I keep meaning to make some nice orderly gift-idea post with all previous gift-idea posts listed by age, but here it is the 17th already. There is something I need to fix about my blog to make it more searchable by category, but that is low on the list right now, so in the MEANTIME, one thing you can do is scroll to the end of this post, and see where it says “posted in gift ideas,” down at the bottom? If you click “gift ideas,” I believe you will be taken to a big, messy, multi-page chunk of all previous gift-idea posts.
This particular post is based on the wish lists of Edward (10) and Henry (8).
(image from Amazon.com)
Kanoodle. I don’t know if this will be fun or frustrating, but both boys want it, and I love to buy things that more than one kid will want to play with.
(image from Amazon.com)
Laser Maze. What even is this. Apparently they saw a YouTube video about it.
(image from Amazon.com)
The Greatest Dot-to-Dot Adventure Book. Edward wants this, and he is careful and patient enough that I’m willing to buy it. Henry would be punching holes in the pages with frustration after about 30 seconds.
(image from Amazon.com)
Trapdoor Checkers. Another thing they saw on YouTube.
(image from Amazon.com)
Guinness Book of World Records 2016: Gamer’s Edition. They PORE over these records books.
(image from Amazon.com)
Strawz. This is probably a silly overpriced waste of money, but both boys wanted it BADLY, and both were pitifully saving their allowances, so I got them each a set.
(image from Amazon.com)
(image from Amazon.com)
Nerf guns. Sigh. I have mixed feelings.
(image from Amazon.com)
Plastic army men. Mixed feelings continue.
(image from Amazon.com)
Minecraft Story Mode. I don’t fully understand it, but apparently you can create the game yourself? Or something? Edward says it’s similar to Super Mario Maker, which is a game he wants very badly but we’re not going to buy a Wii U just so he can play it.
(image from Amazon.com)
Heated throw. Edward is often chilly in the mornings. The price is going up and down on Amazon; my mom and I found one for $29.99 at Target, on sale for $26.99.
(image from Amazon.com)
Twister Rave Skip-it. I did not pay what Amazon is currently charging: I got it for $20 at Target.
(image from Amazon.com)
Cool dice. Henry is very jealous of Rob’s dice collection.
(image from Amazon.com)
Space jammies from Target. Also got the lightning ones.
(image from Amazon.com)
Cuddlekins walrus. Walruses are a huge fad at our house right now, and you would not believe how nice this one is to snuggle.
We have Kanoodle. I don’t think they will find it frustrating. If anything, it is a little on the easy side (6 and 8 year old here). Nice quiet solitary thinky think activity for a young child. Perfect for ‘sick but not too sick’ days on the couch.
My 8 and 11 year old girls are all about Lego Minecraft. That’s pretty much the only thing on their list that’s a toy this year.
Ooooh, I love your gift ideas posts! I myself have a 9-year-old boy, so this is excellent timing.
We don’t have Kanoodle, but I’ve seen it a friend’s house and it was fun, though a little frustrating even for me. But frustrating in that good way, the kind where you just can’t put it down until you get all those infernal balls organized neatly, gosh dang it! I think I shall go buy this now. Good idea!
I have similar feelings about nerf guns. I refuse to allow them in my house, and that fact is lamented OFTEN by my son. Every month or so, he throws a bit of a fit about it. “Well FINE! You might as well take ALL MY MONEY back then, if I CAN’T EVEN buy what I want to buy MYSELF at the store!” (Won’t he be shocked when one day I say, “Okay, thanks. Extra money for me to spend!”)
Agree on the nerf guns, and both my kids will have one under the tree. :/
I like the laser game – might have to do that. MIGHT. Board games is my last remaining item I’d like to purchase, and I already had Apples to Apples Jr on my mind. But this would be fun, too. Do I want family fun, or entertain-yourselves,-kids fun?? Decisions.
I have no idea what to get my 8 year old; thanks!
i am kicking myself now for gifts i now wish i could replace with these :)
This is perfect, especially since the Disney Infinity Star Wars thing that was going to be from Santa won’t arrive until AFTER Christmas. Thanks a lot, Amazon! (I understand they didn’t want to release it until the movie was out, but why couldn’t they have done it like the Harry Potter books, where your delivery would arrive on the day it was released??) Sorry for the vent!
Why is there a picture of “Kilty pleasures” calendar with the caption “plastic army men”.? Lol. Mixed feelings indeed.
My 7 (now 8) year old has Lazer Maze and LOOOOVES it. It is hard, but solitary, so if they like to work through problems they will like it. In fact I need to replace the batteries in ours, it has been played with so much.
Swistle, I want to hear what’s on YOUR Christmas list!
My husband works in math education and gets tons of these manipulative a including every type of dice imaginable. They are AWESOME. Also, once a friend of mine have me a set of dice where the faces were emoticons and they were so, so, so adorable.
If you need encouragement on buying a Wii U, let me tell you that they are backwards compatible. That means if you have a Wii already, all your games AND controllers will work with the new system.
I feel like I would get smarter by attending Christmas at your house. Why would one need cool dice? How could they possibly be used? Perhaps this would be a nice Post-Christmas post…recapping how the boys use dice. I’d read it.
Have 10 and 12 year olds I second the strawz, the gamer book and the nerf stuff. My kids love them! We don’t have the dot to dot book but I think my 10 year old would be all over it!
coming back to report that I got the Lazer Maze game and currently 2 12 year olds and 10 year old are playing with it happily! It’s FUN.