Help with ideas for presents for foster kids

[DCPrincess]

I don't have any kids but am sponsoring 5 foster kids for Christmas and buying them each 3 gifts from their wish list. Some are easy and really specific (ex. Baby Alive), but there is an 11 year old girl and a 12 year old boy (siblings) and the three items they each asked for are: a winter coat, a toy, and a book. Help!

If you have children around that age could you please help me with what toys and books an 11 year old girl and 12 year old boy would enjoy (they really aren't asking for much so I'm okay with a nice toy but it needs to stand alone since I don't know what else they have).

Thanks in advance!!!

 

[PollyannaMom]

Gosh, "toys" is tough for that age with girls. DS is 11, and he says the girls in his class mostly sit and text. My nieces liked art supplies, though - maybe some of those?

For the boy, I would say a basketball or a football would be a safe bet.

And if money isn't tight, I think I'd get them the boxed set of all seven Harry Potter books to share.

 

[JVL1018]

Maybe a B&N or Amazon GC so they can choose their own book?

As for toys..that's hard because you don't know what they have.
Maybe a Perplexus for the boy?

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&ke...games&hvadid=163403089&ref=pd_sl_3a7zp1onxv_e

I got it for my son last year(he was 10), People cannot resist picking it up and playing with it.
Ages 5-105, seriously! LOL

For the girl..Bop It? That's always fun, no matter what the age.

 

[VeganCupcake]

Hi Op! Just wanted to say I think this is a really generous thing you are doing. I also wanted to ask how you sign up for things like this? Oh, and I totally agree on the Harry Potter books if money isn't so tight! I'm 30 and I could read them all day!

 

[prncess674]

Are to you sure this is a specific child? My guess is whatever organization you are going through makes up a few phantom kids with very vague requests so they can have a stockpile of gifts for those kids who enter the system closer to the holiday. Go with what you can afford.

 

[Soben]

For the girl, art supplies (as mentioned) or those kits that you can make your own bag/bookcover/coin purse/bracelets. The kits that have everything in it.

Board game. Pass The Pigs is fun, Uno, Boggle.

Basketball, football. But it'll be winter, I don't know if they are in a milder climate though. Nerf basketball kits for in the house.

Gift certificates for ice cream or burgers or a movie.

Depending on your budget and the sales -- a cheaper camera.

Just brainstorming here.

Thank you for doing this.

 

[sadiras]

A chess board with pieces and a beginners book.

Baseball gloves for each with a ball.

 

[DCPrincess]

Thank you all so much for the ideas - they are great and so helpful - please keep them coming!

Are to you sure this is a specific child? My guess is whatever organization you are going through makes up a few phantom kids with very vague requests so they can have a stockpile of gifts for those kids who enter the system closer to the holiday. Go with what you can afford.

Yes these are specific children. I have helped with this program for many years, and even volunteered during distribution. Each social worker can pick three of their neediest to be sponsored and receive gifts (I have the child's first name, gender, clothes size, shoe size etc.). I don't know about organizations making up children, but I do know that many organizations around the holidays ask for general gifts to help people in need. It's so sad that there are some kids who might not get a Christmas gift and I'm lucky enough to be able to help.

 

[DCPrincess]

Hi Op! Just wanted to say I think this is a really generous thing you are doing. I also wanted to ask how you sign up for things like this? Oh, and I totally agree on the Harry Potter books if money isn't so tight! I'm 30 and I could read them all day!

Thank you! It makes me so happy to think of being able to get a child something special for Christmas.

There are lots of programs like this one, I know that many churches adopt needy children/families, sometimes local malls have an "angel tree", toys for tots is always asking for donations. Our Child and Family Services agency has this program for foster kids (and various non-profit/ children's advocacy organizations in the area do something similar). If you have a children's hospital in your area, you could also ask them. Hope that helps!

 

[DCPrincess]

Gosh, "toys" is tough for that age with girls. DS is 11, and he says the girls in his class mostly sit and text.

Just wanted to let you know this made me laugh And I like your ideas - thank you!

 

[jen1977]

I'm not sure about the books, except for maybe the Harry Potter series? Their interests in books can vary so much from child to child. For the girl, I would go to Michael's and get a jewelry making kit of some kind. They have some that aren't aimed toward little girls, and have the actual beads and such that she could make jewelry she would actually wear. Fr the boy, I would say a nice Nerf gun. I have two boys, 10 and 12, and they both still play with them. Good luck, and have fun shopping!

 

[pyrxtc]

Our town has a tree that they put up and you wrap the present for the child you pick and put their "number" on it for them to put their name on it after. We try to do it every year but last year the names were gone before I could get there. I already ahve some stuff and some idea's for gifts.

 

[badblackpug]

I have an 11 year old boy, he asked for an electronic keyboard.

 

[sookie]

dangit.
My daughter is 11 years old / 6th grade. They are all reading and really into the hunger games, but that might come off as really insensitive (katniss talks about some neglect around age 11 in there, and of course there are some mature themes throughout the entire rest of the book). Or it might be something really that they relate to.
Maybe a Harry Potter book? Or that might be the same (harry is an orphan cared for by his aunt / uncle, so no parents).
It is hard. Maybe go to the book store and look around in the young adult section. Or like another poster said - a B&N giftcard for the book - for a generous amount.

 

[dzorn]

I don't have any kids but am sponsoring 5 foster kids for Christmas and buying them each 3 gifts from their wish list. Some are easy and really specific (ex. Baby Alive), but there is an 11 year old girl and a 12 year old boy (siblings) and the three items they each asked for are: a winter coat, a toy, and a book. Help!

If you have children around that age could you please help me with what toys and books an 11 year old girl and 12 year old boy would enjoy (they really aren't asking for much so I'm okay with a nice toy but it needs to stand alone since I don't know what else they have).

Thanks in advance!!!

My girls really liked the Rick Riordan series for the books. They also like the kingdom keeper series. Dork Diaries and Diary of a Wimpy Kid are also very popular.


http://www.amazon.com/Kane-Chronicl...&qid=1352596335&sr=1-17&keywords=rick+riordan


http://www.amazon.com/Percy-Jackson...&qid=1352596378&sr=1-24&keywords=rick+riordan


DD has asked for the expansion set for her snap circuits. (She spent all day playing with her set).
Oldest DD loves this chess set.

http://www.amazon.com/USAopoly-CH00...keywords=super+mario+chess+collectors+edition

Something my girls like every year a soft new snuggly throw.

Denise in MI

 

[E-P-C-O-T]

My nieces are 12 and 14 and they still play Monopoly and fight over their Bop It http://www.hasbro.com/games/en_us/bopit/

 

[Ceila]

Those are tough ages for toys. My DD is 10 and is getting harder to get "toys" for - she mostly wants clothes. Art supplies and craft kits are great ideas. Also, girls that age love mani-pedi sets - you could put together a really fun kit with lots of nail polishes and cute emery boards, and if you want to make it a little bigger you can include a compact mirror, purse-sized brush, lip gloss, hair bands, etc. and put it in a nice make-up bag or one of those pop-up organizer cases they sell at beauty supply places. The scented mini hand-sanitizers from Bath and Body Works are really popular with DD and her friends, so you could add a couple of them, too (they're pretty inexpensive).

My son at that age loved Nerf guns, so that's a possibility for the boy.

I'm a school librarian with students that age, and for books I like the gift card idea if there is a way for the kids to get to a book store. I would check with the organization to make sure that would work. If not, one idea is The Hobbit. Since the movie is coming out soon a lot of kids that age have been checking it out. For the girl, anything by Wendy Mass is good, and a lot of boys that age like the Alex Rider series by Alex Horowitz is big. Anything by Margaret Peterson Haddix is popular with both both boys and girls, as is the Fablehaven series by Brandon Mull. Good luck!

 

[mamajoan]

Hi Op! Just wanted to say I think this is a really generous thing you are doing. I also wanted to ask how you sign up for things like this? Oh, and I totally agree on the Harry Potter books if money isn't so tight! I'm 30 and I could read them all day!

Hi just wanted to suggest your local CASA agency.. Court Appointed Special Advocates... they provide a voice/advocate for kids in the foster care system. They are in the phone book.

Also any fostercare agency such as Catholic Charities, Lutheran Services, heck the County dept. of child welfare services,-DCFS.

Just give any of them a call and they will tell you what they need.

Some of my happiest memories of being a CASA involve bringing donated Christmas gifts for kids to the Foster families.

One thing I would like to say to everyone is: Please do not freak out if you see things like Xbox etc on wish lists. Foster kids just want what every other kid want.
They like nice stuff too.
Most do not expect to get anything at all. The majority have lost a great deal during their short lives.

New clothes are great, so is fun stuff from Claire's, sports stuff, books and games.

Also gifts for teens is expecially appreciated .. as they are often forgotten in the Christmas shuffle.


OP sorry if I got off track...

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

If they're siblings, I'd choose something that they can share for each.

For the boy, maybe a ripstick? My kid loves his and everyone who comes over wants to try it. The one thing I'd say is not to get this if you live where there's snow all winter. Not fair to a kid with 1 toy to have to wait until Spring to use it.

For the girl, maybe an art set, with markers and paper, and paints etc . . .

Or, if you know shoe sizes, maybe roller blades for both?

 

[Erin1700]

I have an 11 year old DD.
She likes Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Mysterious Benedict Society, Harry Potter.
I agree art stuff is good. So are girl Legos.
I think a game to share is a good idea. Could you get them their 3 things and throw in Monopoly or Scrabble or something?