[Obi-Wan is lost...]

5 y.o. may be a bit young (although my 4 y.o. is already showing an interest). My eldest is just 7 and he's getting pretty creative with his Hama beads.
http://www.toysrus.co.uk/Toys-R-Us/Learning/Creative-Play/Hama-Beads-10000-Beads-and-Pegboards-in-Bucket(0067369)
They do a larger style for younger kids. Ikea do some cheaper ones...
http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/50128572/

Thank god he's forgotten about his bloody loom bands! These are a lot more creative and aren't quite so annoying/difficult. They are still a pain when the younger one kicks them across the room (a hoover with a sock over is a handy tip)

On another note, my two have had a lot of fun with their Imaginext stuff.
http://www.toysrus.co.uk/browse/product/fisher-price/imaginext
Nicely built, lots of interchangeable stories. Batman defends the castle from the dragon etc. The castle we've got responds to the dragon via infrared, which is very clever. Gets played with a lot more than the Playmobil stuff they have.

[Hoseyb]

Logan(6) is into Transformers and these build kits are good fun:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_4?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=kreo%20transformers&sprefix=Kreo%2Caps%2C198

Dylan (4) is into dinosaurs and is into dressing up in this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dinosaur-Dragon-Kids-Costume-years/dp/B005835AQS/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1416323808&sr=8-6&keywords=dinosaur+dress+up

Ethan (4) is into pirates and generally like destroying stuff, no toy lasts, like drawing though and making stuff, Fimo may work
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Staedtler-Fimo-Starter-8023-10/dp/B0002VE2ZQ/ref=sr_1_7?s=kids&ie=UTF8&qid=1416324414&sr=1-7&keywords=kids+clay

Not got girls, sorry, apparently they break less stuff....

[SA Chris]

All good ideas, I think Imaginex batcave is on the list as coming from Nana.

We did have some Hama beads (the Ikea ones) but they've gone back on the shelf for now, as they started appearing in youngest's nappies. Ewwww.

[Hoseyb]

Logan used to eat Sam's hair, it was Like pulling a guinea worm...

[SA Chris]

Oh yeah, in spite of my cynicism and thinking they're a bit shit, Mr Potato Head has been a winner for several years too, still gets played with 2 years after getting it as a Xmas present.

[tommytwotone]

While we're tapping the creative hive mind, anyone got any ideas for a girl who'll be 10-11 months old at Xmas?!


I think I'm under some pressure to come up with something good / thoughtful as it's Una's first Xmas...then it's her birthday in early Feb so will need to old some things back for that!

[SA Chris]

Wooden stacking rings, or wooden ramp racer. If they don't have them already. Or if you want to spend a bit more the walker trolley with wooden letter blocks.

Don't go overboard, they're probably going to be a bit overwhelmed anyway. As grandparents for money in a bank account or clarks shoes vouchers. Shit those little shoes aren't cheap.

Or fags.

[andy popp]

Why is that it that whenever I see the title of this thread I just want to say, "Don't"?

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

While we're tapping the creative hive mind, anyone got any ideas for a girl who'll be 10-11 months old at Xmas?!


I think I'm under some pressure to come up with something good / thoughtful as it's Una's first Xmas...then it's her birthday in early Feb so will need to old some things back for that!

Mrs Obi (who knows these things  ) rates this little beauty as the number one toy for a one year old of either sex.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00005OB9H
Works on numerous levels and almost guaranteed to make them smile straight away.

[SA Chris]

forgot about those, we have them too, surefire win. I've never managed to get them to clear the hole and land back in. Not that I've tried. Much.

[nai]

While we're tapping the creative hive mind, anyone got any ideas for a girl who'll be 10-11 months old at Xmas?!


I think I'm under some pressure to come up with something good / thoughtful as it's Una's first Xmas...then it's her birthday in early Feb so will need to old some things back for that!

Just wrap up a russian-doll style nest of empty boxes. The crap inside them usually gets ditched in favour of the cardboard and shiny paper anyway.  Sensory play for f-all.

Bought ours a big outdoor trampolene when she was 18 months or something, still gets well used six years on. It cost a lot at the time but in terms of longevity it's worked out a lot cheaper than most of the stuff they've had over the years.

But as has been said, no real need to go too OTT cos everyone else will regardless.

[nai]

And you know you want to spend the evening of Christmas Eve outside, in the dark, putting together a whole load of metal tubes under tension.

[webbo]

While we're tapping the creative hive mind, anyone got any ideas for a girl who'll be 10-11 months old at Xmas?!


I think I'm under some pressure to come up with something good / thoughtful as it's Una's first Xmas...then it's her birthday in early Feb so will need to old some things back for that!

One those bikes which is a bit like a push chair, that you can take the handles off and it becomes a little trike. We've ordered one for grandson who will 7 months at Christmas.

[andyd]

While we're tapping the creative hive mind, anyone got any ideas for a girl who'll be 10-11 months old at Xmas?!


I think I'm under some pressure to come up with something good / thoughtful as it's Una's first Xmas...then it's her birthday in early Feb so will need to old some things back for that!

Dude, this is the only year you can get away with not spending any money. Give her the box that your new rock boots come in😄. She won't remember it, or next year for that matter. Plus she'll be overwhelmed by the frankly grotesque amount of gifts that your friends and family will shower upon her.

Ps bah, humbu...

[andyd]

Plus your bought her a house

[lagerstarfish]

Nerf guns are ace

I love mine

the little lad thinks it's great drawing targets on the blackboard so I can shoot them (chalk dust makes a good puff of smoke) - he then retrieves the darts, hands them back to me and stands behind me while I shoot the blackboard some more

the two youngest even argue over whose go it is to get my darts back

I don't let them fire the gun themselves - they can wait until they get their own

oh and don't forget the mighty STOMP ROCKET - only a tenner or so to buy
get the "indoor" version (junior) for little kids so that they can't break windows or take someone's eye out

[lagerstarfish]

sun sense pop up infant play tent

folds up small and can slip into a bouldering pad

keeps sun off, cold out and is fun to play in while dad climbs

make sure you peg it down on windy days in the Peak

a small bouldering pad fits nicely inside - add dad's duvet jacket and a decent sleep is possible

I got one in 2001 and got a replacement earlier this year

in the background at the start of this



pretty good on the beach coz you can fill the outside pockets with sand to hold it down

I know it's close to "child care equipment", but it is a lot of fun (and helps enormously with enjoying longer days out)

[lagerstarfish]

stuff the kids got a lot of fun out of when they were even smaller

this is ace - easy to operate, drives along slowly, doesn't get wrecked when it drives into walls, great sounds - and you can put other stuff into the trailer - this was in regular use from when middle child was 12 months till youngest was 30 months, so 4 and a half years of use without anything breaking
http://www.smythstoys.com/uk/en-gb/toys/pre-school-electronic-learning/c-459/preschool-vehicles/p-1810/old-macdonald-farm-tractor-trailer/

I had my doubts about this, but the kids loved this set - cool sounds - has taken some right abuse
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fisher-Price-Laugh-Learn-Say-Please/dp/B001IEYXAA

[SA Chris]

then it's her birthday in early Feb so will need to old some things back for that!

You think that's a problem; Kyle's birthday is Xmas day.

Webbo, it's called a smart trike. Sturdy and good as an alternative to a pushchair, but has proven useless as an actual trike; the drop in the cranks is too short and it's too heavy to get moving properly.

[SA Chris]

And you know you want to spend the evening of Christmas Eve outside, in the dark, putting together a whole load of metal tubes under tension.

I'm sure I got tennis elbow from building ours by myself. And I was quite please to manage to build it in half the time they suggested it would take two people to do it. Now I'm paying for my pride

[Jaspersharpe]

We have the same problem re Xmas / Birthday as Raf's is 17/12. Coupled with the fact that he's not really interested in most toys (or anything that doesn't involve cricket or a touch screen) it creates a headache at this time of year. We've tried buying him toys that he's shown an interest in at other kids houses but they generally just end up gathering dust before being passed on to lagers.

However, one toy that my Mum got him last year has been a massive hit and may well appeal to a 5 year old boy:

http://www.elc.co.uk/Vtech-Kidizoom-Twist-Plus/131855,default,pd.html?cm_mmc=Google-_-Learning+&+Educational-_-Shopping+Campaigns-_-VTech

Loads of features aside from being a camera, easy to use and seems pretty indestructible.

Aside from that I can't really help, this year I've bought him a subscription to Wisden.

[SA Chris]

We had one of those on a backburner list on Amazon to get Kyle when he was older, but grandparents found the list and swooped in (keep them private!) Kyle loves it too, good tip is to get a small cheap micro sd card for it (slot in the bottom) that way all the pictures don't get lost from the internal memory when the batteries die.

[Jaspersharpe]

Yeah and means loads more storage for making hundreds of videos of himself talking nonsense and shouting. Also good as it has USB so you can transfer the photos to the PC meaning the kid can learn how to mess around with files (and pick it up much more quickly than his mother).

[SA Chris]

Kyle's staying well clear of our PC. That's my domain!!

[lagerstarfish]

there's something very child friendly about a camera that is designed to be held with both hands