toy ideas

[houseelf]

Tell me about Skylander. I've heard it is glitch-y but it has a huge following. It is on DD's list but I think it is just the idea of it. We're not going to buy the Wii U platform. The next platform we buy will be Xbox One once the price drops significantly. (Plus my bro works for Microsoft so I'm going to be *super* nice to him. )

[peggyfromwastate]

I haven't noticed any glitches with skylanders. My kids play it a lot. It's a huge money suck but they use their own allowance money mostly to buy the figures or they get them as gifts. My sometimes-OCD son enjoys arranging his skylanders, and he makes up games and stories around the skylander theme. They are not allowed to play video games during the week, but they seem to make up creative play with the skylanders outside of screen time.

Basically you have the game and the portal of power, which is a device that connects wirelessly to your wii. You put different characters on the portal of power and the characters are in the game with their own special skill sets. There is a lot of fighting but there is a dialog too-- a type of story line. The goal seems to be to "power up" the skylanders until they are the strongest they can be...

My dd loves skylanders as much as my ds and my older ds likes it a lot too. (So that's a 5 year old, 9, and 12). I appreciate that they can make up stories outside of video game time and continue to play in a more creative way.

We are getting the WiiU bc I don't want to start a new platform and the new games seem to be coming out as exclusive wii U offerings.

[MarissaNicole]

Hijacking if that is allowed - I'm thinking of getting DD a play kitchen for Christmas, also thought of maybe a leappad if I could get a GREAT deal. Question - are both of these over the top for a 19 month old? DD plays with a toy kitchen at the sitters, but am I spoiling her if I get one (or allow the grandparents to help us) get her one at such a young age? Should I be waiting till she is older? I don't think we'll get her any other gifts just because I expect her to get stuff from friends and family and like Mrs. K, I think she will get MORE than enough toys.

[ladymoreta]

I'd get the play kitchen now. DD has loved it since she was about a year old and still plays with it quite a bit. The sooner you get something like that, the longer you spread out the cost.

I'd wait on the Leap Pad. DS is just getting to the point where he can play the games at 3.5 years old. iPhone has better games for 1-2 year olds.

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

DD has loved her kitchen since that age. I got it off craigslist and it was a great deal (so look there if you don't mind getting it used). Ikea has a nice one that is attractive as well. She plays with it all the time plus I have supplemented with play food (Melissa and Doug) as well as pots/pans, utensils, cooking toys (whisk, spoon, etc.). I like that it's imaginative play and she plays with it quite a bit!!

We are holding off on digital/screen toys for a little longer. I occasionally give her my phone to watch Baby Einstein but I don't want to go with an entire electronic toy yet, she just seems a little young for them. That being said, a TON of moms on my BMB are giving their kids Leappads (they'll all be 2 in January).

[SuzySunshine]

I agree, the kitchen would be a great idea - my kids still play with ours. I also agree about the LeapPad, I think most of the games would be to hard for her.

[SoonerTexan]

Get the kitchen! N got hers for her 1st birthday and has been playing with it the last year and is REALLY getting into it now. She and Thirteen's son enjoyed putting each other in the oven? Last night she told me she was cooking food. We're getting matching aprons for Christmas

This is the kitchen we have:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/16915094?w...076230&veh=sem

I LOVE IT. It looks nice in my house and it's gender neutral for future kids. That's actually a pretty good price. Check for it on Friday and see if there are any great deals. That's when my MIL got it from Costco.com

Be warned--it is a PITA to put together. That was part of the gift from my MIL She sat there for 3 hours doing it.

[MarissaNicole]

The only reason I thought the leappad was because we will be traveling in January and February and the sitter said she has figured out how to use the 4 year olds leappad.... but I think you're all right, we will wait until she is at least two and reassess. I will just download a show and a few apps on our ipad for the flights.

And you've also swayed me to go for it and get for the kitchen (from us and her grandparents)! Marissa - that is the kitchen I had picked out for those exact reasons. Its down to $130 at both walmart and amazon, but I will check out Costco on Friday. Do you know if your MIL got it in store, or online?

[ladymoreta]

We have the Step 2 Lifestyle Party Time Kitchen. I liked that it came with accessories (plates, bowls, cups, pans, seasonings, etc). We also got some veggies and fruits that they can "cut" and peel. I keep a basket next to the kitchen for all the food and accessories for easy clean up.

[SoonerTexan]

And you've also swayed me to go for it and get for the kitchen (from us and her grandparents)! Marissa - that is the kitchen I had picked out for those exact reasons. Its down to $130 at both walmart and amazon, but I will check out Costco on Friday. Do you know if your MIL got it in store, or online?

Online, but I think it was normally ~$200 then and she got it for around $115. Looks like the price has gone down a lot. Scrub Jay was looking at it last year too--she could probably tell you what it was normally.

Looks like Costco is selling an even bigger version of it this year! (I don't know if I'd want one that big, but it sure is cool!)

http://www.costco.com/Grand-Espresso...100057278.html

[Ladybug]

One of my favorite stocking stuffers when I was a kid were movie passes from my aunt and uncle. I looked forward to those every year. I think I'll give the kids some this year.

These are my ideas so far. I won't do all of them...

My kids love crystals and minerals. I found a break open your own geo kit when good reviews. I might get them a rock tumbler/polisher. You can buy bags of stones, but there are also a lot crystal and garnet mines around here in the mountains.

Rock on! Geology game and rock collection. Did I mention they love sparkley rocks. LOL.

"Girls who rocked the world" book for my 9 yo. Inspiring female leaders for different centuries.

I'm making a learn-to-cook basket, probably a different assortment for kids. Aprons, The Cookbook for Girls, cupcake decorations, cookie decorations, cookie/brownie mixes, etc.

A slumber party kit (PJs and 3-4 tickets for a slumber party with event (art room, pottery place, pizza and bowling, movie, cookie decorating, etc.)

We have a sip-and-paint place with afternoon kid classes. The two older girls LOVE my firefly painting that I did with my SIL. I might give them a tickets for a late december/early January painting event.

Polarid camera (I have enough free coupons to get one for the family/kids). The newer ones have memory cards so you can choose to print (or not) the picture and still have the file for your computer and other printings.

For my mini writers: Smencils (scented pencils) and storymatic kids game looks fun.

Alpha pops for the little ones

count'em up popcorn

jude's own bow-and-arrow so he'll stop taking his sisters

[Ladybug]

I just found what I really want…the LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts Castle! I have the perfect place to display it in my office!

[scrub-jay]

Online, but I think it was normally ~$200 then and she got it for around $115. Looks like the price has gone down a lot. Scrub Jay was looking at it last year too--she could probably tell you what it was normally.

Looks like Costco is selling an even bigger version of it this year! (I don't know if I'd want one that big, but it sure is cool!)

http://www.costco.com/Grand-Espresso...100057278.html

We got it for about $120 this summer (I think?), might've been wm online in fact. Definitely check ebates and Black Friday deals. We love it, like ST said, it's classy & gender neutral. We're all about men cooking in our house anyway! The best thing about it is the ample storage for the pots, pans, misc equipment.

[houseelf]

I just found what I really want…the LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts Castle! I have the perfect place to display it in my office!

Love! Mom started having to get her own Lego kits in this house years ago. LOL.

[MrsK]

What else are spedmouses lusting for this year?

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