I just found out that my brother-in-law is coming to Christmas dinner at my house and bringing his girlfriend and her two daughters. We are all really excited about this because BIL misses a lot of family gatherings due to his job and having to work holidays.

Anyway, since we'll be exchanging gifts with DH's family at this gathering, I would like to have gifts for the girls to open. However, I don't really know what to get them and BIL was no help for ideas.

So, if you're buying for a 3rd grade girl and or a kindergarten girl, please let me know what they are asking for. I don't want to spend a ton, but I would like for them to have a nice gift to open.

For the kindergartener, I was thinking either Barbie, Littlest Pet Shop or Fur Real Friends. I have no idea for the 3rd grader.

thanks........
Sarah......mom to Jason (8) and Devin (5)

Have fun, Sarah! Sounds exciting!

For the third grader: Anything 'Hannah Montana' or 'Jonas Brothers' will go over big...

My 3rd grader loves Littlest Pet Shop, and has asked for walkie-talkies. They never get tired of those! Also art sets, "makeup" (like multiples of flavored lip gloss -usually available at Claire's shops), and "Tamagochi V-5" (which is pretty popular around here - it's a little virtual pet on a key chain that you take care of - it costs $12 to $15 dollars, depending on where you find it. Target carries this.

My Kindergartener loves all the same stuff - minus the tamagochi, which just frustrates her. I think the walkie talkies would be great for both to play together!

__________________
"The errors of faith are better than the best thoughts of unbelief." - Thomas Russell

My dd and her cousin (2nd & 3rd grade) absolutely love webkinz. Webkinz are stuffed animals that come with a unique code and you go online and your animal comes to 'life' and has his/her own little Webkinz world to play in.

They run about $10 -$12 for the larger size; however, I was able to get the smaller size "buy one get one free for $6.99" at Walgreens so you might check the sales. Costco also sells a two-pack for $19.99.

HTH

__________________
Prayer is the burden of a sigh,
The falling of a tear,
The upward glancing of an eye
When none but God is near."

If you could post what ur budget Will allow it might be more helpful to me. But in case its in the range of these items here's what I got my kids the same age ( 1 boy 1 girl )

For my 6 yo I got her a Didj. I really liked what I saw on Leapfrogs website. I liked the fact she would play games, but yet had to spell her words in order to move to the next level. Here's a link to the didj

LeapFrog: Didj Custom Educational Gaming System

make sure you click the demo in the link.
This also would work for the 8 yo as well.

For my son 8 I got him the DSLite. but for my 12 yo I got her the crammer from leapfrog which also would work for the 8 yo as well. here's the link to the crammer
Crammer Study and Sound System

I also got my 12 yo a fly pen fusion, she loved the reg fly pen , so told her if she took care of that I would get her the fly pen fusion this year.
here's the link to the fly pen fusion
FLY Fusion Pentop Computer Learning System
Click on the video to see all the things the pen can do.

If these are out of your budget, then anything Hannah Montana will work for either age. Both my girls wanted the Barbie dolls and 12 yo wanted the MP player of Hannah Montana .

Good luck and have fun with your brother and his family.

There's a Hannah Montana / Lily set on sale at Target right now for $20, normally $35. The Lily dolls can be hard to come by, so the girls might well not have one.

In the $20ish range, I bought my 6 yr old a sewing kit from Barnes and Noble (made by Alex), Moon Sand, clip-on earrings, a Melissa and Doug stamp kit, Bendaroos, the new Guess Who game, and Twister. There's also a Twister Hopscotch game that's new.

Art supplies are always a big hit around here, too. Whatever you get, make sure to remember those gift receipts!

Maureen

My third grader got Bendaroos for her B-day this past weekend and LOVES them. She loves to draw and stuff like that also.

I second the hannah montana stuff. For either. I teach (aide) Kindergarten and those girls love hannah montana also.

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Thanks for the ideas -- I would like to keep it in the $20 range for each gift.

Sarsah,
Thank- You for posting the price range this will help.

My 12 yo begged me to get this for her. The Hannah personal journal
It shows out of stock at wal-mart but Amazon has it. When I got hers it was 21.00 @ Amazon.
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10160734

Hannah Montana Pop Star Electric Guitar. The 5 yo will love !. this is a "Hot" toy for that age range this year. it's just a little over the 20.00 mark, You might be able to find it on sale elsewhere tho.
Hannah Montana Pop Star Electric Guitar

The Crayola Color Explosion Glow board is another "Hot" item also this year.
It's 20.00
Crayola Color Explosion Glowboard

Also, High School Musical is still in the 8 to tween years range. Might want to check that out as well.
I would totally stay away from anything from the Brats line, as My 12 yo says "It's so yesterday Mom !!".

Littlest Pet Shop could go in either age for the girls. Wal-Mart has a nice selection of the animals. Here's a few

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=9194731

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=9194734

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=6537592

Good Luck on the search, It's always so hard to buy for a child you really haven't gotten to know ( Been there , Done that before ).

Webkinz(Limited Two had them B1G1 last weekend - don't know if they still do), littlest pet shop, puppy in my pocket, polly pockets -- all big hits with those ages

__________________
Cecilia

"We must love them both--those whose opinions we share and those whose opinions we reject. For both have labored in the search for truth, and both have helped us in the finding of it."
Saint Thomas Aquinas

Frankly, I'd avoid the whole pop culture thing -- Hannah Montana, High School Musical, etc. My girls (4 and 8) could not care less about any of that, and as a parent I prefer less "celebrity" related toys.

You can't go wrong with Build-a-Bear -- either a toy from there, a gift card, or an outing.

Both of my girls would love an Easy Bake oven.

My girls also love board games and books -- Curious George for the younger one, the "Amelia Notebooks" by Marissa Moss for the older one.

If you have a more learning-oriented toy store near you (like Learning Express, for example) I'm sure you could find something unusual and fun and age-appropriate. Good luck!

Another vote for the webkinz. The elementary school girls love those!

Lisa

__________________
"It's not having what you want,
It's wanting what you've got"

We have 4 granddaughters ages 4 to 7 and they love Hannah Montana, Jonas Brothers and High School musical things, 1 of them is into webkins. Also have friends with girls up to 9 and they are into the same things.
If you really want to have some idea of what they like maybe you can ask thier mom.

My 8 yo wants everthing! She asked for Barbies, Hannah Montana dolls, High School musical dolls, I carly stuff, webkinz, cupcake maker, Fashion Polly. If it is on TV, she wants it. Amazon has some great deals out there on Hannah dolls and Fashion polly party boat, also the cupcake maker is $12. It was 25 at Walmart. For that price you could get some mixes to go with it. Check out the toy deals thread on LWIF internet shopping. Good Luck

Kids those ages love craft sets also. I covered a huge tide box in contact paper one year for them to carry their crafts in.. imaginations run wild.

I also say Webkinz....you can get an animal and also they have Webkinz clothes, trading cards, body spray, ornaments....my 9 year old LOVES them!

Kathie

How about dolls, purses, or kits? Right now at Borders they have clearance rack (oh Clarence don't let my husband catch me with again this week or else it's curtains for me but wait..I NEED new kitchen curtains so oh sorry) they have these kits for making friendship bracelets, paper dolls, just to name two.
Also there is a clearance rack with all things B1G1F I got my nieces notebooks, magbags, tins, binders, etc a big bag full of stuff for under $20!
Also gift cards for $ Tree and a couple of things (make sure there is one in their area) kids love that place heck I love it for calendars, planners, holiday decorations, organizing stuff, etc etc.
Jewelry is always a hit with girls make your own stuff for the younger one bigger beads hard to lose and hard to swallow.
If you give them books or kits or an activity it will keep them happy and busy right away.

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The political system is broke and it's a joke.

My girls both wanted the dolls from build a bear, you can spend about $20-25 each on a doll and outfit, they look kind of like bratz dolls, but plush and not slutty. I'm anti bratz, so these are the alternative. How nice of you and good luck... Oh, also, my girls are both asking for legos... So if they are not too girly girls, those would be a good thing.