Another "help with a 5yo birthday gift" thread

[BarbecueMom]

Sorry, I know there are dozens of these threads but I'm running out of time. DS turns five in a few days and I'm completely stumped on birthday gift ideas.

 

What he plays with, and we have plenty of already:

Empty baskets, cardboard boxes, PVC pipes, blankets, kitchen utensils (the ones out of the kitchen, bought him his own and he ignored them), laundry piles, lumber, paper airplanes, math manipulatives, water, sand, Dad's clothes/Mom's shoes (ignores dress up clothes, only wants them if someone else currently uses them) and Costco sized paper goods.

 

What we have and he will play with if someone else plays with him, or he has no choice:

Lego, wood blocks, marble run, magnetic tiles/shapes, puzzles.

 

What he doesn't play with anymore, or frequently loses due to leaving pieces out/breaking pieces/behavior:

Trains, Hot Wheels cars, long pieces of make-believe weaponry (pool noodle swords, swinging yo-yos, etc.), superhero dolls, board games.

 

He is in gymnastics and plays soccer and baseball, but isn't really into sports like his older brother. I think he'd like having real tools, but I'm not sure he can be trusted with them yet, even supervised.

 

Anything with small pieces he still dumps out, scatters, and ignores so he can use the container to recreate the pyramids or whatever. He does like drawing and "writing books", but I'm hesitant to spend money on a nice drawing book or art set, only to have him go through and draw one line per page and throw it out. It's happened several times.

 

Ideas?

[lynn]

Here are some ideas my boys have had over the years.  Hippity hop?  A tonka dumptruck, fire truck?  orange cones, scooter, littletikes basketball hoop, 

[momto3innc]

What about those cardboard blocks you can build bigger things with? I believe Melissa and Doug has a set. My kids that age loved them. Or one of those build a fort kits?

And what about mainly an experience present? Like tickets to a hands on children's museum or aquarium or zoo? And then maybe gift card to ice cream?

[JustEm]

Go to a liquor store and get him a bunch of boxes so he can build whatever he wants with them. Also go to appliance smart sudden and ask if they have any big boxes. One of the best gifts we ever got our kids on Christmas was a castle made out of punching bag boxes and big rectangular boxes. They ignored opening the rest of the gifts for over an hour

[JustEm]

Would he not like fake tools? Like this: http://www.amazon.com/Black-and-Decker-Tool-Box/dp/B001DO3FSQ/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1412266364&sr=8-14&keywords=children%27s+tool+set

Of course this doesn't stop kids from hammering random stuff in the house. Ask me how I know ha

 

Has he ever had a Magna Doodle? So he wouldn't be wasting paper.

Or better yet a set of real tools for kids he can use when being supervised. This is something my 4 year old nephew loved and now both my kids want them

[BarbecueMom]

Here are some ideas my boys have had over the years.  Hippity hop?  A tonka dumptruck, fire truck?  orange cones, scooter, littletikes basketball hoop,

 

We have dump trucks, a fire truck, scooters, orange cones (on the second set, he destroyed the first), and the Little Tykes hoop. What's a Hippity Hop?

 

 

What about those cardboard blocks you can build bigger things with? I believe Melissa and Doug has a set. My kids that age loved them. Or one of those build a fort kits?

And what about mainly an experience present? Like tickets to a hands on children's museum or aquarium or zoo? And then maybe gift card to ice cream?

I thought about those cardboard bricks, but I think he would destroy them. He's allowed to cut apart and color the boxes to make costumes or buildings, and I don't think he would get the difference between the bricks and the boxes. I might try though!

 

We do so many field trips and experience things already that I'm not sure an experience gift would work. Instead of a birthday party, he gets to pick a place to go with friends.

 

Go to a liquor store and get him a bunch of boxes so he can build whatever he wants with them. Also go to appliance smart sudden and ask if they have any big boxes. One of the best gifts we ever got our kids on Christmas was a castle made out of punching bag boxes and big rectangular boxes. They ignored opening the rest of the gifts for over an hour

I already have an entire closet full of cardboard boxes. I really really don't want to add much more to that pile. We already have to dodge cardboard cities just to get around the house.

 

  

Would he not like fake tools? Like this: http://www.amazon.com/Black-and-Decker-Tool-Box/dp/B001DO3FSQ/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1412266364&sr=8-14&keywords=children's+tool+set

Of course this doesn't stop kids from hammering random stuff in the house. Ask me how I know ha

 

Has he ever had a Magna Doodle? So he wouldn't be wasting paper.

We've had the fake tool sets before, and have the Design and Drill thing now, but they always end up broken quickly. Plus, fake drills are horribly annoying!!

 

We have Magna Doodles in the van as car toys.

[BarbecueMom]

Or better yet a set of real tools for kids he can use when being supervised. This is something my 4 year old nephew loved and now both my kids want them

I can't supervise him well enough right now for him to get any use out of real tools. I have a list of things in my head called "Things We Don't Have Because of a 1-Year-Old". Last time he had his brother's tools out, they were trying to dismantle the A/C unit, while I was standing next to it trying to hang laundry and keep the baby from eating mulch.

[BarbecueMom]

Has he asked for anything? Have you asked him what he wants? I know that what he wants may not be realistic but it might give you an alternative idea?

 

Would it be too much hassle to do an experience gift? Like a trip somewhere... Chuck E Cheese, movie theater, play, museum, laser tag, etc? I don't know if this would be realistic since you have a younger one, but maybe you could stay home with the little one and he could go with daddy?

I've asked him what he wants, and I get either no answer, a change of subject, or something that doesn't exist. My kids are famous for asking for things that don't exist!

 

We're already going to a children's museum with friends in lieu of a party, plus several field trips this month and next. I just don't think an experience gift would stand out as something special for him, KWIM?

 

ETA: Because of food intolerances, taking him out to eat is difficult. We were already planning on going to a GF bakery on his actual birthday since DH is off work.

[happi duck]

I vote some cool clothes you wouldn't normally buy and special snacks/treats you wouldn't normally buy.

 

The Think Geek website has stuff for kids including costume hoodies (meant for wearing but work as a costume too).

 

If you at all like Harry Potter I love the tee that says "I solemnly swear I am up to no good"!

 

I've added Japanese soda to gifts in the past. The kind with the marble. If you have a World Market near you they have interesting food and candy.

 

Is he a "keep track of the day" kind of kid that would like a calendar in his room? You might still find some 16 month calendars that could be used immediately as opposed to waiting until January.

 

Eta: posted before I saw that food is an issue...sorry!

[Teachin'Mine]

How about something for outside like a sand digger.  They have ones which are stationary and swivel and others with wheels.  Would need to be supervised so digging doesn't happen in flower beds and all.  Maybe along with that a large sandbox area if you have room in your yard.  Add in a few castle block shaped molds and he could do some of his city planning outside.

[Tanaqui]

You don't want to spend money on a nice sketchbook or art set, noted. So why not buy him a cheap but flashy sketchbook and some cheap art supplies - construction paper, crayons, stickers - and not worry? It's not like he'll know or understand the cost.

[Susan in TN]

Tent? A large sheet and rope ("tent")?

[BarbecueMom]

I vote some cool clothes you wouldn't normally buy and special snacks/treats you wouldn't normally buy.

The Think Geek website has stuff for kids including costume hoodies (meant for wearing but work as a costume too).

If you at all like Harry Potter I love the tee that says "I solemnly swear I am up to no good"!

I've added Japanese soda to gifts in the past. The kind with the marble. If you have a World Market near you they have interesting food and candy.

Is he a "keep track of the day" kind of kid that would like a calendar in his room? You might still find some 16 month calendars that could be used immediately as opposed to waiting until January.

Eta: posted before I saw that food is an issue...sorry!

 

He gets a calendar for Christmas from my mom every year. It's usually on the floor by February, un-stapled by March, and shredded by April. Sigh. At least my mom gets them for free!

 

How about something for outside like a sand digger. They have ones which are stationary and swivel and others with wheels. Would need to be supervised so digging doesn't happen in flower beds and all. Maybe along with that a large sandbox area if you have room in your yard. Add in a few castle block shaped molds and he could do some of his city planning outside.

This might work! I thought about this when we were at the children's museum but thought they were more expensive than they actually are.

 

You don't want to spend money on a nice sketchbook or art set, noted. So why not buy him a cheap but flashy sketchbook and some cheap art supplies - construction paper, crayons, stickers - and not worry? It's not like he'll know or understand the cost.

 

I could do this. They had some Lego Movie notebooks at Target, maybe I can get him some weird crayons and stuff to go with it.

 

Tent? A large sheet and rope ("tent")?

They have two tent sheets right now, but the ropes keep getting confiscated for safety reasons. I bought him a jump rope for Christmas last year, and it was put up by New Year's. He's so, so creative, but he's going to give me a heart attack one of these days.

[KRG]

I second the idea of a digger for the sandbox-I'm going to add that to my list.  Will he play card or board games?  

[Eagle]

Scotch tape

masking tape

electrical tape

painters tape

duct tape

coloured/patterned tape

large pad of graph paper

fiskars childrens scissors

embroidery thread and a large needle

a big sheet of felt cloth

 

books: Rosie Revere Engineer; Iggy Peck Architect

[BarbecueMom]

I second the idea of a digger for the sandbox-I'm going to add that to my list. Will he play card or board games?

Sort of. He sits down to play announcing he's going to win, then gets upset when we refuse to stack the deck in his favor, or if we don't let him keep taking turns until he gets the roll/spin/card he wants. Even in the Busytown cooperative game. He's in that weird stage where the ABC/123 games are too easy and he loses interest or starts "getting creative" (aka cheating), but he's not ready for the 6+ games either.

[BarbecueMom]

One thing I considered was a tumbling mat or wedge for him to practice at home. I know they are really expensive though. Where's the best place to get one that's durable but not outrageously expensive? It may have to be a Christmas gift, but at least I can start looking.

 

Right now they're using an old twin mattress on the floor to flip onto.

[Tanaqui]

Sort of. He sits down to play announcing he's going to win, then gets upset when we refuse to stack the deck in his favor, or if we don't let him keep taking turns until he gets the roll/spin/card he wants. Even in the Busytown cooperative game. He's in that weird stage where the ABC/123 games are too easy and he loses interest or starts "getting creative" (aka cheating), but he's not ready for the 6+ games either.

 

Would it work if he had a clearly stated handicap at the beginning of the game? That's how we played when the girls were younger - adults have one draw, kids get three (or older girl gets three, younger six, depending on the game). That levels the playing field a little, but still in a rule-based way that's fair to everybody.

 

I thought of something else. We had this Klutz book on hand art.  That book was in constant rotation for three years, from ages 4 - 6 for the younger one. She didn't have to read the instructions, because it's all done via photos with no words. And it meant that if she wanted to "do art" she had a ready book of ideas and didn't have to come up with something all on her own.

[Zinnia]

This is not very home-schooly or crunchy or any of that jazz, but for both of my older boys' 5 year old birthdays, we got them plastic, character toys.  They loved them absolutely and completely.  One of the boys also went to see the movie Planes (it was new then and in the theater).  One boy got Lightning McQueen and 'Mater legos, and the other got a big plastic ship with some Planes toys. 

 

Totally not what I thought I'd ever buy my kids, but they loved it, and it was worth it.

[happypamama]

My 5yo got several Lego sets for his birthday last year, plus a Batman hoodie. He'll be six in a few weeks, and he'll probably get more Lego sets, and I'm not sure what else.

 

What about a giant floor puzzle, like of the solar system?

[BarbecueMom]

My 5yo got several Lego sets for his birthday last year, plus a Batman hoodie. He'll be six in a few weeks, and he'll probably get more Lego sets, and I'm not sure what else.

 

What about a giant floor puzzle, like of the solar system?

He got the solar system puzzle for Christmas last year. I need to find a baby-free place for him to put puzzles together. The little booger can climb tables already (he's 13 months).

 

I'm going to put some Lego sets on the grandparents lists. Emmet from The Lego Movie is his Halloween costume this year, so he'd probably like those sets. He got the Captain America hoodie last year with the hood, those are cute! I do have a Despicable Me minion shirt for him already. His family party is going to be minion themed. :-)

[aggie96]

Mine turns 5 today.  Besides other things mentioned up thread, this past year he has really enjoyed a pop-up pup tent (that we only use inside so it stays clean), flashlight, small plastic battery lantern, sleeping bag with his favorite character.

 

ETA:  a character kid umbrella, little character backpack (because he likes to carry cars etc while he waits for sisters at dance, etc)

[aggie96]

Trouble game has been good even with the kids that don't like taking turns etc.  Something about popping the thing to roll the dice.  Plus it enforces counting skills.

[BarbecueMom]

Trouble game has been good even with the kids that don't like taking turns etc. Something about popping the thing to roll the dice. Plus it enforces counting skills.

That was one of the games that caused a lot of, well, trouble. He'd start crying every time someone else got a piece all the way around the board, even if he was ahead. He had no problem playing Sorry, though. His brother did the same thing with Sorry, but not Trouble. Weird.