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View Full Version : I need an enabler...Feed me some preschool-age gear/toy ideas!



smiles33
05-01-2010, 01:39 PM
BBB moms have inspired me to bring home some great buys (e.g., Learning Tower, Tripp Trapp, Nilo train table, Kettler trike, etc.). I regularly stalk my local Craigslist and managed to buy them used but realized I don't have anything specific to search for right now.

DD1's 4th birthday is in 2 weeks and I do have a set of Magnatiles ($96 shipped thanks to a code a Mama here shared since no one sells them on CL!). Yet I am sure my parents (who were never good gift givers) are going to give cash and ask me to buy something for her.

DD1 already has a play kitchen and play food but doesn't care for it. She loves to draw but I stocked up on markers during the Back-to-School sales. We also have a large wooden playstructure for her already. She still loves her Kettler Happy Navigator but maybe it's time for a big girl bike? Any suggestions on which bikes or what to look for? Other ideas for good pre-school age toys/gear? I love finding great items on CL and just don't know what to look for right now.

FWIW, she already has a substantial college savings/trust fund thanks to our relatives so I don't plan to put gift money into that.

Thanks for enabling my CL addiction!

awoodm
05-01-2010, 03:11 PM
The Trek Jet comes highly recommended on this board, and I always see the girls Trek's on my local CL, just not boys :(. We broke down and bought the Trek Float at a local bike shop for DS who is 5 and we love it so far. Trek makes great quality bikes. DS also loves his Automoblox, and I think the pink and purple ones are just adorable- although you probably won't find those on CL.

What about Legos? Or Playmobil? Target had the Playmobil Pet Clinic on sale this week for $33, IIRC. The Fairie Playmobil sets are really cute too. HTH.

kristac
05-01-2010, 03:41 PM
Not all CL friendly- maybe more likely at garage sales-
Board Games
Hop Ball
Play Tent/ Fairy Bower
Ed Emberly Drawing Books
Lap desk/ Activity desk- I scored one of these for $1 yesterday at a yard sale http://www.amazon.com/Crayola-Super-Art-Activity-Desk/dp/B00004UE4O
Gardening tools
sticky mosaics

smiles33
05-01-2010, 04:51 PM
The Trek Jet comes highly recommended on this board, and I always see the girls Trek's on my local CL, just not boys :(.

My CL board has 2 boys' Trek Jets: a red one for $75 and a blue one for $80! Those do look cool. What's the difference between boy and girl models? I'll go do some research on these as I don't know anything about bikes.

I'm off to google the other recs, too, which probably will be bought new as we don't go to garage sales (too lazy to get out of the house that early on the weekends!).

Keep the suggestions coming!

BeachBum
05-01-2010, 06:41 PM
My son is 4.5.
He loves playmobil and board games for inside play. He also enjoys his leapster and books on "tape" during quiet time. Our favorite board games come from familypastimes.com

He loves riding his bike and razor scooter.

awoodm
05-01-2010, 07:50 PM
My CL board has 2 boys' Trek Jets: a red one for $75 and a blue one for $80! Those do look cool. What's the difference between boy and girl models? I'll go do some research on these as I don't know anything about bikes.



There's no difference between the boy and girl models, just the girls I've seen have lots of pink flowers and sparkles- I don't think my DS would really go for that! And, I am too lazy to spray paint it or anything. LOL. I justified paying full price by knowing that DS2 would get plenty of use out of it too.

DrSally
05-01-2010, 09:05 PM
Sorry to hijack, OP. Wondering if the Trek Jet would be a good transition bike from a balance bike. DS is 4.5 and 43 inches. Or, would we not get much use out of it given his height? I see our CL has 2, one in red and one in blue for about $80.

OP, my ideas you prob wouldn't find on CL. I've been eyeing a M&D real metal shopping cart http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VO3GPG/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=AX53K9BNND4KL

WatchingThemGrow
05-01-2010, 09:24 PM
Sorry to hijack, OP. Wondering if the Trek Jet would be a good transition bike from a balance bike. DS is 4.5 and 43 inches. Or, would we not get much use out of it given his height? I see our CL has 2, one in red and one in blue for about $80.

I think so! We've been doing balance bikes (one Hotwalk, one stripped no-name brand 12") and will be moving DD to a 16" in the coming month (b'day). We got a nice Trek Jet on CL for $7 last month :boogie: but we figure we'll need two 16" bikes and we can get a deal on one through a friend's shop. Specialized is a touch lighter, so we're going to get one of those new and use the Jet as a 2nd bike when we need 2. Or, we may end up getting a Trek Float - the balance/regular bike you change yourself. Very cool.

DrSally
05-01-2010, 09:32 PM
I did a little poking around, and I guess there's a Trek Jet 12 and 16. The 16 inch is for 4-6 yrs old, so I guess that would be the one I'd want. All the ones on my CL are 12 though.

smiles33
05-01-2010, 10:44 PM
OP, my ideas you prob wouldn't find on CL. I've been eyeing a M&D real metal shopping cart http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VO3GPG/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=AX53K9BNND4KL

There's a Pottery Barn Kids metal shopping cart on my CL for $30. I'm not sure DD1 would enjoy it, though.

I also discovered the Trek girls bike is the Mystic and there are some on my CL for $40! Oh, I'm so excited. Thanks again!

DrSally
05-01-2010, 11:04 PM
There's a Pottery Barn Kids metal shopping cart on my CL for $30. I'm not sure DD1 would enjoy it, though.

I also discovered the Trek girls bike is the Mystic and there are some on my CL for $40! Oh, I'm so excited. Thanks again!

Wow! $40 is a great deal. The PBK one is prob made by M&D, I bet. It usually goes for $50. We have a cheapo plastic one that squeakes and a wooden one that is ok, but it broke soon after we put it together. The metal one would be more substantial, I think. I would totally buy it for $30.

hellbennt
05-03-2010, 07:57 AM
what about a leapfrog leapster?
the older ones seem to work just fine (so just a 'leapster' and not a leapster2)

ds is 6 and still enjoys his...

ikea play tent has been a hit for a loooong time now!

stomp rockets?

remote control car?

these last two seem like they're for 'boys' but you know, why not for girls?;)

Melaine
05-03-2010, 08:08 AM
Wow! $40 is a great deal. The PBK one is prob made by M&D, I bet. It usually goes for $50. We have a cheapo plastic one that squeakes and a wooden one that is ok, but it broke soon after we put it together. The metal one would be more substantial, I think. I would totally buy it for $30.

I just saw that the M&D cart is $40 on Amazon!

gatorsmom
05-03-2010, 08:34 AM
We just got this toy and we really like it. The twins play with it and the older boys are fascinated by it too. I like how it's teaching about gears and wheels:

http://www.amazon.com/Tomy-TY6526-Gearation/dp/B00000ISEH

The board is a big magnet with a small wheel turning in the middle. The gears all are separate and can stick anywhere on the board. If the gears touch each other or the part in the middle, they start to turn. It's really fun attaching them in different configurations.