5 year birthday present

looneyleo

As you have two girls...might be worth thinking of something a bit boyish for a change! I went to boots the other day and found a great "Bug Finder" toy. It's like a hand held microscope (perfect for 5 year old) with a torch at the end and you can get up close and personal with the bugs ( I think you can actually place the bugs in the tray and have a good look at them crawling about). £12.99 and endless free walks in the woods looking for little critters! ELC also sell bug life cycle sets for £7.00 (i.e. frog spawn, tadpole, frog etc) I bought my 4 year old a dispoable camera for £1.00 in asda and we went on a nature walk and she loved it. best stocking filler I've ever bought. Waiting for pickies to be developed.

Have a lovely day.

full-time-mum

looneyleo wrote:

As you have two girls...might be worth thinking of something a bit boyish for a change! I went to boots the other day and found a great "Bug Finder" toy. It's like a hand held microscope (perfect for 5 year old) with a torch at the end and you can get up close and personal with the bugs ( I think you can actually place the bugs in the tray and have a good look at them crawling about). £12.99 and endless free walks in the woods looking for little critters! ELC also sell bug life cycle sets for £7.00 (i.e. frog spawn, tadpole, frog etc) I bought my 4 year old a dispoable camera for £1.00 in asda and we went on a nature walk and she loved it. best stocking filler I've ever bought. Waiting for pickies to be developed.

Have a lovely day.

The boy thing is a good idea - its sometimes hard not to think in stereotypes - we did My First Scalectrix for Xmas last year and that was quite successful.
(Argos sale again!)

She's not that keen on creepy crawly things though but will have a look at it and see what OH thinks.

sarahmoon_2

"She has a Baby Anabelle clone - anyone know of a cheap source of dolls clothes"

i used to buy newborn clothes in the sale for my two daughters dolls. This always worked out cheaper than the proper outfits meant for the doll.

super41

My little girl was 5 last week and all she wanted was a watch! She has recently started school and seems to think a watch is necessary for someone so grown up!! (She is learning to tell the tme as well). Anyway I got her a very nice little watch from Argos for £6.99. It is quite plain as the school does not allow branded type goods such as Barbi, Disney etc. and has a washable elastic strap. She was so excited to receive it. I also got her a Bambi video from her baby brother £2 courtesy of Ebay which she was likewise thrilled with. So you don't have to break the bank to get what they want and sometimes its the simple things they like! She also had a lot of friends to her party and got loads of presents. I wish people would not spend so much as I feel quite embarrassed by it.

full-time-mum

super41 wrote:

My little girl was 5 last week and all she wanted was a watch! She has recently started school and seems to think a watch is necessary for someone so grown up!! (She is learning to tell the tme as well). Anyway I got her a very nice little watch from Argos for £6.99. It is quite plain as the school does not allow branded type goods such as Barbi, Disney etc. and has a washable elastic strap. She was so excited to receive it. I also got her a Bambi video from her baby brother £2 courtesy of Ebay which she was likewise thrilled with. So you don't have to break the bank to get what they want and sometimes its the simple things they like! She also had a lot of friends to her party and got loads of presents. I wish people would not spend so much as I feel quite embarrassed by it.

We decided that she wasn't ready for a watch yet but for £6.99, does it really matter?

I agree with you on spending. We are prepared to get the right present for the right price and don't have to spend lots. We spent £40 on a bike for Birthday as it was warranted but gave a freebie digital camera for birthday as there is no point in spending for the sake of it.

I always find birthday parties awkward. I aim to spend up to £5 but often other people spend £10 or more. I am always on the look out for items and have a box in the loft with a small collection of bargains. I don't want to spend too much but don't want my children to look cheapskates either. The Book People are always good for presents - I buy book sets and split them.

I try to keep the cost of party bags down too and I refuse to give plastic tat that goes straight in the bin and as for haribo, my kids won't eat them so I have a nice supply for halloween!!!

dora37

super41 wrote:

So you don't have to break the bank to get what they want and sometimes its the simple things they like!

I agree - I've bought my DD a snowshaker (well it's got glitter in it!) with a pink furry trim and you put a photo inside it - it cost £1.99 from Wilko's and I know she will love it!

super41

full-time-mum wrote:

We decided that she wasn't ready for a watch yet but for £6.99, does it really matter?

I agree with you on spending. We are prepared to get the right present for the right price and don't have to spend lots. We spent £40 on a bike for Birthday as it was warranted but gave a freebie digital camera for birthday as there is no point in spending for the sake of it.

I always find birthday parties awkward. I aim to spend up to £5 but often other people spend £10 or more. I am always on the look out for items and have a box in the loft with a small collection of bargains. I don't want to spend too much but don't want my children to look cheapskates either. The Book People are always good for presents - I buy book sets and split them.

I try to keep the cost of party bags down too and I refuse to give plastic tat that goes straight in the bin and as for haribo, my kids won't eat them so I have a nice supply for halloween!!!

Actually when you think about it kids birthdays and parties are a bit of a nightmare aren't they??! I also limit to £5. She had 5 parties in September so that was £25 just like that. Might not be much to some people but it knocks a big hole in my budget! Also with her own party it was an expensive month! She invited her friends and as it was a big sports hall we hired we also invited their siblings as thought it would be nice and only had to do a bit more food. Anyway some parents sent a present with each of their children so in one case got 3 (generous) presents from one family - madness and I certainly didn't expect it, in fact I felt a bit embarrassed. It does end up making me feel like a skinflint though I'm sticking to my guns on this one. The Book People is a good source of prezzies and I try to pick up sale bargains when I see them. Whoever invented party bags by the way???! I put 1 'gift' (try Tescos, e.g. bracelets for 12p), 2 balloons, piece of HM birthday cake, sweets and milky way. MIL also sent me a stash of stuff she has gleaned from Xmas crackers over the years, which make ideal birthday favours.

ruthyjo

A few suggestions that might be appropriate for a five year old -

playmobil (my daughter loves this but for some reason her big brothers didn't ever have any so none was passed down to her)

decent portable stereo - we replaced an elc one with a portable sony
cd/radio/cassette thing which cost about £60 for my little girl. Don't know how much she cares but the sound quality is so much better and so less excrutiating for the rest of us when she decides to nod off listening to the Kaiser Chiefs. It's also hopefully something she'll get a few years use out of.

leappad - again I thought they were a bit naff and never got one for the boys but my little girl has had quite a lot of use from one and they seem to be available for bargain prices at the moment

gameboy/ds/handheld console - five's maybe a bit young, but long car journeys are blissfully quiet since my daughter got a ds

designer outfit - selfish as she doesn't especially need it or want it but sometimes it's nice to see your little girl in a really special outfit. Choose the label well and you could see most of your money back on ebay next year when she's outgrown it

lil_me

Might suprise some but my neice got a make over. Local beauty place did her hair, a tiny amount of lip gloss etc, girly pampering, she absolutely loved it and felt very 'grown up' as she put it.

Colin2511

DD1 was 5 in June, she got kits that you can get from Poundland or similar, (make a model, create a handbag etc), roller skates (from ebay) she got to go down town with my Mum and buy pair of sandals (poor Mum they were there hours..lol but that was a special trip just for her, with cup of tea in a shop), nice bin, wall clock, rug and mirror from Grandma as she had just had bedroom painted pink, personalised music cd http://www.thingimijigs.co.uk/product_info.php/cPath/7_39/products_id/92

hope the ideas help