need "big" gift idea for DS

[lmh2402]

i'm really struggling to come up with the "big gift" for DS for Christmas this year. He will be 4 3/4.

Problem is, I can't think of anything he's really in to, KWIM? He loves activity books and "math-stuff" and "school-stuff"...but I have no idea how that would translate into his one big gift.

He has legos and plays with them, but not a ton. He has trains and a million cars & trucks.

We have two sets of magnatiles. He has a bike and a big wheel and a scooter.

I'm just...stumped.

Any ideas would be most appreciated.

[acmom]

Does he like sports stuff at all? We have a mini indoor goal and hockey set (but we use it for soccer too) that was a big hit with both DD and DS. Mini trampoline?

Or one of the big imaginext sets? A big marble run? A kid camera?

[westwoodmom04]

Kid's tablet like the nabi (it has lots of learning games) or leappad. Kid's digital camera was a big hit with both our kids at the preschool level (we have 2 of the v-tech), but they aren't super exspensive.

[lmh2402]

thanks, guys! he got a camera last Christmas from my parents - and it was definitely a hit.

he likes sports, but we probably don't have room for a mini indoor goal thing. we've got a mini trampoline that we've had for a while for sensory purposes.

imaginext - he is just not into anything that seems purely imaginative. is that weird/totally atypical? i mean, the kid does not sit and create scenarios or play with figures of any kind. even legos is a bit of a stretch - he will construct large vehicle type things, but they aren't for a specific reason - he doesn't create a scene or do any creative play with them.

i does strike me as strange.

i considered a tablet, but thought i recalled that the leappad thing wasn't all that great/people didn't love it, but i'm not sure why. and maybe i'm mis-remembering.

so, i think a tablet would be a great option as far as him liking it - he'd be over the moon to play his little games. but we limit screen time and i would hate to then give him a gift that he is not allowed to use very much...though i do know he'd love it

gah!

[happymom]

Not sure if this is big enough, but do you have a car mat? You know, a rug with streets and all for him to drive his cars on? Would he like a wooden fire station (like a dollhouse for boys)? He may be outgrowing those kinds of things, I'm not sure.

[amom526]

DS1 is a little younger, but similar. I think your best bet is something active - what about a tee ball set? Or something else that could be used indoor/outdoor? Or maybe a big puzzle or board games?

[acmom]

Does he have a Leapfrog Tag reader? My kids (3.5 and 5) both really like theirs and use them often. It is a little "school-ish", as you can get maps as well as books with lots of different stories, non-fiction topics and games.

[IansMom]

DS is close to that age and he doesnt do a lot of imaginative play either. He has a play tent that he has loved to shreds, so we are replacing it this Christmas with this for his big gift:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/19207688?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=3&adid=22222222227014701933&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=t&wl3=13965327790&wl4=&wl5=pla&wl6=34882059430&veh=sem

Also Fatbraintoys.com has great ideas (but not always so great prices). You may want to check there. Good luck! Let us know what you decide.

ETA: not really big but...

http://www.amazon.com/Gymnic-Hop-On-Air-Ball/dp/B001ZUOANC/ref=wl_it_dp_o_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=1K7Y9EGY4N3AB&coliid=I1DEWZ764IRM3J

http://www.amazon.com/Perplexus-BL200-Rookie/dp/B004H1V5S4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1383703981&sr=8-1&keywords=Perplexus+rookie

[SnuggleBuggles]

thanks, guys! he got a camera last Christmas from my parents - and it was definitely a hit.

he likes sports, but we probably don't have room for a mini indoor goal thing. we've got a mini trampoline that we've had for a while for sensory purposes.

imaginext - he is just not into anything that seems purely imaginative. is that weird/totally atypical? i mean, the kid does not sit and create scenarios or play with figures of any kind. even legos is a bit of a stretch - he will construct large vehicle type things, but they aren't for a specific reason - he doesn't create a scene or do any creative play with them.

i does strike me as strange.

i considered a tablet, but thought i recalled that the leappad thing wasn't all that great/people didn't love it, but i'm not sure why. and maybe i'm mis-remembering.

so, i think a tablet would be a great option as far as him liking it - he'd be over the moon to play his little games. but we limit screen time and i would hate to then give him a gift that he is not allowed to use very much...though i do know he'd love it

gah!

My ds1 was like this. So interesting to see how ds2 is into imaginative play (though still not as much as some kids) and how he interacts with his Imaginext toys. Ds1 just wasn't into it. He's found his way over time to different activities. At 4.75, how about some fun science experiment type kits? Board games were always popular (Labirynth, Sorry, Busy Town). How about experiences instead? Concert, show, magic show...? You might not want to go this direction but my boys love Nerf. How about an inflatable, hovering, remote controlled thing? Snap Circuits? Electric keyboard?

When ds1 was 6, we had no big gift ideas so we bought a new TV for the whole family. He was totally stoked.

Don't stress about it costing a lot or looking really "wow!". Sometimes small things can be wows. :)

[KrisM]

My ds1 was like this. So interesting to see how ds2 is into imaginative play (though still not as much as some kids) and how he interacts with his Imaginext toys. Ds1 just wasn't into it. He's found his way over time to different activities. At 4.75, how about some fun science experiment type kits? Board games were always popular (Labirynth, Sorry, Busy Town). How about experiences instead? Concert, show, magic show...? You might not want to go this direction but my boys love Nerf. How about an inflatable, hovering, remote controlled thing? Snap Circuits? Electric keyboard?

When ds1 was 6, we had no big gift ideas so we bought a new TV for the whole family. He was totally stoked.

Don't stress about it costing a lot or looking really "wow!". Sometimes small things can be wows. :)

I agree with this. DS1 is not imaginative at all. Did Legos for a bit, not into sports, not creative play. DS2 is the opposite and totally into Imaginext, dolls, etc.

[ahisma]

Would he like a marble run? That was a big hit with DS and his similarly logic-driven, imagination avoiding friend. The music add on set is a huge hit as well, surprisingly.

[ahisma]

Thinking more - I'd roll with his love of math. My DS is a math fiend and really loves math related gifts. We've learned that when he is tantruming, giving him some math worksheets calms him quickly. (He loves them and is receptive, it's not like we force him to do math when he's tantruming!)

If he doesn't have one, an abacus. Ikea has a cheap one that holds up very well. There are a bunch on Amazon as well.

I bet he'd like a calculator too. I bought my DS (7 - but he would have loved it at 4 as well) a vintage Little Professor from eBay. This looks neat too: http://www.amazon.com/Educational-Insights-Solve-Visual-Calculator/dp/B000GA75R0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1383708542&sr=8-1&keywords=kid+calculator

We have this as well, it's not amazing, but is well liked nonetheless. I feel like the buttons are kind of hard to push though: http://www.amazon.com/Educational-Insights-8899-Math-Whiz/dp/B0006UHE8U/ref=pd_sbs_op_2

Does he have a cash register? These two are popular:

http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Resources-Pretend-Play-Calculator/dp/B00000DMD2/ref=sr_1_2?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1383708607&sr=1-2&keywords=cash+register

http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Resources-Teaching-Cash-Register/dp/B0006N8X3M/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1383708607&sr=1-1&keywords=cash+register

[mskitty]

If he loves playing school, maybe a nice globe or big wall map?

Play school set:
http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Resources-Pretend-Play-School/dp/B00021Z2FU/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=1RY8O5LR5T0ZY&coliid=I1EFECBYQ0MHR8

I loved playing Racko as a kid.
http://www.amazon.com/Rack-O-Card-Game-Winning-Moves/dp/B003XJ8T12/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1383715073&sr=8-1&keywords=racko

Science kit:
http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Resources-LER2784-Primary-Science/dp/B0035EQDTU/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=2543T0LQLHPYW&coliid=I200YUS6YZ9Q1Z

Watch or clock:
http://www.amazon.com/LEGO-9005008-Mini-Figure-Constructible-Activity/dp/B0085VYUSY/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=2543T0LQLHPYW&coliid=I27RVBFGNO5R9O
http://www.amazon.com/Timex-T79051-First-Outdoor-Velcro/dp/B000SZPZV6/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=2543T0LQLHPYW&coliid=I2TA5VROQ5WWCZ

My son loves playing with our Kindle Fire. He plays stack the states all the time and has pretty much memorized all of the states names and capitals. He can organize all 50 states in the puzzle in under a minute. He is in preK and probably plays with it about half an hour a day.
http://www.amazon.com/Dan-Russell-Pinson-Stack-the-States/dp/B00DZYXTRY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1383715771&sr=8-1&keywords=stack+the+states

[jren]

DS just turned 5 and some of his big hits were:
this marble run http://www.amazon.com/MARBLEWORKS®-Starter-Set-Discovery-Toys/dp/B003SAM6BU
several remote control cars
Perpexlus Rookie (everyone loved this!)
Skylanders Swap Force (no, not great if you aren't wanting to add screen time!)
Playmobil fire rescue boat plus water motor (really works in tub, shoots water, etc.)

For Christmas he's getting the Playmobil Fire station, Snap Circuits, Marbleworks accessories. He loves to play his sister's iPad, and always chooses the educational math games, but we aren't ready to go there yet.

[lizzywednesday]

DS just turned 5 and some of his big hits were:
this marble run http://www.amazon.com/MARBLEWORKS®-Starter-Set-Discovery-Toys/dp/B003SAM6BU
...

This is THE best toy my siblings and I ever got. We had a basic set plus a couple of expansion packs; my mother had purchased them at a home party.

We could play with it for HOURS.

If you get it, though, I highly recommend getting a storage tub as well. I don't remember the boxes holding up all that well.

[IansMom]

I agree with the marble run. We are getting DS one for his birthday. He has been asking for one for at least two years now. Also, what about a watch? Swatch and Timex make some that help children learn to tell time.

[SnuggleBuggles]

We have a marble run that has an electric elevator....it's pretty cool!