Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
We were hoping to go with more experiences than gifts this year but one Nutcracker performance for the 4 of us is $208 plus eating out.
I have a couple of John and Schoep shirts, 1 lego set they want and a large puzzle. They don't need any clothes, we go to the library every Sunday where they check out a dozen books, have aprons and cookbooks from last year. I'm really needing some suggestions for Christmas Gifts. no snow around here so outside equipment is nothing they would be interested in. not into sports. want to emphasize science but they already have microscope.
My 10 yr old doesn't ever give us any ideas but she did just mention the other day she would like.. A "Boogie Board", I looked them up on Amazon, it's an LCD writing tablet, they can write in different colors w/ different light settings.
I have seen them advertised at Learning Express...
Is your daughter into making things w/duct tape? There a lot of fun craft sets out there....
Bicycles and then take them to riding trails. Here the trails are along the creekbeds and it's a nice place to find fossils and leaves and to see some animals. You could make the rides science-oriented by giving them a mission...find leaves from ten different species of tree, identify the leaves when you get home, find prints from different animals and take pictures, then id later, etc. Of course you'd have to have a bike and ride with them, but it's a great family activity. My 10 year old rides an adult-sized bike, which means we will get years of use out of it.
I know you said you take the girls to the library every week, but sometimes it's nice to have books you can keep and look at whenever you feel like it. How about a book with science experiments that can be done at home with easily available materials/ingredients ... such as this one?
Even if they are not "sporty" it's a good time to help them find some sort of active hobby that they can enjoy. Both socially and for health reasons encouraging regular activity is a positive thing. I like the bikes idea. Or those Razor scooters....they might even enjoy golf (now or in the future). Do you have a game system? Some of the Wii or Kinects games are really fun. Does it have to appeal to both of them? They are getting to the age where they will be most likely starting to develop individual interests.
They have scooters- don't know if they are razor. and wii which we all enjoy- any new games I need to know about? they enjoy being together so much I like to get things they or we can all do. I like the scientific experiments book. great idea. we have one but on a much younger level. one still plays with my little pony while the other would stay on the computer all day if we allowed. she plays some fun games. We got them Muse magazine but they didn't pay much attention to it. they both went on field trips lately and seems like they were the only ones without handheld electronic devices. but I hate to get them something which makes them any more plugged in than they already are.
Haven't found a kid yet that won't keep going until they master it, no matter how sporty they are, or not. One boy I keep is so very non athletic, doesn't have great balance and is very clumsy in general just hit the 300 jump mark after working on it for months. His sister isn't quite strong enough to push it down consistently so her record is only at right now, but she's only 6.
Yes, definitely keep 'em unplugged as long as possible!
Ice (or roller) skates, plus a family skating party. Books about their favorite topics: horses, collecting shells or rocks or whatever, etc. Costume dolls representing nationalities in your family tree. Birthstone rings. Children's cookbooks tied to their favorite children's book - there are cookbooks associated with the "Little House" series and "Anne of Green Gables". Miniatures and a do-it-yourself dollhouse (you can make your own from boxes).
Inexpensive Christmas concerts at local churches. Visit to local museum (or the museum in the nearest large city). Visit to the nearest state or national park - check out winter activities in advance. Drive through a "holiday lights" exhibition - many parks offer these for a carload price. Try a subscription to "Cricket" or "Cobblestone" magazine - the first forcuses on stories and poetry, the second on history for kids. Nice illustrations, good stuff in both.
Art supplies - not the gaudy pre-planned put-it-together kits, but real paper, watercolors, crayons, and so on, plus a how-to book that explains techniques for things like how to create a watercolor wash, melting crayon shavings between ironed waxed paper to create a stained-glass effect, etc. Modeling clay which can be fired in your own oven. Check your library for arts and craft books.
Time together making Christmas cookies - try out the new recipes from those cookbooks, use those aprons, and let the girls pick out some new cookie cutters that will be theirs for keeps. Or use heavy poster board and create their own designs - cut the patterns out, then place atop the dough and trim with a table knife. Making simple fudge is also popular with this age. Fireplace cooking is intriguing, too, if you have a fireplace and are feeling brave (cast iron works best, but you can roast marshmallows, cook hotdogs, and bake potatoes in fireplace ashes without special equipment). Sample traditional holiday foods from other countries, perhaps those in your ancestry.
Have a backwards day, with meals reversed - serve grilled cheese sandwiches for breakfast and make waffles or pancakes for dinner. The kids can wear their pajamas (backwards, of course!) to dinner.
Sewing simple crafts is fun. Make some things to give to others - embellished felt headbands stitched to a length of elastic, decorated felt glasses cases, simple tote bags, etc. Or purchase tote bags (very inexpensive at chain stores such as Michael's or Hobby Lobby)) and decorate them with scraps of fabric, lace and other trims, and buttons. Embroider the recipients' initials on them.
Have a holiday scavenger hunt - hide jingle bells, peppermint sticks, ornaments, gingerbread boys, pinecones, etc. and give the girls clues - as they find one item, the clue to the next will be with it. A small present is the final item.
Participate in one of the many Angel Trees or similar activities and help the girls select items to give to a child in need. Operation Christmas Child (the shoebox project) is underway this week.
How about musical instruments? If they don't read music, try a harmonica or simple recorder or autoharp plus a small instruction book plus a small book of Christmas carols. Of course, if you can swing piano lessons or other "serious" instrument lessons, that's all good, too.
Ten is a great age - children are capable of learning and doing a LOT at this age, and can be very creative. Fun times!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
