The 2010 Smarty Holiday Gift Guide is sponsored by Toys & Co in Cotswold – if you haven’t been, check them out! You can find anything and everything on Santa’s list at Toys & Co!
These are the fun ages to shop for. There are so many things that you can do for both boys and girls and you are really beginning to see what their interests are. Because this is a pretty broad range of ages so I will do the best I can to break them apart. For this age group you can’t go wrong with electronics, bikes (might be time to invest in a larger bike), American Girl Dolls, and this is also a great time to upgrade the sports equipment, golf clubs, tennis racquets, get rid of the Little Tykes basketball goal and replace with the real deal. Let’s get to it!
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Magic String Tie Dye T-Shirt – Create easy no mess tie dye master pieces! Just wrap any of the vibrantly colored strings around the t-shirt. Then dip it in water and let it dry. Snip off the string and wear it! Kit includes one 50/50 cotton t-shirt. –What kid doesn’t want to create their own t-shirt! Can be found at Toy’s & Co.
Pogo Stick – BOING! BOING! BOING! My son has loved his pogo stick. It is a great way to keep them occupied and busy for hours. Once they get the hang of it, they will be on it all the time. They had several options at Toys & Co.
Nintendo DSi – the key is which games you select by age. There are many age appropriate games for both girls and boys. I also limit the time my kids can be on theirs and I am careful not to purchase games that are what I call “brain drains”.
Ipod nano or Itouch – This can be a very pricy gift but a great way for them to listen and be able to select their own music and games.
Paper Jamz – The new craze in musical toys. You can start with a guitar, add amps and other equipment. Great for the kid who likes to rock it out and begin an interest in instruments – guitar lessons in the future.
Telescope – Give an opportunity to check the stars out or the moon close up. Great for curious kids.
Bananagrams Game – Bananagrams is a fast and fun word game that requires no pencil, paper or board. All you need is a table. One hand can be played in as little as five minutes. It is a great for family fun as well as being educational.
HexBug – The Robotic Creature that behaves like a real bug! You can build habitats for these and they really are fun to watch. These can also make great stocking stuffers.
My First Weather Station – We got one for my son last year and will get one for my daughters this year. Our whole family checks this in the am for the weather. It also acts as an alarm clock! The best is it comes in a boy or girl model and features a child wearing the clothes appropriate for the weather that day. Can be found at Wal-Mart, Bass Pro, and Target.
Scooters and Electric Scooters – All kids love their scooters and if they are 8-9, check out the electric. I even have a great time on my son’s.
Bike/Scooter Helmet – Might be time for an upgrade.
Playmobil also had great stuff for both boys and girls – there are tons of themes including pirates.
Bean Bag – PotterybarnKids has them. This is a great gift when kids get too big for the floor chair. The Company Store has themed ones as well and you can get them personalized with his or her name on it at both places.
Puzzles – the 100 or even 200 piece are good. For the older kids try the 3-D puzzles.
Board games are also great. You can start a new family tradition with game night and play games such as Sorry!, Blokus, Go Fish, memory game, and Zingo. Sorry Sliders, Apples to Apples, Monopoly and Rush Hour Deluxe Puzzle are all good choices for the older set.
Butterfly Gardens and Ant Habitats – These are both really neat ways to give your child a gift that they will enjoy watching and have to participate in the care of. There are several options to choose from and on the Ant farms you can get pretty fancy!
Magazine Subscriptions – Highlights, Sports Illustrated for Kids, Time for Kids
Bookstore gift cards – let them pick out their own books and begin building their own little libraries.
Boys:
Faux Bow – Saw this at Toys & Co. and loved it. Perfect gift for the boy that likes to be outdoors but has outgrown Stomp Rockets.
Quadrilla marble sets – Lots of fun to build and rebuild to create new ways for the marbles to run.
Legos Legos and more Legos!
Tent/camping gear/ sleeping bag – if you have a Scout or the family likes the great outdoors, Christmas is a perfect time to start gearing up.
RC Vehicles – From monster trucks, hot rods, all-terrain or boats. This is something that they will have great fun with.
Mythbuster Kits – There is a good variety of these and boys seem to love to figure out how things work.
Girls:
It’s time to get the real deal American Girl doll whether it’s one of the historical dolls or a design your own. As your daughter gets older she will really start to love the story’s that accompany the dolls. This is also a gift you can build on with the books and outfits. Even a visit to one of the stores for a special treat.
Sleeping bag – Girls love a sleep over, prepare her with a fun sleeping bag.
Monogrammed Luggage – have her stylin for the sleepover or just a trip to the grandparents. Great place to look – Alphabet Soup.
Mandala Designer – Create an infinite amount of beautiful Mandala Designs! The additional mini stencil fits into the maxi stencil for even more design possibilities. These are great for those who like to create.
Horses seem to be all the rage for girls. You can start with Breyer Horses and accessories and Melissa and Doug make a great Fold and Go Stable that comes with 4 horses. My daughter has loved hers and carries it with her in the car.
Most girls this age love to create. There are many kits by Alex and others to create everything from knitted scarfs, friendship bracelets and mosaics.
For older girls, start a charm bracelet and add to it for birthdays and future holidays. It will become the box she looks for under the tree. What will this year’s charm be?
Happy Shopping1
