Gifts for firetruck-obsessed preschooler
March 6, 2019 8:39 AM Subscribe
Kid is 4, loves firetrucks, but already has plenty of firetruck toys and related obvious stuff (costumes, the most common books). Do you have less-obvious or exceptionally-great firetruck, firefighter, firehouse, etc gift ideas? Crossovers are permissible - esp with dinosaurs or volcanoes.
Also possible entertainment: Fire In Cardboard City. Content warning: cardboard people meeting cartoonish ends.
posted by XMLicious at 8:52 AM on March 6, 2019
posted by XMLicious at 8:52 AM on March 6, 2019
Has the kid been to a real firehouse? My husband's a volunteer firefighter and (with notice) they can usually give a tour, get into the gear, let you take pictures of the kid behind the wheel, sometimes firetruck rides, that sort of thing. Our firetruck obsessed nephew just GLOWED when we did this with him. At our local station they even have a spot where they can hold birthday parties.
There are some Playmobil sets that are not firetrucks but do have firefighters. There is also a rescue helicopter we have that includes some firefighting-adjecent gear the kid might enjoy.
posted by tchemgrrl at 8:54 AM on March 6, 2019 [3 favorites]
There are some Playmobil sets that are not firetrucks but do have firefighters. There is also a rescue helicopter we have that includes some firefighting-adjecent gear the kid might enjoy.
posted by tchemgrrl at 8:54 AM on March 6, 2019 [3 favorites]
My sister has a small collection of fire truck stuff, a big hit with her was when I found one of the older Fisher Price fire trucks which is just different from the modern day stuff. Also it has a bell. But yes a tour of a real fire house is often a really cool thing. There are also a lot of older "firehouse dog" sorts of books that kid might not have like Clifford or Dear Dragon.
posted by jessamyn at 9:46 AM on March 6, 2019
posted by jessamyn at 9:46 AM on March 6, 2019
Arrange a visit to the firehouse? Or multiple, if there's an especially cool one nearby, or one that has antique firetrucks...
posted by stormyteal at 9:50 AM on March 6, 2019
posted by stormyteal at 9:50 AM on March 6, 2019
My two boys are both volunteer firefighters. The suggestions above to visit the firehouse is exactly what we did with them when they were younger. They got to know a lot of the firefighters. They would then run into them in town and say hello. As they got older and stayed interested, they got to see the demonstrations on how to cut open a car, etc. Eventually, they got asked to march with the firetrucks in the Memorial Day Parade through town.
I suggest books on not just firefighting, but if there are ones about volunteering and helping others, they will begin to open up their eyes to various ways we can all help in a community.
posted by AugustWest at 10:00 AM on March 6, 2019
I suggest books on not just firefighting, but if there are ones about volunteering and helping others, they will begin to open up their eyes to various ways we can all help in a community.
posted by AugustWest at 10:00 AM on March 6, 2019
Oh, just thought of another! Our station has one of these (or very similar--steel, with a working steering wheel and bell) where the kids play during meetings. It is a huge hit, even among children of firefighters that are totally blase about plastic toy firefighting stuff.
posted by tchemgrrl at 10:02 AM on March 6, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by tchemgrrl at 10:02 AM on March 6, 2019 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: (He does love to go see the real thing! This isn't my own kid, so I'm more looking for things I can give him that he can use/play/do/read/watch/etc at home.)
posted by LobsterMitten at 10:09 AM on March 6, 2019
posted by LobsterMitten at 10:09 AM on March 6, 2019
A dalmatian dog toy? Those are fire fighter adjacent.
posted by PistachioRoux at 10:24 AM on March 6, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by PistachioRoux at 10:24 AM on March 6, 2019 [1 favorite]
There's a Pixar planes fire movie. In the summer our kids love a firetruck water shooter.
posted by typecloud at 11:27 AM on March 6, 2019
posted by typecloud at 11:27 AM on March 6, 2019
How about some wall art/wall hanging maybe with him or his name in the art?
posted by ElleElle at 12:25 PM on March 6, 2019
posted by ElleElle at 12:25 PM on March 6, 2019
In our town firefighters are all cross-trained as para-medics. Maybe a doctor's kit so the kid can take care of people injured in the fire?
posted by metahawk at 1:18 PM on March 6, 2019
posted by metahawk at 1:18 PM on March 6, 2019
So my dad is a firefighter and is always looking for new ways to drive the FIREFIGHTING IS COOL message home to my kids:
4 is a great time for truck puzzles! Michelle and Doug do a bunch of really good truck puzzles in a variety of different skill levels. Apparently they do a firetruck shaped playhouse I'm really glad my Dad doesn't know about, too.
We have some melamine truck plates and cups that feature fire vehicles prominently that I think are from Daiso.
Drop an email to your local firefighter's union and ask about their fundraisers. Both my kids have quilts we got from the fundraiser with the patches of my dad's division sewn into the corners. They'll often have other tat too - we've got some FU tshirts and a baseball cap from them that are very official looking and my son loves.
They also often do school education kits, so if you're lucky you might be able to cage some pencils, colouring books, rules, balloons and too many stickers from them too.
And yeah, totally go see if you can get a tour. Fireys are almost uniformly grown up firetruck nuts themselves and love having the chance to show off their Super Big Truck to the most appreciative of audiences.
posted by Jilder at 3:07 PM on March 6, 2019
4 is a great time for truck puzzles! Michelle and Doug do a bunch of really good truck puzzles in a variety of different skill levels. Apparently they do a firetruck shaped playhouse I'm really glad my Dad doesn't know about, too.
We have some melamine truck plates and cups that feature fire vehicles prominently that I think are from Daiso.
Drop an email to your local firefighter's union and ask about their fundraisers. Both my kids have quilts we got from the fundraiser with the patches of my dad's division sewn into the corners. They'll often have other tat too - we've got some FU tshirts and a baseball cap from them that are very official looking and my son loves.
They also often do school education kits, so if you're lucky you might be able to cage some pencils, colouring books, rules, balloons and too many stickers from them too.
And yeah, totally go see if you can get a tour. Fireys are almost uniformly grown up firetruck nuts themselves and love having the chance to show off their Super Big Truck to the most appreciative of audiences.
posted by Jilder at 3:07 PM on March 6, 2019
How about a trip to a fire museum? Here is a link to a directory: http://www.firemuseumnetwork.org/directory/dir.html
posted by leaper at 10:56 AM on March 7, 2019
posted by leaper at 10:56 AM on March 7, 2019
Many kids love career dress-up.
A fireman costume/outfit with a hat and coat and boots and the whole nine fireperson yards?
posted by mcbeth at 3:27 PM on March 8, 2019
A fireman costume/outfit with a hat and coat and boots and the whole nine fireperson yards?
posted by mcbeth at 3:27 PM on March 8, 2019
Get the kid a subscription to Fire Apparatus Journal ( https://www.fireapparatusjournal.com/ ) and then every two months they'll get a glossy magazine full of firetruck photos.
My parents got my brother a subscription when he was that age, and I'm pretty sure he still has it even though he's a grown adult now....
posted by RonButNotStupid at 7:27 AM on March 9, 2019
My parents got my brother a subscription when he was that age, and I'm pretty sure he still has it even though he's a grown adult now....
posted by RonButNotStupid at 7:27 AM on March 9, 2019
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posted by melodykramer at 8:45 AM on March 6, 2019 [3 favorites]