The Top Ten Christmas Gift Ideas for Little Girls
Little girls are so much fun to buy for! At Christmas, my mind is always overflowing with ideas for gifts to get my daughter. While I think that most toys are great, I do like to buy things that are well made and age appropriate. I also like toys that encourage her to use her imagination and that will also allow her to be active. So I have complied a list of the top ten best gifts for little girls and where to find them. Since I am a confirmed online shopper, I like to do my shopping online, but most of these things can also be found in your local stores, as well. So I have included both online and offline resources to make shopping for Christmas gifts for little girls easier.
1. Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus. Barbie continues to be a universal favorite of little girls, and the good thing about Barbie is that she is fashionable without being too grown up like some other similar dolls. I much prefer Barbie for my daughter to Bratz dolls. Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus is the top selling Barbie this year. You can purchase Barbie and Pegasus at local retailers, or from amazon.com, which offers Barbie for less than you will find her in stores. There are also other dolls within the Pegasus storyline that you can buy.
2. Dress-up trunk and shoes. I don’t know any little girls that don’t like to play dress-up! One place that you can find a variety of dress-up trunks, shoes, jewelry, wigs, etc. is lillianvernon.com. They have several dress-up trunks to choose from, including Disney and rock star outfits. They offer some additional sets that include six pairs of dress-up shoes guaranteed to delight any little girl, a pink quilted case with tons of costume jewelry, and even wigs to change their look. The various trunks and accessories are reasonably priced.
3. Her very own kitchen! Every little girl likes to have her own kitchen to play let’s pretend. The good news is that there are so many to choose from! Some of the most popular kitchens this year include Dora the Explorer Talking kitchen, Disney Princess Magical Talking kitchen, and the Cookin’ Fun Interactive kitchen. They are all available from amazon.com, and local retailers like Wal-mart and Target. They are relatively easy to assemble and come with accessories. Parents can also purchase play food and additional dish sets to make their daughter’s kitchen complete for hours of enjoyment.
4. Craft kits. Little girls love to make things, and there are plenty of craft kits to choose from. Go online to klutz.com, or mindware.com and find one that is perfect for your little girl’s interests. They have beading kits to make jewelry, kits to make fun animals from pipe cleaners, twinkly tiaras, and more. Craft kits enhance creativity and teach great eye-hand coordination. Not to mention that she gets to proudly display the results of her efforts. Craft kits are available for every age, from simple to more complicated.
5. Books, books books! Maybe it is because my mother is a teacher, but I always get my children books for Christmas. Books are definitely not boring, and reading to your child is a great way to have time together and build their reading and comprehension skills. Just visit any local bookstore and you will find a dizzying array of books that any little girl will love. Some of my favorites are Laura Numeroff’s “If You Give A Pig A Party” and David Shannon’s, “Alice The Fairy.” A good site for some wonderful books is barefootbooks.com. They have great books celebrating diversity of all kinds and also beautiful books on subjects like ballerinas and princesses. They are definitely worth a look.
6. My Little Pony. These little horses have everything. The celebration castle is a pink and purple horse dream house, and there is also a celebration salon for making the ponies look their best and a cotton candy cafe for them to eat and congregate. My daughter loves to comb their manes and tails and dress them in their little outfits. The castle and other playsets are available both online at amazon.com and from local retailers. For many little girls, you can never have too many ponies.
7. My daughter loves her brother’s Playmobil toys. For smaller children, the little pieces can be a bother, but for the children who are 5 or 6, they are great toys. Playmobil toys tend to be more expensive than some comparable toys, but in my opinion, they are worth it. Playmobil has some great girl playsets, including a cute house and a fairyland. There are bigger sets and smaller sets, so parents can buy within their budget. Playmobil toys are available at Target and amazon.com.
8. My daughter loves to draw, and there are so many toys that are designed to bring out their creativity. The Aquadoodle is a fun toy that uses water to draw. The DoodlePro comes with stencils and markers to make many different pictures. Both are available everywhere. For those parents who don’t mind things a little messy, an easel with a roll of paper and paint cups that don’t spill when tipped are available from constplay.com.
9. Play tents that fold away for quick and easy storage. At cftoys.com, they have a huge variety of fold up play tents, tunnels, inflatable ball pits, and tons of other things for active play. The best thing about them is that they take up no space once you learn how to fold them. They range in price from the really reasonable to the quite expensive, so most parents can find a play tent that suits their pocketbook. They are durable and can be used indoors and outdoors, depending on your needs.
10. What little girl doesn’t need a Christmas dress? I buy one every year, and the more fancy, the better. However, I don’t always like the price tag! Some great places to look online include storybookheirlooms.com and butterflyfx.com. Offline retailers that have great seasonal dresses include Meier & Frank, Dillard’s, and Mervyn’s. Finding a dress that will make your little girl feel like the princess that she is should be easy.
For busy parents, it is always nice to be able to give Santa a helping hand when it comes to finding things their little girl will enjoy. Hopefully, this list will give you some great ideas about what to put under your Christmas tree this year.
