Christmas gifts

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Kafkaesque
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This is as off topic as it's gonna get :) However, there seems to be a fairly wide array of people so I thought, I'd give it a go and see if we can get something started. I'll start off, trying to get some input for gifts. And will of course do my best to return it with input if anyone else feels an urge to seek help.

So, I'm of the sort who does not believe in wish lists. At all!!! I'd rather go without than just passing things back and forth from lists, that you could just as well buy yourself. Granted, I'm aided in having a fairly small family. If I had to buy 50 gifts each year, I might change my tune. As it were, I don't do a wish list for myself, and if anyone hands me a list, they know, it's turning into a list of stuff, they're not getting from me. The downside is, I'm forever last minute at coming up with something good. Got most sorted, but a few are left.

My brother in law is a rum lover. For now I'm set on a book on rum, which I know, he has none of, to go with his vast collection of rums. For that reason a rum is probably a no go, but any other suggestions if there's any rum lovers, would be most welcome.

With my young niece, who just turned four, we're lucky that she's way ahead of her age group on pretty much every parameter. She loves books which sets tasks to solve. Also, she's shown an interest what's going on, when we've spoken English on family vacations (I'm from Denmark), so I was looking around for books which combines tasks with learning English as young foreigner. Unless, it's my Google skills that's off, that unfortunately isn't really a thing. Any books with tasks in English, which would suit the purpose? For now, I'm looking at "Press Here" by Herve Tullet.

To the contrary, her younger brother has an array of medical issues and quite a few issues that the doctors just cannot pinpoint the reasons behind. The most notable being a rather bloated stomach, even now at 11 months. Again, nobody's been able to tell us why this is, but it seems to have hindered his growth and his motor skills. I was thinking about a book on music therapy for children/toddlers for my sister. As much as I know, and my sister will know, that there's a loving and well-intentioned thought behind, I'm left with a meeeeh I don't know-feeling, as she might not want to be reminded of those health issues on what should an evening of joy. Not a parent myself just yet, I find it hard to comprehend the severity of what they must be going through with all that uncertainty. And it might still be difficult for people with healthy children. Still, parents on here: Should my idea be no go or not?

In a similar vein, any ideas for toys for toddlers, which are great for improvement in motor skills?
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ruthlessimon
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See it's way easier if they're into trading - I don't know anyone who'd be annoyed/return a BA sub top-up :)

Maybe for the toddlers a book on decimals/fractions, the sooner they learn odd increments the better :D
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to75ne
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Kafkaesque wrote:
Wed Dec 13, 2017 5:14 pm
In a similar vein, any ideas for toys for toddlers, which are great for improvement in motor skills?
LEGO, marvelous stuff and if the little fella is not too adept handling small pieces, you can get LEGO big bricks and mega bricks. toddlers love the stuff, helps with dexterity, imagination etc, and they also love throwing the bricks around (once they realise they cant eat it).
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ruthlessimon
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That's solid advice, yeah can't go wrong with lego.

Forgot toddler was 12-36mths. Yeah maybe learning decimals at that age is a bit of a push!
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Kafkaesque
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to75ne wrote:
Wed Dec 13, 2017 11:17 pm
Kafkaesque wrote:
Wed Dec 13, 2017 5:14 pm
In a similar vein, any ideas for toys for toddlers, which are great for improvement in motor skills?
LEGO, marvelous stuff and if the little fella is not too adept handling small pieces, you can get LEGO big bricks and mega bricks. toddlers love the stuff, helps with dexterity, imagination etc, and they also love throwing the bricks around (once they realise they cant eat it).
Cheers, great tip. The thing is though, being from Denmark - the birthplace of Lego - that stuff is already in the family war chest to an extent, you can't even imagine. It's been a thing here longer than most places (I'd imagine) and it's both durable and not something that goes out of fashion. So there's a few generations worth of Lego in the family, with both the older more simple and the never, more branded stuff. All the same, great shout if it weren't for that, so thanks :)
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SeaHorseRacing
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ruthlessimon wrote:
Wed Dec 13, 2017 10:48 pm
See it's way easier if they're into trading - I don't know anyone who'd be annoyed/return a BA sub top-up :)

Maybe for the toddlers a book on decimals/fractions, the sooner they learn odd increments the better :D
:lol:
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Dublin_Flyer
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Joined: Sat Feb 11, 2012 10:39 am

Kafkaesque wrote:
Wed Dec 13, 2017 5:14 pm

In a similar vein, any ideas for toys for toddlers, which are great for improvement in motor skills?
The little football sized toys with the hollow slots for square/triangle/circle pieces to fit in the slots can be good. One hand has to hold it while the other has to maneuver....manoever....manoeuver....move... the piece into the slot. Can help motor skills and hand/eye co-ordination. As a gift it says nothing about a sickness or development issue, if anything he could be coeliac and wiggling around with the ball might help squeeze the farts out of him! :lol:

Interactive books like my first 100 words etc can be good if the sister can read them too, act as the tutor/teacher too and give the parents a bit of a break!

For the niece, as all the mainland Euro kids have superfast tablets and personal servants and whatnot ;) there's a huge range of language learning apps for tablets/mobiles etc. Duolingo is one I use sometimes, you can learn the basics, animals, foods, and that kinda thing, quite simple interface and a little rocket launches when you reach a new level WOOHOO! You have to use it regularly though or your progress goes backwards, night shift is the only time I've used it so I'm stuck on Level 3 Spanish still :roll:

For the bro-in-law, get him a make-your-own rum kit. See is he as good as the experts :lol:
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Kafkaesque
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Joined: Fri Oct 06, 2017 10:20 am

Dublin_Flyer wrote:
Fri Dec 15, 2017 6:08 am
Kafkaesque wrote:
Wed Dec 13, 2017 5:14 pm

In a similar vein, any ideas for toys for toddlers, which are great for improvement in motor skills?
The little football sized toys with the hollow slots for square/triangle/circle pieces to fit in the slots can be good. One hand has to hold it while the other has to maneuver....manoever....manoeuver....move... the piece into the slot. Can help motor skills and hand/eye co-ordination. As a gift it says nothing about a sickness or development issue, if anything he could be coeliac and wiggling around with the ball might help squeeze the farts out of him! :lol:

Interactive books like my first 100 words etc can be good if the sister can read them too, act as the tutor/teacher too and give the parents a bit of a break!

For the niece, as all the mainland Euro kids have superfast tablets and personal servants and whatnot ;) there's a huge range of language learning apps for tablets/mobiles etc. Duolingo is one I use sometimes, you can learn the basics, animals, foods, and that kinda thing, quite simple interface and a little rocket launches when you reach a new level WOOHOO! You have to use it regularly though or your progress goes backwards, night shift is the only time I've used it so I'm stuck on Level 3 Spanish still :roll:

For the bro-in-law, get him a make-your-own rum kit. See is he as good as the experts :lol:
Wow, great shouts with all of them. Cheers for that :D Will definitely have a look at those!

Along with books on fractions, obviously ;)
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