Template design Copyrighted
by My God Given Mission Field
All Rights Reserved
© 2006.
|
Tuesday, November 14, 2006 - Toys, Toys, Toys
|
Why have toys gone downhill over the years? What ever happened to the classic toys? You know, the toys that don't make any sounds. Why do all the toys make sounds? Do the manufacturers really think that a child will not know how to moo like a cow, if the farm toy didn't moo for him? Is it to take the load off the parent to actually teach the child how to moo? Why do little girl dolls have to look like they are 25 years old? Can't a little girl play with a doll that actually looks like a little girl? Do manufacturers think that little girls need to learn how to look like an adult and the parent isn't able to teach the child?
So, that brings me to the question. What am I going to get my three girls for Christmas? My 5yo is especially difficult as we have so much already and yet she still loves toys. Finding something appropriate is difficult. I was going to add to a Fisher Price set she has, but it seems like they are no longer being made, since I cannot find them anywhere. It looks like all the good toys are being replaced with garbage.
If anyone has any brilliant ideas, I am all ears!!!
Susan
|
| • Leave a note! |
Tuesday, November 14, 2006 - gift idea |
| Posted by Amy |
| Does she have a tea set? Does she like cooking? Em is big into cooking and a couple of years ago received a tea set (mix and match pieces from the Yayas) with home made napkins, table cloth, pot holders, and tea cozy. She even had a pair of sugar tongs with brown sugar cubes from Ruthie B's. She loved it because it was all her own, and I let her use it as often as she wants as long as she continues to take care of it. |
| Permanent Link |
Tuesday, November 14, 2006 - U R 2 FunKnee |
| Posted by heartmatters |
Last year my parents wanted a wish list and i put any toys that don't make noise - Did it work? 'course not. Once the batteries die, if I don't remove them first, it becomes a quiet toy voila.
1. Does she have a medium sized horse? My dd wants a horse for her American Girl to ride. BUT that would be a pretty big horsie.
2. A "back then dress" like jenig raves about? complete with a cute pinafore?
3. Nicer doll furniture, a few good wooden basics to love.
4. OH I knewif I typed long enough I'd have a good idea...Here's what my kids love: Odyssey Toys' Posable historic dolls. You can get them at Rainbow Resource, or online at:
http://www.odysseytoys.com/ecommerce/control/main
My girls love to play pretend with historic characters! ANd they're only 6-7 bucks apiece! |
| Permanent Link |
Wednesday, November 15, 2006 - Oh... |
| Posted by mominpa |
Have you looked at Vision forum...they have a very cute girl section...I look at it (even though I have NO girls to buy for)...very cute..
http://www.visionforum.com/beautifulgirlhood/
I also bought my boys a few mind games from Timberdoodle...very different I think more long lasting than any ToysRUs game....
http://www.timberdoodle.com/ |
| Permanent Link |
Wednesday, November 15, 2006 - <i>Untitled Comment</i> |
| Posted by |
I see others have sent you most of my ideas already. :-) Don't forget craft supplies! I agree, toys are getting horrid and I have ranted about them periodically. We had very few battery-operated toys. And sometimes we just didn't put the batteries in, as with our play kitchen. Why do we need the kitchen to make sizzlings noises (and whatever else it made)? Ugh. Stay away from Toys R Us and hit the smaller, family-operated stores; you may pay more but you will find nicer toys. Or as someone said - Timberdoodle and Vision Forum catalogs. We haven't been to Toys R Us in years, and avoid the toy aisle in Target, and we are much happier not being exposed to the junky, inappropriate toys!
Oh, and if your daughters like paper dolls and making things with paper, don't forget Dover Books! www.doverpublications.com.
Edited by hsmomof2 on Wednesday, November 15, 2006 at 6:46 AM |
| Permanent Link |
Wednesday, November 15, 2006 - Untitled Comment |
| Posted by Rebeca |
Good rant Susan- I'm totally with you on this one. I periodically go through our toys and get rid of the ones that I consider junk! One of my favorite catalogs for toys is Magic Cabin. They proudly say you will never see "batteries not included" written in their catalog because none of their toys need them! They sell very sweet cloth dolls- the soft waldorf type that I make- also kits to make dolls. They also have a lot of nice wodoen toys, play dishes, tea sets, etc. It's the classic type stuff. I always love looking at their catalog when it comes. They have a lot of learning type toys too- the kind kids love because they're fun, and parents love because they're also educational. They also have neat art and craft kits, things like candle dipping, calligraphy, cardmaking, beading, weaving, etc.
Hearthsong has a lot of similar type stuff. Both places of course, will be more expensive than Walmart, but nice quality, durable, classic toys.
Also, have you looked at Learning Palace? They have a 20% off coupon in the Oregon Family Newspaper right now, and it's good off your whole purchase, not just one item.
Let us know what you come up with!
Rebeca |
| Permanent Link |
Wednesday, November 15, 2006 - Junk Toys |
| Posted by Aligirl |
thanks for the encouragement susan. I pray that today will be better! I needed that little pep talk. :)
I know exactly what you mean about the toy issue. I was just telling Adam the other day, that I don't want to buy any more toys that are going to be played with once, and then tossed aside. We are thinking about getting Madeline one of those beautiful girlhood dolls from vision forum. She wants one REALLY bad. Ethan is really into legos right now, but I have noticed that he doesn't take real good care of them. They get left on the floor alot. This year, I have thought about buying the kids some good games they could play with together. Like a magnetic dart board, or one of those marble games where you build a big tower and the marbles race down to the bottom. It is really hard to pick a good toy in the midst of all of the junk they have these days. I hear ya!
Ali
|
| Permanent Link |
Wednesday, November 15, 2006 - Heather of http://heather.shamusyoung.com |
| Posted by Anonymous |
| Vision Forum is great but VERY expensive. My girls have gone the tea set, doll house route and are moving out of that arena. however, they were willing to give up Barbis completely if we got them "Only Hearts Club" dolls this year. So that is the route we are going. I also like the look of the Odyssey toys mentioned. We usually buy craft and drawing supplies, dress up clothes, and cooking supplies. The girls love doing al those things and they are great supllements for school. |
| Permanent Link |
Wednesday, November 15, 2006 - Untitled Comment |
| Posted by ccmmum |
Vision Forum and Life of Faith have beautiful dools and "girlie" things but they are quite pricey!
I am on the hunt for boy toys this year that don't involve batteries! |
| Permanent Link |
Wednesday, November 15, 2006 - Untitled Comment |
| Posted by Anonymous |
We are getting the kids a digital camera for kids. They are fairly inexpensive, about $25, and kid proof. They love taking pictures so that should be fun for them.
Something else I heard about was a FP3 player, like an MP3 player for kids. It costs more, and I'm not certain my kids are old enough, but you can download kid stories for it and kids songs. I think the story thing would be fun for them to listen to in the car. Maybe next year.
Other than that, I'm clueless on toys. The only reason I know about those two was a friend told me she got them for her daughter for Christmas. My daughter always wants to play with notebooks, markers and pens. My son is happy with blocks, cars and his wooden train set. We're not big toy buyers around here. The kids each get one gift at Christmas so I'm happy to already have that figured out. :) |
| Permanent Link |
Wednesday, November 15, 2006 - A nice place to buy gifts... |
| Posted by fallinglikerain |
...is the gift shop of your closest science or history museum. They cost a little more but they're usually more educational. I think children's toys disappeared around the same time as childhood in this country. My 10 year old dd friends have decided that they are too old for American Girl dolls. They all want to be teenagers, complete with cell phones and make-up. Sigh.
Sandy |
| Permanent Link |
Wednesday, November 15, 2006 - Untitled Comment |
| Posted by Anonymous |
This year we are not giving toys and we are asking relatives to do the same. With four children, we have *everything* and then some. Anyhow, some ideas we've come up with are: magazine subscriptions (American Girl, Clubhouse Jr., Boys' Life, etc.), classic DVD's such as Pollyanna, Swiss Family Robinson, The Ugly Dachschund and our 4yo is getting the Letter Factory... For girls, their own apron and a rolling pin and/or pastry blender. For boys, extra straight track for our GeoTrack system (train for toddlers on up) or games. We are going to give the game BuzzWord as a family game this year. Also, something your girls might like are the create-a-books where the child creates their own books and then you send them in and the company binds them into a real book.
At this very moment (my children are arguing about using up all of the tape) I can tell you that some good stocking stuffers could be glue sticks, tape, colored pencils or fancy crayons/markers.
Clip-on reading lamps for their headboards are nice and you could even put a book with it and a no-sew pillow or blanket.
A gift certificate to Jo-Ann Fabrics (or whatever it's called now) or to that Pottery place you went to.
I hope some of these ideas help!
Jennifer :o)
JennLovesJesus
You could give your girls a penny, a tin cup and a candy cane and see if they pick up on the Little House theme :) |
| Permanent Link |
Wednesday, November 15, 2006 - Untitled Comment |
| Posted by Anonymous |
Yes, that IS a hard one, Susan! Particularly since you have three girls. And I know what you mean...the little ones love toys. Something that my youngest girl has really liked are the bobble head pets. I forget what they are called...but they have the little hamsters/fish/birds/cats/dogs...and they have the little pet shop, with containers for each animal. At first I thought they were kind of strange, but they grew on me. :)
I really don't like the electronic toys, either, at least not for the most part. |
| Permanent Link |
Wednesday, November 15, 2006 - one more idea: |
| Posted by heartmatters |
Another mom here at HSB did this for her dd's birthday: she and her dh made a PUPPET THEATRE out of pvc pipe! Is that awesome or what? She posted pics and everything and she emailed me the basic directions; you sew the curtains for the theatre, which would be neat to choose! Plus, it will give your dd's an outlet for their creativity when it gets cold this winter!!!
BTW, we made our corn husk dolls today and they love them! ( Corn husk doll puppets???)
~Jen. |
| Permanent Link |
|
|
Times Tales
Little Bitty Baby Learns Greek
Video Hosting - Upload Video - Photo Sharing
Video Hosting - Upload Video - Photo Sharing
•
• TOSPUBLISHER
• ByHisGraceInColorado
• spunkyhomeschool
• spunkyjunior
• leebenvic
•
• KeepingtheHome
• JeannieFulbright
• eyecorn
• LaMereAcademy
• SBadgley
• DMalament
• MySmokyMtnHomeschool
• wardssward
• HSBCompanyBlog
• DandelionSeeds
• takingthechallenge
• tryoneverything
• SteveWalden
• drewsfamilytx
•
•
• MrsMiz
• TNMOMTOMANYBLESSINGS
• hmschlmomto2
•
• lullab14
• goodnews
• cappuccinosmom
• bensrib
• armoorefam
•
• wakeforestmommy
• Douglas
• Aligirl
• FaithfulGrace
• mommatolittleones
• Honeybee
• boo4baby
• JavaMama
• Pattycake
• hsmomof2
• iluvtheland
• Trish
• Confessor
•
• ccmmum
• TC
• prairieprimermom
• mommainoregon
• sagerats
• JennLovesJesus
• mctenpenny
• Janne
• Momof5littlewomen
• Happyhome
• mominpa
• Kristal
• Serenityel2
• quietcajun
• KimMC
• Amber
• Titus2v5
• DuctTapeDad
• whirlwind
• chickadee
•
•
• hsdazed
• MommyOAnna
• harvestmoon
• giggles3
• HeartForHome
•
• Suzie
• keldaris
• OreoSouza
• JeanaG
• jaminacema
• vibrantfaith
• HomeForHim
• Rebeca
• Oregon
•
• Mileshouse
• Heidistjohn
• Fletch
•
• JudeThree
•
•
• EEEEMommy
• mom24boys
• 3menandalittlelady
• SandBetweenMyToes
• Jocelyndixon
• SuperAngel
• barbieheart
• WopandI
• MarlaMom
• amada
• Canadagirl
• RugbyHS
• SingingANewSong
• TrainUpAChild
•
• Dad2Three
• Edelweiss
•
• TwaddleMeNot
•
• servingtheKingofkings
•
• my6davidsons
• jailkmess
• bassethound
•
• BChsMamaof3
• youngmommy
•
• smokeybutter
• homeschoolhighlites
•
• bookgirl
|
|
| 
