Christmas: what do you get for...

[Workingman]

... a four yr-old girl, going on five?

My granddaughter is that age and I absolutely refuse to get her electronic this or that or "Disney" or "Barbie" etc.

I want her to use her mind, so am thinking sketching, painting, cross-stitch sort of things.

Help, please.

[saundra]

You can't control her mind
Go with the flow
She is a little girl
With her own independent mind 55inch tv would be perfect I would imagine in her bedroom not boring cross stitch yuck
Wake up WM it's 2024

[Kaz]

There are some lovely "craft" toys now for little ones, Frank. Our Poppy is creative, and in the past we've bought her colouring books and sticker books. Unicorns are very popular with little.girls. This Christmas I have bought her a kit full of little.beads that you stick onto the cardboard pictures to make different effects. Poppy is.slightly older, at 6, but you get the idea

[saundra]

You can't control her mind
Go with the flow
She is a little girl
With her own independent mind 55inch tv would be perfect I would imagine in her bedroom not boring cross stitch yuck
Wake up WM it's 2024

on second thoughts wm she might like a bike scooter a play kitchen but as she gets older it bound to be latest technology or trend very difficult decision

[meriad]

You can't control her mind
Go with the flow
She is a little girl
With her own independent mind 55inch tv would be perfect I would imagine in her bedroom not boring cross stitch yuck
Wake up WM it's 2024

ooh, I'm going to totally disagree Saundra; I'm same as Frank and think going with something that encourages the mind / creativity is so much better .

Frank, the only thing I would add is to try find something she can play with on her own for a bit, vs needing either a play mate / parent to work with her. Not sure of your budget, but maybe check with the parents to see what she likes and get her some Lego? Or have a look at the Hobbycraft website; loads of things there to give you some ideas. I probably would end up buying drawing / art stuff

[saundra]

Y es spot on ria I was winding WM up

[Osc]

I’m a great believer in books. Also, wooden toys are great, and long lasting.

[Workingman]

Thanks all. I went with Ria's idea and ordered a drawing board to sit on her knee, an A3 sketch pad and an A4 sketch pad with a range of 4H to 4B drawing pencils - and an eraser and sharpener.

I am just printing off some simple crib sheets with graphical instructions for drawing faces, "carrot people", trees and things. They are how I got started.

[saundra]

im sure she will love them WM

[meriad]

That sounds absolutely perfect Frank - she will love that!