Tomorrow I go christmas shopping...

**kimmee** · 10-05-2004, 11:46 PM

I have no one to buy for but the kids this year - I usually like to get them one big family gift and then lots of individual gifts. They have a tramp, a pool, a foosball table, A zoo membership,  Playstation 2, airhockey, ping pong table, a kareoke machine, a volleyball set. I wanted to get them go carts this year but because of the price versus quality I would rather wait and make them. Its not a cost or size issue but rather something that they all have to share  - do you have any ideas? They have outgrown the Geo safari, they each have a computer, a tv , vcr/dvd, and a stereo. I am not doing cell phones - they are too young. I would like it to be something educational or at least something that you can keep and upgrade. Maybe something to develop responsibility. Any thoughts will be most appreciated.

 

**Sara Noel** · 10-06-2004, 08:23 AM

How about a GPS? Then you all could go geocaching. Telescope?

**pita1213** · 10-06-2004, 09:06 AM

o0o i like the telescope idea. i want to get one for greg and sarah when we move out into the boonies a bit more. too much light where we are now for one, but a very neat idea.

**kimmee** · 10-06-2004, 09:47 AM

We have a big telescope - another Christmas family gift - But maybe the GPS - I don't know anything about them. Can you tell us more, Mrs. Meep-Meep? They also have walkie talkies and a scanner so the GPS might be fun to use with that stuff???

**Early Bird** · 10-06-2004, 09:58 AM

How about their own camcorder? They could make their own movies and music videos.

**kimmee** · 10-06-2004, 10:25 AM

Hey - I like the camcorder idea too! I bet I could pick up a used one for pretty inexpensive (It would be ashame to hear Ryan say "Oops , I didn't mean too..." with a brand new one!! Thats a good idea- Thank you!

**Sara Noel** · 10-06-2004, 10:58 AM

Here's a bit about geocaching.
http://www.geocaching.com/

Do your kids play instruments?

**kimmee** · 10-06-2004, 11:11 AM

THank you - this looks awesome - and educational - actually it works on so many levels - creativity, cooperation, skill. Thank you - I think you have found/suggested THE gift!! By the way - they play Piano, guitar, cello, and violin - Damon will be starting drums and he is wild about his recorder

**Early Bird** · 10-06-2004, 11:43 AM

Some other thoughts:

Order some homeschool catalogs. You'll see lots of educational kits and tools and books that you'll drool over. If I had unlimited $$$, I'd be buying microscopes and live butterfly kits and dissection kits and books and art supplies and ....

(sample catalogs: rainbow resources, sonlight, Carolina biological supply (that's where I bought my chrysallises last year), mindware). Look online. Look up science in a nutshell too; I've heard that those are fun kits, although I haven't tried them.

Extended version DVDs of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Other DVDs. We're buying Harry Potter 3 on DVD to watch on Christmas afternoon.

Some of PBS's videos/DVDs: Horatio's Journey (about 1905, a car race across America), Nature episodes (Australia's Assassins -- venomous creatures), Masterpiece Theater presentations, etc.

What else would I think the kids would like? When I was a teen, they gave me a 'making things kit.' Beads and wood carving tools and all sorts of craft/building supplies. Maybe that's too girlie, but model airplane kits could work.

If your kids are young enough for toys, consider Playmobil. German-made. Pricey. But LOTS of play value. Lego and K'nex too.