[~maryanne~]

I have No idea what I'm going to get my kids

I so far have Skylander's Giants for the boy and Glee season 3 for the girl. I want to get them something else too but no idea what. Originally dd was going to get a lap top but her school will now give her one next year. I've thought about a kindle but she really doesn't read often enough to warrant it.

I don't want toys for DS. He really only plays with the basics - blocks, lego, cars - which he has plenty of already.

DS spends most of his time inside playing wii games or outside playing with sticks and rocks. DD spends most of her time outside making fires (Don't panic - it's in a small fireplace of bricks mortared together with mud and covered in a tin off-cut she made with her cousins - very sensible and asks first) using sticks and branches to make cubbies, tying rope and old tyres to tree branches etc.

They both have enough nerf guns and use them whenever they have friends over. They both have i-pods they bought themselves with last year's christmas money.

Any ideas?

[Kay1]

What about something else outdoorsy? Basketball hoop?

[~maryanne~]

Hi Kay1, something out-doorsey is definitely a good idea, however, we have no hard surfaces outside (no driveway or patio etc) for things like bouncing balls.

My daughter has asked if she can play netball next year so a portable hoop that has it's own stand might be good (we have no structures to afix one to otherwise) but I'm unsure if it will be used when they will only have grass and a slight hill to play on?

[*Floss*]

Ping pong table
Tennis racquets
Aerowing scooters
Pool toys
Boogy boards
Skateboards -penny boards or similar type

[DS1979]

What about rather than stuff that they need to keep, maybe a voucher for something they might like to do - like indoor rock climbing, horseriding, bowling or depending on your budget if you're in Sydney a bridge climb, Jamberoo or something adventurous like that? I know as my nephew gets older he is less materialistic and more into getting money to put towards holidays he and my sister might take (like going to Melbourne for a weekend in the school holidays).

[~maryanne~]

Hi Floss, we don't have anywhere they can use scootors or skateboards or put a pingpong table, we don't have a pool and public pools don't allow pool toys They have boogy boards but prefer to just body surf or play in the breakers.

DS has a powerwing but only uses it when he visits the neighbours a couple of times a month because they have a driveway. They have tennis racquets that don't get used - no where to play. As kids we used to just hit the ball against the wall of the house but we have too many windows to do that.

ETA: That eye roll was at pools not allowing toys, not at you!! Sorry

This post has been edited by ~maryanne~: 12/11/2012, 07:14 AM

[~maryanne~]

DS1979 - yes - I am considering a season pass to the pool for my daughter, I might check if any of her friends parents will let their girls go to the pool with her regularly.

[No girls here]

Soccer goals?

My nephew once received a really long length of rope for a present. He loved it.

[Julie3Girls]

My daughter has asked if she can play netball next year so a portable hoop that has it's own stand might be good (we have no structures to afix one to otherwise) but I'm unsure if it will be used when they will only have grass and a slight hill to play on?

If she is interested in netball, I think is definitely a good idea. Doesn't need to be perfectly flat ground, no need for bouncing the ball in netball. Just a hoop so she can practice shooting goals. With a real netball to go with it.
You can even get your son a ball as well so he can use it.


Other stuff ..
If they have ipods, then an itunes card is always good.
Do they have speakers or docking stations for their ipods? There are some fantastic speakers around - saw some the other day with water and lights which would be a huge hit with an 11yr old girl.
Something to wear? Ok, probably not so much a hit with a 7yr old boy, but a new tshirt, hat and sunnies?

If you go for the pool pass, get your DD a nice beach bag and new beach towel with the pass in the bag.

Definitely look into "experiences" of some sort. I know near us there is a treetops rope course (harnessed in, going through a course up high in the trees)

Do you go camping at all? Sounds like something your kids would really enjoy. You can always buy them a sleeping bag, a tent for the family etc. With the promise of a camping trip after Christmas.

[~maryanne~]

Love the beach bag idea Julie3girls. :-) I think that almost sorts my daughter out - Glee season 3, beach bag with towel, sun cream, pool pass and maybe a gift voucher to buy sunnies and sun shirt. (If her friends will be allowed to do pool trips that is)

We camp and have all the gear - tents and mats and sleeping bags ect, plus cricket set and kayaks and bikes to keep them busy while we are there.

There are many experiences my daughter would love but I am physically not up to going with her atm. . The ropes course near thunder egg park is top of her list and a kayak with the dolphins trip is top of my list.

They have docking stations and I'll get a large value i-tunes card as a family share-gift (as we all use one account).

So then it is just Mister 7 to sort out.