and chairs. I know he does love a rocking chair.

Kelli - posted on 12/08/2008

My daughter loves to draw, so I got her an Aquadoodle and some other drawing toys. She also loves her dolls and playing pretend. So, we got some play food to pretend to make. Also love any of the little leaps toys! And we also know she is getting a table and chair set, somewhere she can sit to have fun! Oh and Play doe!! :) Have fun!

Shelly - posted on 12/06/2008

Start a tradition of a book each year of your childs life. Make it a special one that you know he or she will enjoy. These are my girls favorite toys. -- Leap Frog toys. Plastic books. Toy kitchen items and food. Building blocks.

Kimberly - posted on 11/16/2008

my son is obsessed with trucks and Elmo so we bought him the Elmo bathtime toy and a big dump truck to play in the sandbox. I hope he loves it. As for good deals, kohls has some great prices on toys. I did some price shopping especially between the major stores, and Kohls sale prices beat anyone else

Marcie - posted on 11/16/2008

I am getting my little on the aquadoodle for christmas, along with her first baby doll. I bought the aquadoodle previously for my friends little girl when she was 2 and she loved it she is 5 now and still plays with it. The pen can be refilled, it only takes water, so if it gets on the carpet it will dry. No ink involved. They can dip there hands in water and make handprints.

Danielle - posted on 11/11/2008

I have heard the kitchen sets are great so I think her grandparents will get her that. She loves the Little People sets so we got her a couple of those. Was also going to get the farm animal phonics for the fridge since she's just learning animal sounds. Also got a couple of vehicles that are filled with Mega Bloks. We recently got her a baby doll with a bottle and she loves that!

Sarah - posted on 11/06/2008

With the aquadoodle does it only work on that mat? or can they get it on the carpet

Sarah - posted on 11/06/2008

I'm thinking about some of those tadoodle things. the markers that are for toddlers that only mark on certain paper.

Just - posted on 11/06/2008

Hi, yeah my grandparents are thinking of getting her a table and chairs set. I already got her for xmas an aquatic doodle, wooden puzzle, igglepiggle lol, and I think thats it so far. I am half thinking about getting some finger paints too but it seems soo messy lol however, I know she will have lots of fun with it. I like the idea of the aqua doodle cause it isn't messy at all, plus there were on sale recently.

Liz - posted on 11/06/2008

I would like to find my son a train set. He loves them!!! I will probably buy him a little people set.

User - posted on 11/06/2008

Another great location to buy new and gently used toys, among many other things, is Craigslist.com. There are a few seller's in my community that buy products wholesale and sell them for much cheaper than retail (for example, we just bought our kids a New in Box Playhouse for $150, that retails for $230).

Sarah - posted on 11/05/2008

Thanks Stephanie!! We don't have one of those by me but we have a 2nd hand shop called Kid to Kid that I frequent.

Stefanie - posted on 11/05/2008

Heads up on steals and deals...I don't know if you guys have a Once Upon A Child by you...they had a brand new plastic play kitchen for $45!!! Plus, double strollers for $30 (for those who will have more kids) as well as cheap toys for stocking stuffers!!

Sarah - posted on 11/05/2008

Great topic! I've been pondering what to get my DD for Christmas too.

I like the 3 gifts idea too.

She likes the Little People toys. The kitchen play sets are a good idea, not sure on the price for that though.

Jenna - posted on 11/04/2008

My little girl is baby mad at the moment so i have brought her a baby annibell and silver cross pushchair and her family have brought her other things to go with it.

The little table sounds great chelsie has one and she loves it and will spend alot of the day at it x

User - posted on 11/04/2008

I also just bought a kitchen for my two toddlers and they cannot get enough of it. My children get more enjoyment out of doing what mommy does than anything else.

Amie - posted on 11/04/2008

We buy our kids "educational" toys when we can. The ones that talk and make as much noise to drive us insane is what our kids have. Though on the plus side it seems to be helping our youngest with her fine motor skills and she's advancing a lot quicker than our older two. That is in part also to the fact that she loves to follow them around. She loves stuffed animals too. She'll pick one out of her toy box and drag it around with her hugging and kissing it. Until she sees one of our cats anyway and then she's dragging them around. Makes me glad their very tame kitties. = ) I haven't given much thought to toys this year. Our house is stuffed to the max with them but there are a few that might benefit another look. Our kids generally get 4 toys each. A big one from us, a smaller one from their siblings, one from santa and then a small one from santa in their stocking. What's made it easier in the past is to decide how much you're willing to spend before you leave the house. For each child we spend a max of $150 for all 4 toys. They've been happy with this so far. It makes us shop around to for the best deals so we don't just cave at one store and get everything there. It might make it a full day of shopping but we get it done and generally end up with more money in our pocket at the end. As for the uneducational toys they do get, it's toys for outside, cars for our son who loves any kind of truck or car, our oldest got her own computer last year (which is educational in a way but she's got lots of games that she plays that aren't so much), our youngest loves her babies too. Movies are always a good choice too. I love Disney movies and we have almost the entire set. My parents started it when we were young and we inherited them when we started having kids and have been completing it as they come out. =) We're doing again this year what we did last. We have Toys R Us in the city and take them there. They each get to take home one small cheap toy but while we're there we pay attention to what their most interested in. Then we make a list and see what we can get from that. It's easier than flying dark and the kids are always ecstatic as they open their gifts christmas day. Our parents usually get them clothes so we don't worry so much about that. =) Christmas is just around the corner too, I need to get on some of this stuff before the stores get crazy. i wish you luck, its almost as much fun shopping for the stuff as it is to see them open it. =)

Lisa - posted on 11/03/2008

Love your "3 gift" idea. Maybe we should adopt that. I have Adia, and her triplet siblings so Christmas gifts are always an expense! And since her sibs are 3 1/2 yrs old I don't really think that she will need any new toys. How sad for her! She actually is growing up way faster than her sibs and is maturing way too fast so toddler toys don't really amuse her the way the pre-schooler toys do!

Stefanie - posted on 11/03/2008

We bought Cole a kitchen with a set of play food...he LOVES to play with that at ECFE and you can find some good deals on them. We only give three gifts (because of the three wise men). A book, an outfit, and a toy. Some years it will be more expensive than others, but they don't need more than that!! Especially with a big family like I have!! Then we usually stuff other "toys" into the stocking...I like the idea of a little table. Cole LOVES his!!