I really did do a search for this I swear!! Please don't FAQ-smack me :D

Here's the deal, I have 7 kids I have to buy or craft for. I have just learned to knit, so I'm not up to knitting things, and I feel kind of bad about buying one more plastic piece of crap to throw in their toy piles. Here's the ages I am dealing with:

5 Girls: 6mos, 4yrs, 7yrs, 9yrs, 14yrs (the last is a full on tomboy)

2 Boys: 4yrs, 14yrs (ok I know 14 years isn't preteen. But it seems so young ;)

So far krazykrayons are my only idea, and I figure they are only appropriate for the 4 year olds as the older kids aren't too into scribbling.

I can purchase or I can craft (within reason, 'cause I am starting so late)

I know there have to be some parents here who can think of things that went over well for their own kiddos.

Thanks in advance!!

--Leah

the crayons are a good idea, even for the six-month old I think. My son started coloring around that age. Stickers also, for the kids (I think that would work for the 7 year old too). You could get some neat ones at the dollar store or get some sticker paper for your printer and make some personalized ones for them.

The older girl...I really have no idea on "tomboy" gifts. But here a generic idea, last year I made my brother a magnet board and some marble magnets. He liked it. I just got a picture frame and replaced the glass with a piece of sheet metal I got from Lowe's. My brother was 18 when I did this for him.

Boys are sooo hard to get anything for after they turn 10 I think! Does he collect anything? Maybe make him a messag board and magnets as well?

Lula, I like the message board idea! She's kind of in this "I hate the world" phase, so that makes her (the 14 yr old) even harder to craft for, but hey I could decorate with skulls or somethin'

Yeah teenage boys... He collects baseball cards, but I don't know which ones he has and which he doesn't (all these kids live quite a drive from me so I don't see them that often).

The past couple years I've gotten my nieces and nephews stuff to get their creative juices going. Last yr they got a solar car kit, an astronomy book/activity thing, a rock painting kit (boys), and the girls got a journal with lots of ideas to write in like what they think they will be doing in the future-work, family,etc.-a paper doll kit, and some other coloring thing.

I like to get something that's not complete crap and that can keep them busy on Christmas day, if needed. And it keeps them away from the tv or computer for awhile.

Can you sew, even moderately? If so, you can make dress up stuff for the girls and the younger boys. Capes, knight and princess wear, ballet-type stuff... You can even give them large squares of silky fabric, in lots of different colors, (hemmed on all sides) that they can tie around themselves in lots of creative ways to make their own costumes.

I'm not much of a seamstress, but I think I could pull off hems. Maybe the silky fabric paired with a novelty hat from the party store?

I'm going to pull out my MS Kids magazines and have a look for ya.

+ CDs jump to mind for the older and younger kids alike ... I know my cousins (12, 13, 15 yrs old) love getting music that my sis and I (21 and 23 years old) think is cool. For the younger kids, there's raffi! :)
Now ... from Martha:
+ for younger kids ... she has a pocket scarf. basically it's just a scarf with the end brought up and sewed, so the kid's got a nice little pocket at the end of the scarf to put whatever in
+ suggests using old stuffed animals and filling them with sand to make bookends
+ sock animals
+ a pencil kit (a piece of fabric with loads of pencil-shaped pockets that you can roll up and tie
+ french memo board
+ bath towel poncho
+ you could make beading kids (with wire, beads, instructions)
+ button bracelet
+ a backsack (those "backpacks" that are basically draw-string bags that the cords come down and tie into grommets to form arm holes so you can wear it as a backpack)
+ there's a really cute sporty wallet in here made from craft foam and ribbon
+ jingle bell hair ornaments
+ towel tote (big beach towel, pockets sewn in, with carrying handle)
+ sponge ball ... you cut up sponges into long rod-like pieces and tie them together in the middle with string ... you can soak them in water and throw them around in the summer like snowball in winter
+ there's a bunch of really cute clothes made from bandanas... halter tops, bermuda pants, sundresses, neck ties, baby ponchos
+ a thing called a catch-all... it's made froma picture frame, ribbon, and spools ... it's for a little girl's hair ribbons and earrings and barrets, etc.

Stuff to buy:
+ Personally, I'm big on games. They teach good skills (counting, reading, whatever) and they're a bit more lasting than the commercial toy of the month
+ ornaments to add to their trees
+ kid craft supplies ... crayons, paper, whatever :)

Well I hope there was something useful in all that rambly mess. If you want better detail or instructions, lemme know. Most of that was pretty vague.

Wow Jessers thanks :) Lots of great ideas there. I'll have to pour over the list a few times. I guess I should start picking up MS Kids mags during the year.

I like the CD idea too, but to be honest I am not sure what kind of music they like. I'm 35, so what I think is cool probably isn't ;) I guess I'm paranoid because when I was a teen I remember getting so many music gifts that were SO not me. Something to bring up in therapy I guess! LOL

How close are the 14 year olds to driving permits and driver education classes? If they'll be doing those over the summer (depends on the state, and the parents, I know) key chains, books on driving, car emergency kits may be a hit.
Or you could save the idea for when they get their learner permits--I did it for a cousin, and he was soooo pleased since no one else saw getting a permit as a big deal :D

Depends on the kid, but at 14 I really wanted to be treated as an adult, and any gift that emphasized my "maturity" was great...now I want TOYS! (especially a pogo stick...Mom never let me have one, but she can't stop me now!)

hey jesser,

im curious what is a button bracelet??
thanks!!
:)

outofrange:
Button bracelets are just elastic cord with colorful buttons strung along them. I could give you more detailed directions if you like .. They look very cute! Even for a teenager/twenty-something.

I never would have thought of a driving permit themed gift! What a great idea. They won't be doing that until the next year, but I can save it for next x-mas. THanks

I hear ya about the toys. Inmy case video games :)

for the 14 year olds, are they artsy? maybe get some sculpey clay or shrinky dinks, or some 'fine' art supplies like nice drawing paper, pastels, water colors, etc. you can even get acrylic painting kits that show you some painting skills and let you complete a few paintings.

what sports do the older ones like? maybe get a membership for a batting cage or an indoor race track thing. movie ticket packages are fun too. you could also look at bowling, or some local arcades or amusement parks.

how about a camera? you can probably find a camera kit for under $25 at most stores.

Ooooh batting cage! I have to call my sis and see what kind of things like that are in her town. I haven't lived there so long I'm not sure, but the 14 yr olds might really enjoy that.

Maybe a camera for one of my older nieces. One has one, but the other probably doesn't!

For both of the 14 year olds, how about duct tape wallets? I was/ am a tomboy and still carry a wallet... They are super easy to make and don't cost much! Oh, and make sure you put an ID slot so they can put their permits in. ;)

Why didn't I think of duct tape wallets! Oy. You'd think with how much I read glitter duct tape wallets would have come to me. Thanks!

i'm 16, so i think i could be of some help. i have a friend that i just felt like giving a gift to recently and she's a --captain-of-the-varsity-basketball-team-- tomboy and...get this...

i made her a flannel pillow made out of baby blue fabric with penguins that are holding hands on it and she ABSOLUTELY loved it--she uses it every day.

being my age, i think you should maybe not try to buy her things that would resemble her 'style' at the moment unless she has hinted to you one exact band shirt or pair of shoes or something...i just know that that can go wrong sometimes.

i'm not telling you to make her a hot pink pillow, but that's something cute and homemade and fuzzy and everyone likes pillows anyway.

i think black and white striped or checkered or a black and white polka-dot pillow would be perfect for your daughter or anyone.

now for little kids i have no clue.
and for the boys, i've got nothing.

That's a great idea Emmi, especially since she lost her mom last year, at christmas even :( so maybe she needs something nice to hug. Thanks for your reply!

I agree about trying to buy clothes in her style. I know that when I was that age no one got what my style was and I got some pretty halarious clothes from relatives ;)

-Leah

DRESS-UP clothes are a BIG HIT with little kids, even little boys like to dress up. ((cowboy hats, football helmets, etc.)) And you don't have to sew! Go to thrift stores and buy funny hats and scarves, feather boas, high-heeled shoes, funny old purses, even wigs. find an old suitcase and fill it up with fun stuff. I love FACE PAINT, but beware of party-pooper neat-freak parents! Bath crayons too! anything messy and or that can be thrown or flung is always popular with kids, but not always with the parents. :^)

a boy or tomboy teenager might like disposable cameras, film, blank cd's, art supplies, journals, wallets, money, gift cards from bookstore, candy, message boards, organizers...

how about a photo/memo kit? a disposable camera, a picture frame (find out what their room looks like and decorate for that) and maybe labels/stickers and a little covered notepad to store photos in.

this would work for the older kids and at 9 years old, you could probably get away with a 'momento/diary kit, covered notepad, with labels and maybe stickers saying things like 'like it!' love it, mom, sister brother etc

for little kids, as long as its colourful and they cant swallow it, i find most things go down well, and they'll probably like the gift wrap more than the present anyway.

sorry if my post is a little weird!
molz

this may not be appropriate depending on your location but you could take the 14 year olds ona fun trip in to 'the city'. This doesn't work if you a) already live there or b) there isn't a major city near by, but for my 16th birthday my sister took me home with her to boston, we had dinner at the hard rock cafe and went to look at all the christmas stuff and saw the hustle and bustle of the city. Back then it was a really special event to go out somewhere 'grown up'. Eventually I ended up moving to 'the city' for 6 months becuase I wanted to experience living there just like my big sister had done, it was a great experience and I still look fondly on that time we spent together as I felt like she was finally treating me on her level (I am 8 years younger).

I hope that helps. If not buy the teens gift certs to music stores.

If you live near newbury comics, they can be used for gifts there or turned into cash, which is awesome :-D

jt