Cheap but fun presents?

[Dingdell]

I'm looking to buy an assortment of toys for various ages which will be given to the poorer families in the town by the Salvation Army. My budget is the Sunday game buy in at Luton of £100 - I'm figuring the kids will get more fun from my £100 than I will!

I have no idea what to get. What do kids want? Do they still play games, do colouring in, is a teddy a good present - all kids need a best friend to confide in/something to cuddle surely? Are board games a no no? Is there anything apart from the hamsters that kids really are into this year that is relatively cheap? I'm steering away from computer games because the kids might not have the consoles etc.

I would rather get a fair few smaller presents than a couple of big ones.

Ideas please. Tnx.

[Laxie]

My kids love Jenga, Uno and Yahtzee.  Colouring is a good one too, but be sure to include crayons or markers as they might not have them.  Teddies are kind of a thing of the past except for the really small kids.  The big lego blocks are good.  Soccer balls and anything to do with sport is also good.  Will keep thinking and add more if I come up with them. 

[Claw75]

toucan puppet imo

[Claw75]

board games are good imo Trace and you can get lots of the kids classics with £100. Things like connect 4, Guess Who, Hungry Hippos are mostly under a tenner and are always gonna be winners

[Colchester Kev]

Board games = bad idea.


Poor kid, only child ... finally gets a pressie at Xmas, only to find it's a board game and she or he has no one to play it with.


Art sets are a winner, as are books and hat/scarf sets.

[Dingdell]

Board games = bad idea.


Poor kid, only child ... finally gets a pressie at Xmas, only to find it's a board game and she or he has no one to play it with.


Art sets are a winner, as are books and hat/scarf sets.

yep - i was thinking that as I was an only child so board games were not much fun tbh although I loved them when I had someone to play with. But - they might have a load of kids and no money - arrgh - who said it was better to give than to receive?!

I'll get some footballs for deffo - can play on their own or with mates.

[Claw75]

am I the only parent that plays board games with their only child? We love them here!

[Colchester Kev]

am I the only parent that plays board games with their only child? We love them here!

Lets face it, Kids that are in desperate need of an xmas pressie aren't that likely to have parents that will sit and play board games with them.

[Ginger]

am I the only parent that plays board games with their only child? We love them here!

Lets face it, Kids that are in desperate need of an xmas pressie aren't that likely to have parents that will sit and play board games with them.

Wow, incredible sweeping statement!

Just because a parent can't provide presents, does not mean they aren't likely to play a board game with their kids.

[GreekStein]

am I the only parent that plays board games with their only child? We love them here!

Lets face it, Kids that are in desperate need of an xmas pressie aren't that likely to have parents that will sit and play board games with them.

Wow, incredible sweeping statement!

Just because a parent can't provide presents, does not mean they aren't likely to play a board game with their kids.

Probably less likely than someone who can though.

[Ginger]

am I the only parent that plays board games with their only child? We love them here!

Lets face it, Kids that are in desperate need of an xmas pressie aren't that likely to have parents that will sit and play board games with them.

Wow, incredible sweeping statement!

Just because a parent can't provide presents, does not mean they aren't likely to play a board game with their kids.

Probably less likely than someone who can though.

Why probably?

Not being awkward, I just don't see the reasoning.

A parent finds themselves in hard times, very short of money for whatever reason - how does that equate to them being less likely to play with their child?

[EvilPie]

am I the only parent that plays board games with their only child? We love them here!

Lets face it, Kids that are in desperate need of an xmas pressie aren't that likely to have parents that will sit and play board games with them.

Wow, incredible sweeping statement!

Just because a parent can't provide presents, does not mean they aren't likely to play a board game with their kids.

Probably less likely than someone who can though.

Wow. What a humungous pile of ball bags!!

Whether or not a parent will play a board game with their kid comes down purely to whether they can be arsed. It has nothing to do with wealth.

There's plenty of multai parents out there who just pay a nanny to play with the kids because they can't be bothered.

[Ginger]

am I the only parent that plays board games with their only child? We love them here!

Lets face it, Kids that are in desperate need of an xmas pressie aren't that likely to have parents that will sit and play board games with them.

Wow, incredible sweeping statement!

Just because a parent can't provide presents, does not mean they aren't likely to play a board game with their kids.

Probably less likely than someone who can though.

Wow. What a humungous pile of ball bags!!

Whether or not a parent will play a board game with their kid comes down purely to whether they can be arsed. It has nothing to do with wealth.

There's plenty of multai parents out there who just pay a nanny to play with the kids because they can't be bothered.

Exactly what I was trying to get at, having no money is not a factor in whether a parent will spend time with their child, IMO.

[EvilPie]

am I the only parent that plays board games with their only child? We love them here!

Lets face it, Kids that are in desperate need of an xmas pressie aren't that likely to have parents that will sit and play board games with them.

Wow, incredible sweeping statement!

Just because a parent can't provide presents, does not mean they aren't likely to play a board game with their kids.

Probably less likely than someone who can though.

Why probably?

Not being awkward, I just don't see the reasoning.

A parent finds themselves in hard times, very short of money for whatever reason - how does that equate to them being less likely to play with their child?

He perhaps just thinks that all poor people are crack addicts and to be fair most crack addicts aren't up for a game of monopoly.

[Colchester Kev]

You are assuming that every kid who needs a present on Xmas day has a parent .... is that what you call an "incredible sweeping statement! "  ?