What to buy for 2 and 4 year old?

[Mandy]

I'm sure you guys will have some awesome ideas here.

DH and I will be having guests from Lanai, Hawaii stay with us next week. They are dear, dear friends of DH, who I've never met. Since DH has seen them last (before we were married and they moved to Hawaii) they've had two kids. A 4 year old girl, and a 2 year old boy. I'd like to make little gift bags for each of them, but have no idea what to include.

I'd like to make them smaller in size gifts, since they'll have to take them back. And since they live on Lanai, I don't think they have real access to big toy stores. They do take the ferry to Maui every few months to go to Costco and stock up, but I don't know what all they buy for their kiddos.

Any thoughts on what's really huge right now for kids of that age? Thanks so much!

[RunnerKim]

I have my 4 and 2 year old nephews visiting/living with me right now. I'm not sure about gifts but I thought I'd recommend having books and videos on hand (go to the library). It's hard to pick out books as gifts b/c you never know what they have -- but if you have some local books about the area for kids that would be excellent! Kids also love t-shirts (of the city you live in or something locally famous perhaps) and those would be easy to pack. If you have a craft project for them you could always mail it back to them. We also had special cups on hand for them while they are here. They are animal heads with lids and they drink out of the "tails." Not spill proof but spill reducing and visiting kids love to use them. I think I found them at wal-mart.

Kim

[BlueMoose]

Videos and books would be great. The lift-a-flap books would be good for the 2 year old. Colors and coloring books, puzzles...all of that would pack pretty easily and would give them something to do at your place. One thing that I just got for my 4 year old...a book with CD and cassete.one of those read-along deals. The CD can be played on the stereo, or if you play it on the computer, the pictures are on the screen. She loves it! I got her an Ariel one and they have others. I got it at Target in the kids music section which is by the children's books.

Good Luck!
Chrisi :)

[islandgirl]

Kids of that age love bubbles, and you can get the ones that are spill-proof--a big asset, in my experience. For outside toys, try to find the Gertie balls. They come flat, but you blow them up with a straw. When they're ready to leave, just squeeze the air out and pack it flat. They come in a bunch of different colors/styles. Last Christmas, I gave my neices and nephew (triplets) each a different one--one glowed in the dark, one was heat sensitive (meaning your hands leave an imprint,) and a football one to the boy. They loved them, and the best part? They were about $7.00 each! There's also coloring books, sidewalk chalk, puzzles, books with flaps, finger puppets, a (plastic) tea set for the little girl, Beanie babies, bath toys (a big hit with little kids--anything that floats and/or squirts and some kiddie bubble bath). KIds that age also love things to put stuff in--maybe you could package all your gifts in something like a sand pail, or some kind of cute container with a handle so they can carry it around. Hope all this helps. Enjoy your visit!

[DmOrtega]

Are these bags to keep them entertained or memorabilia to take back with them?

If memorabilia, maybe pictures of their visit and souveniers from the area. You can always add candy and little stuffed animals.

[LaraW]

Maybe the 4 year old would like a disposable camera to take pictures of her visit. Those are pretty indestructable and they actually take pretty good pictures.

[lhall]

You can actually get the 4 year old a real camera. The ones with batteries are about $20.00, but they have ones that require manual winding for 10.

My DD (age 4) loves card games. She has 3 uno games, that's small, and she can even play her own hand well. Bubbles, stickers, crayons, etc. Maybe a little ball.

I have to say what you are doing is great, but please please pay attention to the age recommentions on the toys. As a parent it's frustrating when some onee (even well meaning) gives my child a toy that they can't play with.
I know by asking the BB you are really trying to do the right thing.

Leigh