"Creative" Christmas

[Megkel]

HELP! I know I am a bit early but I am trying to get a jump start on this holiday season. My daughter is 7 (almost 8) and pretty much wants everything on the tv, she sees in stores, etc... The one thing she has pretty much steadily asked for all year is the American Girl doll Sage. I'm not sure I want to buy Sage, she has 10 American Dolls already! She does play with them but some more than others and they tend to wind up on the floor .

Instead I think I would rather give her something I think she would use and enjoy. She is VERY creative and an A type personality. She fills notebooks constantly of stories, charts, pictures, and loves being creative. I would really like to help nurture that creative side especially since I feel it's something I wish I had in myself. I am just not sure what I should look for besides the typical markers, crayons, paint (Geeze I'm lame!). She also loves experiments and figuring things out. This is her last year being an only child and I hope that giving her more outlets to be creative will let her express her feelings about it both negative and positive. Maybe a desk so she has her "own" space, but she does have her own room which will not be impinged on when the new baby arrives. We redid her room last year to all big kid stuff for her Birthday. Last Christmas I just did the random toys she wanted but hated the mess it created. Half those toys are in boxes in storage now.

Anyone have any ideas I would LOVE some input.

 

[luvmy3]

I would look at the SMASH line of journal/scrapbook stuff. Its great for creative tween/teens.
My dd also really likes her Wreck This Journal

 

[wiigirl]

I would look at the SMASH line of journal/scrapbook stuff. Its great for creative tween/teens.
My dd also really likes her Wreck This Journal

 

[kayrosek]

Hobby Lobby has some awesome chemistry sets. If she likes experimenting. They have regular ones, kitchen chemistry and girly ones where they can make lip gloss etc. I bought my daughter an art kit in a wooden box with her name on it for Chrismas 4yrs ago she still has the box that she replenishes with new art supplies as she gets them. Beyond the normal crayons and stuff how about sculptors clay, chalk pastels, a leather working kit, loom, start up stuff for crochet, kniting or cross stich kit or a toll painting project. If she still plays with american girl dolls you can find plain wood furniture for dolls that size at hobby lobby and get her paints and stuff to finish it herself.

 

[pigletto]

One year for my sister my parents got her an art desk with her own chair. It had an easel on it as well. With it they filled a container with feathers, glitter, pipe cleaners, glue, stickers, colored paper, markers, paints, brushes.. you name it. That and a roll of paper that attached to the easel and my sister was ecstatic! She had a place for all of her creations and all the stuff to make things with.

 

[scrapquitler]

HELP! I know I am a bit early but I am trying to get a jump start on this holiday season. My daughter is 7 (almost 8) and pretty much wants everything on the tv, she sees in stores, etc... The one thing she has pretty much steadily asked for all year is the American Girl doll Sage. I'm not sure I want to buy Sage, she has 10 American Dolls already! She does play with them but some more than others and they tend to wind up on the floor .

Instead I think I would rather give her something I think she would use and enjoy. She is VERY creative and an A type personality. She fills notebooks constantly of stories, charts, pictures, and loves being creative. I would really like to help nurture that creative side especially since I feel it's something I wish I had in myself. I am just not sure what I should look for besides the typical markers, crayons, paint (Geeze I'm lame!). She also loves experiments and figuring things out. This is her last year being an only child and I hope that giving her more outlets to be creative will let her express her feelings about it both negative and positive. Maybe a desk so she has her "own" space, but she does have her own room which will not be impinged on when the new baby arrives. We redid her room last year to all big kid stuff for her Birthday. Last Christmas I just did the random toys she wanted but hated the mess it created. Half those toys are in boxes in storage now.

Anyone have any ideas I would LOVE some input.

Art classes? Sewing Classes? Acting/Drama classes? A basic sewing machine and some supplies to make some simple sewn or quilted projects. a flip video camera to make her own movies from scripts she writes? Scrapbooking supplies and a basic digital camera?

 

[MSSANDRA]

I think I might would indulge what might be the last year asking for a doll. If not, maybe some electronic device for keeping all her stories on file. Something that fits your budget, but also would grow with her. We also like to give experiences instead of stuff; trips, lessons, shows, movies etc.

 

[LJSquishy]

I would aim to find higher quality gifts that she can be creative with.

Perhaps a sewing machine (simple enough for a beginner but good enough to grow with her for a while) or knitting/crochet supplies. Maybe she would enjoy a friendship bracelet kit or another jewelry making kit.

I've seen some chemistry/science sets before but they are really only single-use experiments. Maybe a microscope?

You could also invest in a high quality art set, like Prismacolor colored pencils, oil pastels, etc.

How about gifting her one or more "experiences", like horse riding lessons, ice skating, etc? She may enjoy going to one of the paint-your-own pottery shops also.

 

[MomToOne]

My daughter sounds a lot like yours - at that age she was constantly drawing anytime she had free time. At 13, she still does a lot of it today, although unfortunately make up has taken her focus somewhat

I would suggest things like:
- an easel (DD likes her table top one, and doesn't use her free-standing one so much, but that may just be her)
- better quality drawing supplies (paper, good colored pencils, pastels, charcoal pencils, etc.)
- better quality painting supplies (a variety of canvases, good brushes, watercolors, acrylics, water-based oils - each paint type has different qualities, so expose her to lots of different types to find the ones she likes best. But with a kid that age, stay away from full-fledged oil paints - voice of experience there!)
- art books (either things like "how to draw xxx" or books on famous artists, or works of art)

 

[Mom2Ben02]

I made my daughter an American Girl house last year. I did it all myself - the house itself was a basic "box" from plywood. Each room is 4'x4'x2'. I tiled, carpeted or put wood down for flooring. Walls painted.

What if you built her the basic structure...primed it...got paints and carpet samples Let her put it all together, plan the spaces. You can find handmade furniture on etsy unpainted, too.

https://www.facebook.com/karen.v.carter.5/posts/10151403175918072

 

[lauradis]

I made my daughter an American Girl house last year. I did it all myself - the house itself was a basic "box" from plywood. Each room is 4'x4'x2'. I tiled, carpeted or put wood down for flooring. Walls painted.

What if you built her the basic structure...primed it...got paints and carpet samples Let her put it all together, plan the spaces. You can find handmade furniture on etsy unpainted, too.

https://www.facebook.com/karen.v.carter.5/posts/10151403175918072

nice job looks great

 

[DawnM]

Ha, didn't read all the responses before replying. I was going to suggest a dollhouse too. Revising my response.

This would get the dolls off the floor AND be a cool place to play with them.

I know someone who bought a 1980s type entertainment center made from sturdy wood but older style. They painted it and made their own American Girl Dollhouse for their daughter.

There are several online.

http://www.cluewagon.com/2013/05/how-to-make-a-cheap-dollhouse-for-american-girl-dolls/

https://www.google.com/search?q=ame...TehIDIAw&ved=0CEUQsAQ&biw=1489&bih=1320&dpr=1

 

[elphaba91]

What about a scrapbook kit with a proper scrapbook, pretty papers, embellishments, acid free tape/glue/photo corners?

 

[Robbi]

Instead I think I would rather give her something I think she would use and enjoy. My mom thought like this. On Christmas morning, I eagerly ran down to open my Christmas present only to be disappointed. If your daughter wants Sage, please buy it for her. She's fast reaching the age when she won't want a doll anymore. You will kick yourself. It really is one of those times when you know your daughter is growing up and while you're proud, your heart also tears a little bit.

How about Sage and then a sketch pad with markers and a journal too? Wal Mart has those and they're not expensive.

 

[LostMason]

Snap circuits are something a little different that she might like. I'm going to wait one more year before ordering it for my daughter (she's 6).

http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-SC-300...&qid=1380826827&sr=1-2&keywords=snap+circuits

 

[thebeesknees]

Instead I think I would rather give her something I think she would use and enjoy. My mom thought like this. On Christmas morning, I eagerly ran down to open my Christmas present only to be disappointed. If your daughter wants Sage, please buy it for her. She's fast reaching the age when she won't want a doll anymore. You will kick yourself. It really is one of those times when you know your daughter is growing up and while you're proud, your heart also tears a little bit.

How about Sage and then a sketch pad with markers and a journal too? Wal Mart has those and they're not expensive.

I like this idea about the sketch pad/drawing stuff with the doll. You get to give her what she really wants, along with something you think will help spark her creativity. Or maybe a pack of canvases from Michael's (you can get a 4 pack for about $10), a set of brushes and some paints and let her get creative on her own? My DD9 has requested Saige this year, as well, and we are going to give her the doll because the time is quickly coming when she will want all the tween stuff and I want to let her be a little girl as long as I can if she still wants to. My DD had a blast this summer when I gave her a canvas and let her go to town on it. The painting now hangs proudly in her room.