Gift for a 2.5 year old???

[klacey1]

Here's another Christmas gift thread! DBF and I will be buying for his cousin's son. He's 2.5 and his parents are loaded-- I can't imagine anything he'd want that they wouldn't already have given him. Plus, I think since this is the first year he's semi-aware of Christmas and he's an only child, his parents are going to go crazy buying toys for him.
So we thought we'd buy either jammies or a nice (think Ralph Lauren or along those lines) sweater/outfit. Is this too boring? DBF and I don't have kids yet, so we have NO clue what a 2.5 year old would want. We also can't ask the mother because she'd just tell us to buy nothing. Should we stick with a nice, warm outfit? Or is there a toy or something anyone here can think of??

 

[hercamore]

I wouldn't get a 2 l/2 y.o. clothes.

Go to Barnes and Nobles or another book store. A clerk will help you find books for that age.

herc

 

[Disneycrazy!!]

is there maybe a Bouncin Wild, or chucky cheese or something in his area where you can buy him a giftcard to? or even a disney store?

Most kids his age love bathtoys...they make crayons and markers for tubs now or water color tablets...my 3.5 year LOVES them.

 

[klacey1]

I don't think clothes is such a terrible idea! He'll use them at least. He LOVES his BabyUggs, too.
You must know much more gifted 2.5 yr olds that this little boy, because he certainly can't read! If you were insinuating that I get books that someone can read to him, thanks for the idea, but-- his mother is severly dyslexic and even a kid's book would be hard. The father would not read to him.

 

[ShootingStarMom2]

If you think he's going to get toys then maybe try something he can learn from like a new book basket filled with interesting new reads. Books by Leslie Patricelli don't have many words. LOL Or something for creative play like dress up clothes. DS has a firefighter outfit and chef outfit he adores.

I don't think clothes would be a problem but maybe tuck a little book or present to wow him while the mom eyes what you picked out.

ITA about the bath toys! We got our 26m DS something called "Tub Tunes" I know he's going to love. They are plastic recorders you fill with water and make funny music with in the bath.

 

[klacey1]

is there maybe a Bouncin Wild, or chucky cheese or something in his area where you can buy him a giftcard to? or even a disney store?

Most kids his age love bathtoys...they make crayons and markers for tubs now or water color tablets...my 3.5 year LOVES them.

He lives in an area I am unfamiliar with, so I'm not sure a gift card would be the best. However, I LOVE the bathtoys idea! DBF and I were just talking the other day how much he used to love playing with his boats in the tub!!

 

[RadioNate]

Bath toys is an awesome idea.

I have a 2 year old and you'd be SHOCKED at the clothes she has. She got 7 outfits for her 2nd birthday. All were 'warm' outfits. We live in Florida. I can promise you that she won't get to use them all more than 2-3 times. Even if we did live in a colder climate, she has probably 25 winter outfits.

Kids get insane amounts of clothes that they hardly wear. Or at least my kids do!

At that age my DS was mad about trains. Thomas specifically. Couldn't get enough. He didn't care if he had 5 Thomas trains. He loved them all.

Kids like books, even if they can't read. I think your reply to that suggestion comes across pretty snotty. Of course people know that 2 1/2 year olds can't read yet. However, MOST parents actually DO read to their children. Shocking, I know.

 

[cbmstephanie]

I have a 2.5 year old and I have to agree with both books and bath toys. Even if the parents don't read to them much...small books with one word per page or even books with no words, just pictures may be more than he has now if the rest of the family has your same attitude.

Bath toys are great! Other things for the bath are great too! My girls love bubbles. Someone bought them cans of foam bubbles...kind of looks like mouse for your hair, but it's bubbles. They love them. Every bath they start asking for bubbles as soon as they get in.

Boys love cars and trucks...seems to me they like just about any car or truck you put in front of them!

 

[JennaTX]

At that age you could put a big box of stuff together for not much at all!
The bath stuff is a great idea. Also any kind of Crayola products, my kids loved markers, colors, coloring books, chalk, etc. Stickers, hot wheels, look at the Target $1 spot.

 

[quasar4legs]

Books, books and a few more books.
It sounds like the little one may have lots of toys and clothes so I would visit a good bookstore and find some nice picture books.

 

[golfgal]

Just another thought, perhaps the parents are loaded because they don't go overboard buying for their children or themselves .

I agree that bath toys are always a hit. Hopefully the parents are gracious enough to accept whatever you give so it won't matter.

Now, there is a great thread running about a loaded family that gives specifics on what NOT to buy their child, if that is the case then I would get the loudest, most obnoxious toy you can find

 

[acename]

At that age you could put a big box of stuff together for not much at all!
The bath stuff is a great idea. Also any kind of Crayola products, my kids loved markers, colors, coloring books, chalk, etc. Stickers, hot wheels, look at the Target $1 spot.

I agree with this. My daughter LOVES to draw and color. When people have asked what to get her for Christmas I've suggested the crayola color wonder sets. That way she can color with markers but they won't mark on anything but the paper that comes with the kit.

My dd also loves pjs so I don't think that's a bad idea.

 

[golfgal]

At that age you could put a big box of stuff together for not much at all!
The bath stuff is a great idea. Also any kind of Crayola products, my kids loved markers, colors, coloring books, chalk, etc. Stickers, hot wheels, look at the Target $1 spot.

This is a great idea too. We often gave art boxes as birthday presents around this age. We would take a rubbermaid tote and fill it with construction paper, crayons, glue sticks, stickers and scissors. Fun gift, easy to clean up. My oldest would spend HOURS at this age cutting little pieces of paper and gluing them on a bigger piece of paper.

 

[MnMomtoboys]

I agree with this. My daughter LOVES to draw and color. When people have asked what to get her for Christmas I've suggested the crayola color wonder sets. That way she can color with markers but they won't mark on anything but the paper that comes with the kit.

My dd also loves pjs so I don't think that's a bad idea.

My 2 year old is getting a few of these. He just loves to draw on the walls.

 

[DMickey28]

I don't think clothes is such a terrible idea! He'll use them at least. He LOVES his BabyUggs, too.
You must know much more gifted 2.5 yr olds that this little boy, because he certainly can't read! If you were insinuating that I get books that someone can read to him, thanks for the idea, but-- his mother is severly dyslexic and even a kid's book would be hard. The father would not read to him.

That is sooo sad.

Tag Jr. is a cute reader that he and his parents can do together or he can do alone. It reads for you. That might be a cool idea!!

 

[princess momma]

I don't think clothes is such a terrible idea! He'll use them at least. He LOVES his BabyUggs, too.
You must know much more gifted 2.5 yr olds that this little boy, because he certainly can't read! If you were insinuating that I get books that someone can read to him, thanks for the idea, but-- his mother is severly dyslexic and even a kid's book would be hard. The father would not read to him.

Wow. Nobody is reading to that poor child? That's beyond sad. It really sounds like you don't have children because most people realize how important it is to read to children, most people read to their children way before the age of 2 1/2. I would get him some picture books and hope somebody takes the hint.

Kids that age don't enjoy clothes as gifts but parents usually appreciate them.

 

[klacey1]

That is sooo sad.

Tag Jr. is a cute reader that he and his parents can do together or he can do alone. It reads for you. That might be a cool idea!!

I agree that it's sad! My mother ALWAYS read to me-- all I got for Christmas from age 5-17 were books. Couldn't be happier-- I was an English Lit major in college. I did not mean to come across as snotty, but honestly, even though I was a little bookworm, I would have thought it silly to buy anyone under the age of 5 a book. Like I said, the parents are not the reading kind (I was just stating a fact, not trying to say the idea of reading to your kids is silly! OBVIOUSLY I do not believe this!)
I think I like the idea of the Tag Jr though! Where would be a good place to look for one/how much do they run for?

 

[klacey1]

Wow. Nobody is reading to that poor child? That's beyond sad. It really sounds like you don't have children because most people realize how important it is to read to children, most people read to their children way before the age of 2 1/2. I would get him some picture books and hope somebody takes the hint.

Kids that age don't enjoy clothes as gifts but parents usually appreciate them.

I do not have children, but if you see my above post-- I LOVE reading and clearly believe in the importance of it to children! As sad as it sounds, I'd hate to buy beautiful books, picture or otherwise, because I know they'd just end up in the bottom of a packed toy chest It would be a waste of $ because they simply would not get used.

 

[klacey1]

Kids like books, even if they can't read. I think your reply to that suggestion comes across pretty snotty. Of course people know that 2 1/2 year olds can't read yet. However, MOST parents actually DO read to their children. Shocking, I know.

Please read my post two up. (Sorry, I forgot about multi-quoting!)
I was always read to. Once I could read, I read constantly-- and still am! English Lit major-- I clearly know the importance of reading to children. Most of my charitable donations go to buying for book drives.
HOWEVER, if I am going to spend money on a gift, I'd like it to be used or appreciated. I know that books, no matter how well-intended would simply not be used. Now, when he begins to read in school-- he'll be getting LOTS of books, because I'll know that he can do it himself, and not have to rely on his non-reading parents.
A poster reccomended Tag Jr, which I thought was a great a idea! I am not anti-exposing kids to literature, I'm just anti-wasting money. Is it sad that buying a book is wasting money? Yes. However, even when I, the ultimate literary, was his age, I was only read to from long books because my mom knew that type of repetitive sound was a great way to get me to fall asleep! I wouldn't say I developed any "appreciation" for books until I was at least 4 or 5 and actually understood what my mom was reading.

I really love the bath toys idea! I think we're going to cruise through Target andToys R Us next week to look at some things! I also LOVE the color wonder idea! DBF and I rarely shop for young children, so this should be fun! Any other ideas??? Thanks so much, everyone!