Christmas - Arlington,TX

My will be 3 year old girl wants a bike ( ordered for her yesterday) and my 5 year old girl is getting a Basketball hoop (also ordered yesterday). They love the disney princess barbies and have a few so we will get them a few more. I ordered them some new DVDs. They will probably get coloring books, crayons, markers, chapstick and the like in their stockings. Around 9 I know that I was way over barbies but my parents got me and my sis a barbie dream house. It was a nightmare for my dad to put together and we hardly played with it. I don't quite know what they are into at 9 but something she is into within reason.

My 3, almost 4 year old is getting golf clubs....yes, you read that correctly, golf clubs....WHY!?!?!?! You ask? She is ACTUALLY interested in golf...hard to believe? I know....I would say "it aint so" if I havent seen it with my own eyes....Her b-day is in February....she'll be getting a new bike then.

I would get the 3 year year old a tea party set, kitchen and dishes, dolls, build a bear, coloring books, clothes. I would get the 9 year old a bike, make believe makeup, baking stuff, make believe jewelry, books, clothes, computer games, board games, scrap book stuff, hair stuff..

Good luck and hope this helps
M.

At three, my husband still envisioned his all around girl who could where a pink skirt, but didn't mind hitting a berm on a dirt bike. However, by this age she turned her nose at the FOX racing shirt and refused to wear blue pants because they were for boys. She has a four-wheeler in the garage she has never ridden and a dirt bike with training wheels that needs some work still, but she has never asked to ride it. Barbie-it-is!

Really it depends on the child and that is all. So if your child likes dirt bikes, let her ride them and if she prefers nail polish and make up, then get her a bag to put it in.

3 year old gets a stuffed animal or something colorful and sensory; the 9 year old gets a bike (or if she already has a bike; something functional in her field of interest).

Leap frog TAG for the 3 year old! my daughter loves hers. i got her the older one when she was three. (ages 4 to 8 i think). Even my two year old loves playing with it.

My 2 and 4 year old girls are getting a doll house this christmas. Also my 4 year old is getting a real digital camera. They have a kid one for only $40. She is always taking pictures with my camera. She also loves the scooter she got for her birthday.

I would buy a fun book and something imaginative, like a superhero mask/cape or princess dress, maybe a small toy tea set/race car/dinosaur depending on what she likes and a nice shirt for the 3 year old girl.

For the 9 year old girl, I would buy something educational craft related... using whatever her interests are, such as a year subscription to Zoo Books magazine, a student microscope kit with slides, a crystal growing kit, a jewelry making kit, then perhaps a movie and a nice outfit.

We don't usually get more than 3 gifts per family member a year, since they get so many throughout the year and from other family members.

Active outside toys

The Twizzler
http://www.amazon.com/Spring-Swings-Twizzler-Fun-Ride/dp/...

Spring Spinning Disc Swing
http://www.amazon.com/Spring-Swings-Original-Disc-Swing/d...

Bikes

Scooter Boards
http://www.amazon.com/Gamecraft-Safety-Guard-Scooter-Boar...

Hoppers
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3...

Well, in Arlington Texas the climate is fairly mild in the Winter so I might buy the smaller girl her first bike with training wheels and accessories such as helmet, elbow pads, etc.... Maybe the beginner skates along with protective gear. I think there are tons of things for indoors too. We bought a Little Tykes Kangaroo Climber for indoors, in a 12'X12' room, and the 3 year old loved it. It was the best gift ever.

Anything that can help a child stay mentally and physically active is a go in my book. We also bought one of those devices where you snap books into a groove and the kids interact with it and learn stuff was good too but the 3 year old didn't get into it until a few months later. He just didn't "get" that he needed to listen to the voice and follow directions. We have every book they made and he will sit and read/play with them for a long time now.

For the 9 year old, it's hard to say because you don't tell anything about her personality. Active, sedentary/bookish, etc...I think it depends on what she wants. She is old enough to be past the point of wanting useless stuff and should be able to make up her own wish list.

My BF in Branson buys the stuff she thinks her kids should like and is very disappointed every holiday when they just look at their stuff and months later she ends up giving it away. I am not saying they just get up and walk away, they show thankfulness and everything, they have good manners but they eventually never use it or wear it.

If you are really just trying to get ideas then:
A larger bike, new inline skates, sports equipment, skateboard, new bedroom decorations, a shopping spree with mom at her favorite mall, there are so many ways to go.

I hope I sparked your imagination and you'll find just what they want.

Not sure about the 9 year old as mine are all young, but Pillow Pets are all the rage with my daughter (she's 4) and her friends ages 3-4. You can never go wrong with coloring books and crayons. My daughter got a 12 inch bicycle with training wheels at 3 for her birthday and loved it. At Christmas she got Dora training skates and loved those. Dress up is also a hit in our house. Hope this helps!

I agree with the suggestions you've received so far as long as they fit with your daughter's interests. I would find it difficult to buy a gift for a child I didn't know because I focus on what interests them.

The larger Diplo legos are great for the 3 yr old. Also lacing cards are a lot of fun at that age. A stuffed animal for each (easily washable). Connect the dot, maze, color books for the 9 yr old, a pot holder loom (I loved those things growing up).

I can't yet respond to the 9 year old, but I'm definitely buying my three, soon to be four-year-old a bike. Can't wait to start cycling with her.

Books, art supplies, good music CDs, perhaps an article of clothing that will be really special, something that goes with a particular interest of each daughter, more books.

My daughter is almost 7 and my son is 4. One of the big things we are doing this year is getting the Kinect for the Xbox 360. We're excited to get that with the Kinectimals game. Looks like a really cool concept! We're looking into a netbook for our daughter, but that may be her bday gift in January. She got a Nintendo DS Lite last year, so we'll get her a couple new games for it. She also wants an American Girl doll. We're doing the pillow pets too......unicorn for daughter and puppy for son. We're getting a few dvds and we're looking at the iXL for our 4yr old son. Found some great overnight duffle bags for them. Great for my daughters sleepovers and even nights at gramma & papas house. Lots of little random stuff....they are very easy to please. =0)

The suggestions submitted are great but your question is uh well .... pointless. The best gifts are those that the individual child would enjoy or has indicated a potential interest in or is good developmentally for any child. Since these are your children, you are in a good position to know that, and what they have already, and what your budget is.

I like the ones that keep on giving. I bought consignment toys for those that they outgrow quickly and sell them back and exchange for others when it is outgrown, developmental toys, age appropriate). I put the best money into the gifts that keep on giving (bikes, lessons, computer games with fun and educational games to change out as they grow, and if budget allows, a contribution to their college fund (like "All American Funds") that anyone, including grandparents, can contribute to on birthdays, etc.

I always like to buy things like an easel.. they have ones that are for markers on one side and chalk on the other. Additionally, many will also hold a roll of paper at the top. Many kids like draw and or color. We've has my son's easel since he was about 4 and now he is 8 1/2 and still uses it.. best gift I ever bought him.
Additionally, puzzles have always been a big hit in our house. As well as balls both soccer and kickball. My son also LOVES music, so while it's technically suppose to be my ipod.. basically my son uses it :) its a bit pricey of a gift.. but since we both use it.. i felt it was worth it.. it's fun because my son has downloaded many songs from ITUNES...
books.. I've always had many books in the house. Lastly.. my son used to like to be in the garden with me. so we bought him his own garden tools.. nothing sharp and dangerous. they have kid sets..
best of luck

3 yr old- blocks, books, stuffed animals, tricycle, dvds, leap pad, sing along cds, legos, linkin logs, barbies or boy dolls, trucks, trains,hot wheels play kitchen, etc..

9 yr old, clothes, dvds, cds, diary, shoes, play make up,barbies or moxie girls, dress up clothes, jewelry,ipod, scooter, bike, skateboard, phone, laptop,trampoline, paint and canvases, sewing machine, journal.