NYC/Brooklyn-specific gifts for twin 4yr old girls

May 9, 2012 9:37 AM

What NYC or Brooklyn-specific gift can I get for twin girls age 4-5 who I 've never met but know they have everything, are probably reading beyond their age level, etc. My budget is around $20-30 total. I don't know anything about this age group or whether the parents are pro/against princess/barbie stuff and I'd like to avoid gender-stereotyping gifts anyway. Ideas? Thanks!
posted by Hellebore to shopping (9 answers total)

I think the Eloise books might be nice - they take place in the Plaza hotel.

I'm trying to think of other kids books that take place in NY and I'm drawing a blank, so I went googling:

NYTimes: Reading childrens books that ooze New York
Amazon.com: Interesting books kids about New York
Thediamondinthewindow.com: New York kids literature extravaganza
Mommypoppins.com: best New York City picture books for kids

If you read the books that you choose to send, then you might be inspired to include a few token souvenirs, maybe wrapped separately and included with the book, with a note like "open this on page 27" where they will find a reference to that thing.
posted by CathyG at 9:48 AM on May 9, 2012 [3 favorites]

Gift certficate (if they have them) to the Painted Pot (paint-your-own ceramics) on 7th Ave.
posted by mkultra at 9:50 AM on May 9, 2012 [1 favorite]

A Walk in New York by Salvatore Rubino is a beautiful book that my 5-year old loves.
posted by chickenmagazine at 10:00 AM on May 9, 2012

coloring books:

Welcome to New York City
The Nifty New York Coloring Book
New York for Kids
posted by desjardins at 10:12 AM on May 9, 2012 [1 favorite]

Are these people who live in Brooklyn, or is it that you want to send a gift related to Brooklyn because you live there/visited there?

I think something like this could be nice if the latter, though if it's the former they will likely either already have it or think it's boring.

If they live in Brooklyn, I agree, some kind of local activity would be great. There is A TON of cool stuff for kids to do here. What about a membership to the Brooklyn Children's Museum? Or the Brooklyn Museum? Or the Prospect Park Zoo?
posted by Sara C. at 10:16 AM on May 9, 2012

Next Stop, Grand Central by Maira Kalman is a really fun book.

The NY Transit Museum has some great toys

The MOMA Store has New York in a bag, along with other awesomeness
posted by Mchelly at 10:17 AM on May 9, 2012

Sorry I wasn't clear, they're in the midwest and I'll be passing through, staying in Brooklyn, so I thought I'd buy a gift there.
posted by Hellebore at 10:58 AM on May 9, 2012

My kids have always collected snow globes and playing cards. Both are not too expensive and you can find them pretty much no matter what country, city, town you visit. From a parent's perspective they do not take up a lot of space, contain a million tiny pieces, etc. The only downside is that now you cannot take a snowglobe on carry-on luggage, so it has limited people on some trips.
posted by maxg94 at 11:39 AM on May 9, 2012

The Brooklyn Museum's gift shop has neat stuff for kids. I'm sure the Brooklyn children's museum does, as well. Most Brooklyn Industries locations have a small selection of kids' t-shirts which say Brooklyn on them or have iconic Brooklyn/NYC graphics (bikes, pigeons, water towers, brownstones, etc).

There are also some great boutiques for kids and indie toy stores -- I buy my similar-aged niece stuff from those sorts of places a lot, because while it's not quintessential Brooklyn per se, it's really different from the big box/chain store stuff that is available where she lives.

Try Gumbo in Cobble Hill/Downtown Brooklyn, Pink Olive or The Brooklyn Superhero Supply Company in Park Slope, or Flying Squirrel in Williamsburg.
posted by Sara C. at 11:44 AM on May 9, 2012