Gift ideas

[SamSpade]

For those who have school age daughters --

One of my daughters is 8 but for those who have met her - *extremely* mature for her age. As such, normal gift ideas don't seem to work.
She's not interested in video games at all, and hasn't been interested in anything remotely doll like in several years.

She has SOME interest in sports - and we will get her some running shoes - but the rest? Not sure. She has a full sized basketball hoop, a nice bike, a soccer net and balls.
She even has light dumbbells for working out. Aside from - maybe - sports CLOTHES, I am not sure what she wants.

She loves to read, but she's not interested in a lot of things I was interested (well, I was a BOY) at that age. And I was at least 10 or 11 before I wanted books for Christmas.

What does YOUR girl want? She's trendy enough to want what her friends have.

 

[DEEKAYPEE8569]

For those who have school age daughters --

One of my daughters is 8 but for those who have met her - *extremely* mature for her age. As such, normal gift ideas don't seem to work.
She's not interested in video games at all, and hasn't been interested in anything remotely doll like in several years.

She has SOME interest in sports - and we will get her some running shoes - but the rest? Not sure. She has a full sized basketball hoop, a nice bike, a soccer net and balls.
She even has light dumbbells for working out. Aside from - maybe - sports CLOTHES, I am not sure what she wants.

She loves to read, but she's not interested in a lot of things I was interested (well, I was a BOY) at that age. And I was at least 10 or 11 before I wanted books for Christmas.

What does YOUR girl want? She's trendy enough to want what her friends have.

A letter to Santa; from your "big girl" won't work, huh?

 

[SamSpade]

A letter to Santa; from your "big girl" won't work, huh?

We're pretty sure she doesn't believe in Santa any more - but she's at that age where she doesn't want to say so for fear that Santa will stop bringing presents.
I know - I was eight when I told my parents the same thing.

Wife always wants to "surprise" the kids. When they were younger, telling US never seemed to clue them in that we were buying them.
She's pretty smart and again, probably doesn't believe any more. Maybe my wife will just ask her.

ANOTHER weird thing - she hates to shop. I thought a cool idea would be to window shop with her, but she doesn't like to do that.

 

[vraiblonde]

Does she like music? How about a nice keyboard with some age-appropriate music books?

How advanced of a reader are we talking? What about the Little House series, or maybe the Louisa May Alcott books? Oh my gosh, I can rattle you off a million good books for a girl that age!

Does she like arts and crafts?

I can buy for girls. It's boys I have a hard time with.

 

[SamSpade]

Does she like music? How about a nice keyboard with some age-appropriate music books?

How advanced of a reader are we talking? What about the Little House series, or maybe the Louisa May Alcott books? Oh my gosh, I can rattle you off a million good books for a girl that age!

Does she like arts and crafts?

I can buy for girls. It's boys I have a hard time with.

She's reading the Harry Potter series now. Remember, she's *8*. We've had different success with some books - I bought her Watership Down, but it was a bit above her head. So she settles for "Magic Tree House" books which are grade level - but probably too easy for her. Wife also started getting her Nancy Drew - but no interest yet.

She DID take piano lessons for a while and slacked off. We had a borrowed - and VERY high quality - electric piano in our house. She lost interest. But she does play with her ukulele.

BUT - she is very crafty. Wife tried to teach her knitting and crochet, but she tends to find her own stuff. I bought her sketch books which she usually fills up with drawings. Maybe a visit to Michael's pretending to buy for someone else?

Can you tell I have high hopes for her? She's amazing.

What other craft ideas do you have?

 

[vraiblonde]

Maybe a visit to Michael's pretending to buy for someone else?

Michael's has craft kits that include everything you need for a complete project. Painting, knitting, jewelry, etc etc etc. These were always a big hit with my daughter and other young females on my gift list.

How about the Roald Dahl books? Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Twits, etc.

 

[SamSpade]

Michael's has craft kits that include everything you need for a complete project. Painting, knitting, jewelry, etc etc etc. These were always a big hit with my daughter and other young females on my gift list.

How about the Roald Dahl books? Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Twits, etc.

Read those! She wasn't interested in the Beverly Cleary books I read as a kid, though.

Well wife went ahead and asked for a letter from all of them, to throw off suspicion, telling them Santa just called to see if they were good (I think it was a telemarketer). No surprise, middle girl asked for sports equipment, drawing and art stuff - a long list. So we're good. (The youngest asked for Barbies, which of course is always nixed by my wife).

Thanks, DeeJay.

 

[vraiblonde]

(The youngest asked for Barbies, which of course is always nixed by my wife).

WHAT??? No Barbies??? My god. I don't even know what to say about that. I *still* love Barbies.

 

[GURPS]

Can you tell I have high hopes for her? She's amazing.

sounds like she will excel at math ....


what about Legos ?

 

[glhs837]

I was going to suggest some sort of "build it" kit. Not really crafts, but more of a gadet sort of thing. My daughter loved the clear plastic inline four model engine we got here that ran off a 9v battery. Butt are tons of kits for other stuff. The Hobby Lobby I was in recently had about half an aisle of them.

 

[Restitution]

Are you asking what SHE wants? Or.... opinions on what YOU should get her?

If you want to know what SHE wants..... it is probably the same thing EVERY girl her age wants........ A CELL PHONE! iPhone preferably

 

[SamSpade]

WHAT??? No Barbies??? My god. I don't even know what to say about that. I *still* love Barbies.

Wife doesn't care for the message it sends to girls. I don't see it, and little girls I knew and know play(ed) with them.
But like toy guns for boys, that's how she feels and I don't argue. Truth be told, my son's disabilities probably makes it hard for him'
to tell if shooting a toy gun or pretend sword at your sister is any different from using a real one.
And I have smashed items in my house to prove it. We had to take away his whittling knife because he broke pretty much EVERY Cub Scout rule
regarding them.

But Barbies? They seem harmless. Actually the TV stuff concerns me more.

 

[SamSpade]

Are you asking what SHE wants? Or.... opinions on what YOU should get her?

If you want to know what SHE wants..... it is probably the same thing EVERY girl her age wants........ A CELL PHONE! iPhone preferably

Kind of what I said - what did you get YOUR 8 year old girl. Because they often want the same things.

And we've told them no phone until at least middle school.

 

[SamSpade]

I was going to suggest some sort of "build it" kit. Not really crafts, but more of a gadet sort of thing. My daughter loved the clear plastic inline four model engine we got here that ran off a 9v battery. Butt are tons of kits for other stuff. The Hobby Lobby I was in recently had about half an aisle of them.

You know what I *loved* as a kid? This electronics kit where you made all kinds of stuff, but the parts were all permanently attached to a breadboard and the connections were these tight springs as posts on the ends (hope that gives a picture). It came with a book on stuff you could make, and we could make strobe lights that you could adjust, weird sound machines and so on. Loved that thing. I've never seen the like since.


EDIT: Aaaah! I found something like it - and I tell you I've been looking before

http://www.kohls.com/product/prd-16...gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CNuj9vqNv9ACFdALNwodFtwD8Q

I loved this thing - or the one I had.

 

[lovinmaryland]

She's reading the Harry Potter series now. Remember, she's *8*. We've had different success with some books - I bought her Watership Down, but it was a bit above her head. So she settles for "Magic Tree House" books which are grade level - but probably too easy for her. Wife also started getting her Nancy Drew - but no interest yet.

She DID take piano lessons for a while and slacked off. We had a borrowed - and VERY high quality - electric piano in our house. She lost interest. But she does play with her ukulele.

BUT - she is very crafty. Wife tried to teach her knitting and crochet, but she tends to find her own stuff. I bought her sketch books which she usually fills up with drawings. Maybe a visit to Michael's pretending to buy for someone else?

Can you tell I have high hopes for her? She's amazing.

What other craft ideas do you have?

Costco has these really cool Harry Potter coloring books. I know that sounds cheap and silly but theyre actually really nice. I got one for my 16 year old son who's a big HP fan.

 

[glhs837]

You know what I *loved* as a kid? This electronics kit where you made all kinds of stuff, but the parts were all permanently attached to a breadboard and the connections were these tight springs as posts on the ends (hope that gives a picture). It came with a book on stuff you could make, and we could make strobe lights that you could adjust, weird sound machines and so on. Loved that thing. I've never seen the like since.


EDIT: Aaaah! I found something like it - and I tell you I've been looking before

http://www.kohls.com/product/prd-16...gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CNuj9vqNv9ACFdALNwodFtwD8Q

I loved this thing - or the one I had.

http://littlebits.cc/kits/rule-your-room-kit

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CIXVHUE?psc=1

 

[libertytyranny]

What about a subscription box of some sort? My daughter gets poshpak and the quality of "stuff" is awesome. I love it as much as she does. There are also several related to STEM and Arts and crafts that bring consumable projects every month. I also ordered my mystery loving brat this: https://www.mailordermystery.com/ which I am SO looking forward to!

Does she have a kindle?

I was similar at that age and I loved things like terrerium kits, ant farms, microscopes and telescopes. Things that were fun to learn about but seemed grown up.

Goldiblocks has some really fun stem and engineering toys for girls with books and experiments

 

[DEEKAYPEE8569]

Here's something out of left field.....how 'bout a Calligraphy set?

http://www.bing.com/search?q=callig...=-1&sk=&cvid=EB584606E4D44D1A9F9CBBB50BC37315

 

[vraiblonde]

Does she have a kindle?

I like this idea!

 

[SamSpade]

I like this idea!

She DOES have a kindle, but - it's kind of - locked. We control what goes in.

Wife now has a lot of ideas.

We usually tell our kids that Santa brings THREE toys - as Jesus got three gifts. So while they ask - they know they will just get three.
With this in mind, we usually grant them ONE big gift.

Middle girl however is a tough choice, so wife has decided that her three are themed - one craft gift, one sports gift, one toy gift.
So her craft gift will be a big box full of craft things. Sports will be a glove, a basketball, a bike helmet etc.

Thanks everyone - you can keep talking, but - we're good now. Thanks for the ideas, they helped.