what are they playing with lately?

daisy · Guru

what are they playing with lately?

apies · Guru

daisy wrote:
i'm in christmas shopping mode. i have no idea what to get R. she's in a new stage for sure....less into toys, more into coloring/writing/reading. when she plays with friends, it's revolving less around toys. of course american girl dolls and accessories are a slamdunk, and i plan to get her a set of books or 2, but i'm not really sure what types of toys are big right now? what is everyone else doing? i tend to stay away from electronics, but she's WAY into music so i'm even considering one of those mini ipods (they dont have anything like that at all - i dont have any apps on my phone for them, and i dont let them play with the ipad as of now- i know, we're like backwards with that, but i cant deal with the fighting). thoughts?

2 ipads.

;)

daisy · Guru

apies wrote:
daisy wrote:
i'm in christmas shopping mode. i have no idea what to get R. she's in a new stage for sure....less into toys, more into coloring/writing/reading. when she plays with friends, it's revolving less around toys. of course american girl dolls and accessories are a slamdunk, and i plan to get her a set of books or 2, but i'm not really sure what types of toys are big right now? what is everyone else doing? i tend to stay away from electronics, but she's WAY into music so i'm even considering one of those mini ipods (they dont have anything like that at all - i dont have any apps on my phone for them, and i dont let them play with the ipad as of now- i know, we're like backwards with that, but i cant deal with the fighting). thoughts?
2 ipads.
;)

lol - right? it's getting to that point. they still dont know what they're missing tech-wise - i'm keeping them under a rock for a bit longer.

Alison · Guru

Would she want some kind of experience instead of an object? Like a ticket to a show or special event that she can attend with you? I'm torn about Christmas this year too because the last thing my kids need is more stuff, but Mason isn't going to want just tickets to thing, LOL. Now I get why some parents give their kids underwear for Christmas!

daisy · Guru

Alison wrote:
Would she want some kind of experience instead of an object? Like a ticket to a show or special event that she can attend with you? I'm torn about Christmas this year too because the last thing my kids need is more stuff, but Mason isn't going to want just tickets to thing, LOL. Now I get why some parents give their kids underwear for Christmas!

she probably would love that....in addition to presents to open ;) she's still pretty "wrapped up" in the santa idea...i just gave them a catalog to circle stuff in, and they circled literally every single thing on every single page - lol.

sappy · Guru

mikey is really into building things. he loves these OLD robotix toys (they were dan's from the early 80's) and legos - my sil got him an erector set and he's really getting into that too. and he's also really into drawing. he always draws robots or machines.

he is HUGE into electronics. i wish he wasn't but after having to keep him still/quiet for 8-10 hours a day for 4 years of chemo we used what we had. SO ... i think we're leaning toward a leap pad explorer for his big present.

caroline is still all about stuffed animals. she has a million but it's really all she plays with ever.

Lucy · Senior Member

They play with nothing toywise. Their fave thing is to rearrange my furniture to make forts or to play with the 2 big cardboard boxes we let them keep from when we last went to Costco. The idea of bringing more toys into this house is horrendous to me. They aren't big into electronics, though Joe sometimes plays with my iPod. We were thinking about an iPod each since we are doing a big trip next year but the other part of me thinks it will just turn into another screen I will have to pull them away from. Joe got an iPod docking station thing for my old nano that he plays his music on, for his birthday and he loves that. He got a bike last Christmas, so that is out for us. She is getting a bike for her birthday on sunday.

I seriously have no idea what we will end up getting them.

CoffeeQueen · Guru

She sound just like Allie. This is what I have so far.

Razor scooter- she wanted this
My generation horse for her AG doll
Paul frank alarm clock

Going to get her:
Easy bake oven( she would love this/me not so much
Hair accessories
Book set - Michele recommended these fairy books
Music- cd at this point, but like the iPod idea? Not sure
Toying with a DS, but on the fence with this- she wants one, by she is not a big gamer

That is all I have. She seems to be at a strange stage with toys. She wants some dvd's and little toy things like squinted and that. However, not big toy request. I am kind of at a loss.

Lizzy · Guru

Lucy wrote:
They play with nothing toywise. Their fave thing is to rearrange my furniture to make forts or to play with the 2 big cardboard boxes we let them keep from when we last went to Costco. The idea of bringing more toys into this house is horrendous to me. They aren't big into electronics, though Joe sometimes plays with my iPod. We were thinking about an iPod each since we are doing a big trip next year but the other part of me thinks it will just turn into another screen I will have to pull them away from. Joe got an iPod docking station thing for my old nano that he plays his music on, for his birthday and he loves that. He got a bike last Christmas, so that is out for us. She is getting a bike for her birthday on sunday.

I seriously have no idea what we will end up getting them.

i feel the same way!!

I have no idea what to get ivy.

Lizzy · Guru

sappy wrote:
mikey is really into building things. he loves these OLD robotix toys (they were dan's from the early 80's) and legos - my sil got him an erector set and he's really getting into that too. and he's also really into drawing. he always draws robots or machines.
he is HUGE into electronics. i wish he wasn't but after having to keep him still/quiet for 8-10 hours a day for 4 years of chemo we used what we had. SO ... i think we're leaning toward a leap pad explorer for his big present.
caroline is still all about stuffed animals. she has a million but it's really all she plays with ever.

caroline and ivy are twins ;) Ivy LOVES them too. but, i have no more room!!

a_mastermom · Guru

Natalie doesn't play with toys much either. She would much rather sit and draw or color, and really only plays with her toys when she has a friend over. Here is her list:

1. Kit - American Girl (it's her big present this year)
2. American Girl tote bag (holds 2 dolls)
3. Just Dance 3 for the wii
4. Mini Julie (American Girl mini doll)
5. Friendship bracelet maker
6. Pajamas
7. Playdoh kit (I dread this, but it can keep her occupied for hours)
8. A classic viewfinder (she got a happy meal version from McDonalds and was enthralled. I remembered how much I loved mine as a kid, so I figured, why not?)
9. Bead Studio
10. Doodle bear (which is really geared towards younger kids -it's a stuffed bear that you can doodle on, and then wash and reuse - she saw it and thought is was such a cool thing)

I usually try to get my kids the same number of gifts to open. Just wait until you have a 12 year old, lol. The Christmas list is MUCH harder to navigate at that age!

CoffeeQueen · Guru

a_mastermom wrote:
Natalie doesn't play with toys much either. She would much rather sit and draw or color, and really only plays with her toys when she has a friend over. Here is her list:

1. Kit - American Girl (it's her big present this year)
2. American Girl tote bag (holds 2 dolls)
3. Just Dance 3 for the wii
4. Mini Julie (American Girl mini doll)
5. Friendship bracelet maker
6. Pajamas
7. Playdoh kit (I dread this, but it can keep her occupied for hours)
8. A classic viewfinder (she got a happy meal version from McDonalds and was enthralled. I remembered how much I loved mine as a kid, so I figured, why not?)
9. Bead Studio
10. Doodle bear (which is really geared towards younger kids -it's a stuffed bear that you can doodle on, and then wash and reuse - she saw it and thought is was such a cool thing)

I usually try to get my kids the same number of gifts to open. Just wait until you have a 12 year old, lol. The Christmas list is MUCH harder to navigate at that age!

love this list. kind of the same stuff I plan to get Allie. She got her big doll last Christmas though.

I do want to get mini ones though.

She is big into art, jewelry making,etc. When did our little ones get so big :(

supergrover · Guru

For the builders in the crowd, Koda just got a K'nex set yesterday from my aunt for Christmas (we don't see them in December, so we do a combined Thanksgiving/Christmas with them). Anyways, he LOVES it. The directions are very kid friendly (all pictures), and you can create a lot of cars, etc whereas with legos he sometimes gets frustrated and feels limited. Be forewarned, TONS of little pieces, but we just set up some rules for where he can play with it.

Just another idea :)

Lucy · Senior Member

a_mastermom wrote:
Natalie doesn't play with toys much either. She would much rather sit and draw or color, and really only plays with her toys when she has a friend over. Here is her list:

1. Kit - American Girl (it's her big present this year)
2. American Girl tote bag (holds 2 dolls)
3. Just Dance 3 for the wii
4. Mini Julie (American Girl mini doll)
5. Friendship bracelet maker
6. Pajamas
7. Playdoh kit (I dread this, but it can keep her occupied for hours)
8. A classic viewfinder (she got a happy meal version from McDonalds and was enthralled. I remembered how much I loved mine as a kid, so I figured, why not?)
9. Bead Studio
10. Doodle bear (which is really geared towards younger kids -it's a stuffed bear that you can doodle on, and then wash and reuse - she saw it and thought is was such a cool thing)

I usually try to get my kids the same number of gifts to open. Just wait until you have a 12 year old, lol. The Christmas list is MUCH harder to navigate at that age!

Re the red, Bel got the cake decorating playdoh set for her birthday yesterday. Both kids played with it pretty tidily yesterday morning for about 2 hours, then again this morning for about an hour before school. A couple years ago I relegated playdoh to an outdoor toy cause I was so fed up with the mess but they were much better this time.

a_mastermom · Guru

Lucy wrote:
a_mastermom wrote:
Natalie doesn't play with toys much either. She would much rather sit and draw or color, and really only plays with her toys when she has a friend over. Here is her list:

1. Kit - American Girl (it's her big present this year)
2. American Girl tote bag (holds 2 dolls)
3. Just Dance 3 for the wii
4. Mini Julie (American Girl mini doll)
5. Friendship bracelet maker
6. Pajamas
7. Playdoh kit (I dread this, but it can keep her occupied for hours)
8. A classic viewfinder (she got a happy meal version from McDonalds and was enthralled. I remembered how much I loved mine as a kid, so I figured, why not?)
9. Bead Studio
10. Doodle bear (which is really geared towards younger kids -it's a stuffed bear that you can doodle on, and then wash and reuse - she saw it and thought is was such a cool thing)

I usually try to get my kids the same number of gifts to open. Just wait until you have a 12 year old, lol. The Christmas list is MUCH harder to navigate at that age!
Re the red, Bel got the cake decorating playdoh set for her birthday yesterday. Both kids played with it pretty tidily yesterday morning for about 2 hours, then again this morning for about an hour before school. A couple years ago I relegated playdoh to an outdoor toy cause I was so fed up with the mess but they were much better this time.

Presisely why I have caved. Natalie is older now and doesn't make the mess a toddler would make. Otherwise, my neat-freak personality couldn't handle it, lol.

Michele · Senior Member

Regarding the Playdoh, the cake making one is great and my girls play just fine with it without making a huge mess, however that ice cream cone one is a piece of shiznit and after only 2 times I made it an outside toy and just yesterday I threw it away. It was used only 4 times maybe. I could not handle all the tiny pieces it made. And it was impossible to clean out. Maybe we will try the pizza one for Christmas.

Lucy · Senior Member

Michele thanks for the heads up on the ice cream one, Joe was going on about that yeasterday and the pizza one. We might do the pizza one at Christmas.

Erin · Guru

The ice cream one scarred me for life. Maybe I should let my kids try a different set ...

Lizzy · Guru

Erin wrote:
The ice cream one scarred me for life. Maybe I should let my kids try a different set ...

lol erin! I actually threw the one we had away (as Michele said, it was iimpossible to clean) and then ended up getting it again as a gift!

daisy · Guru

a_mastermom wrote:
Natalie doesn't play with toys much either. She would much rather sit and draw or color, and really only plays with her toys when she has a friend over. Here is her list:

1. Kit - American Girl (it's her big present this year)
2. American Girl tote bag (holds 2 dolls)
3. Just Dance 3 for the wii
4. Mini Julie (American Girl mini doll)
5. Friendship bracelet maker
6. Pajamas
7. Playdoh kit (I dread this, but it can keep her occupied for hours)
8. A classic viewfinder (she got a happy meal version from McDonalds and was enthralled. I remembered how much I loved mine as a kid, so I figured, why not?)
9. Bead Studio
10. Doodle bear (which is really geared towards younger kids -it's a stuffed bear that you can doodle on, and then wash and reuse - she saw it and thought is was such a cool thing)

I usually try to get my kids the same number of gifts to open. Just wait until you have a 12 year old, lol. The Christmas list is MUCH harder to navigate at that age!

I think we're going with Julie this year. I love Kit - her hair is perfect. i totally will not deal with playdoh - i cant. it makes my anxiety skyrocket. My kids have a doodle bunny and LOVE IT - so cute. they totally dress it too (it fits 18in doll clothes). viewfinder is a totally neat idea - good call! thanks for responding.