Gift idea for a 6-year-old girl about which I know nothing
December 3, 2019 6:35 PM Subscribe
I am involved with a small group that is buying holiday gifts for a small family: a woman and 6-year-old girl. That is all the information we are given about the recipients – no sizes, interests or wish list. We will do most or all of our shopping at Target. What do 6-year-old girls like these days? Anything special? What books or types of books are good? Crafts?
Unicorn onesie! if she's 6 I'd get her the size small, the sizing is very forgiving even if she's not average size.
posted by fingersandtoes at 7:00 PM on December 3, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by fingersandtoes at 7:00 PM on December 3, 2019 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Rock painting kit.
(Since you don’t know anything about her, I’d avoid anything that reads as heavily gendered. And some parents of kids this age, like my daughter, really, really hate Disney.)
posted by FencingGal at 7:06 PM on December 3, 2019 [11 favorites]
(Since you don’t know anything about her, I’d avoid anything that reads as heavily gendered. And some parents of kids this age, like my daughter, really, really hate Disney.)
posted by FencingGal at 7:06 PM on December 3, 2019 [11 favorites]
Art supplies - sparkly washable markers (or dot markers), cool washable paint, scratch art...
posted by rdn at 7:07 PM on December 3, 2019 [12 favorites]
posted by rdn at 7:07 PM on December 3, 2019 [12 favorites]
Best answer: Seconding art supplies - and don’t forget plenty of paper! It’s no fun for a kid to feel like they have to ration paper.
posted by Kriesa at 7:16 PM on December 3, 2019 [13 favorites]
posted by Kriesa at 7:16 PM on December 3, 2019 [13 favorites]
Anything with reversible sequins on it or anything squishy. These seem to be the big current kid trends!
posted by capricorn at 7:44 PM on December 3, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by capricorn at 7:44 PM on December 3, 2019 [1 favorite]
Target has a lot of "retro" toys for the holidays, including Light Bright- which might be novel and fun for a six year old. One thing I know is big for kids is the 5 Surprise balls- they have 5 of something in each sphere- the most popular are the Mini-brands- but they are sold out. LOL dolls are also big, as are Shopkins toys.
posted by momochan at 8:43 PM on December 3, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by momochan at 8:43 PM on December 3, 2019 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Seconding the advice to avoid heavily gendered toys. I am no longer six years old but as a six year old girl I cringed at most girly toys and so did many of my girl friends at school.
I would get a mix of gifts that appeal to different interests. Really good quality colored pencils in a nice packaging (18 colors or more) - they should not just look nice but draw nice, especially the red one. Drawing paper. Learn to juggle set.
Shrinky Dinks (the set with a book of patterns).
Water painting books (I forgot the name of our favorite brand but I'll link later).
As far as books, the kids in my family absolutely loved David Wiesner's wordless books. They are stories told entirely in full page pictures and are super fun and magical and can be enjoyed at many age levels (from about 4-5 to adults) We first got Tuesday (the one with flying frogs) but our favorite is Flotsam (magical sea creatures) and June 19,1999 (alien ships and giant floating vegetables).
Thinking back to drawing paper, I love black drawing paper and white colored pencils (and maybe silver and gold colored pencils). The black background makes even simple pictures look interesting!
posted by M. at 9:57 PM on December 3, 2019 [9 favorites]
I would get a mix of gifts that appeal to different interests. Really good quality colored pencils in a nice packaging (18 colors or more) - they should not just look nice but draw nice, especially the red one. Drawing paper. Learn to juggle set.
Shrinky Dinks (the set with a book of patterns).
Water painting books (I forgot the name of our favorite brand but I'll link later).
As far as books, the kids in my family absolutely loved David Wiesner's wordless books. They are stories told entirely in full page pictures and are super fun and magical and can be enjoyed at many age levels (from about 4-5 to adults) We first got Tuesday (the one with flying frogs) but our favorite is Flotsam (magical sea creatures) and June 19,1999 (alien ships and giant floating vegetables).
Thinking back to drawing paper, I love black drawing paper and white colored pencils (and maybe silver and gold colored pencils). The black background makes even simple pictures look interesting!
posted by M. at 9:57 PM on December 3, 2019 [9 favorites]
Legos! Wildly popular with six year olds of all stripes.
posted by amaire at 10:30 PM on December 3, 2019 [6 favorites]
posted by amaire at 10:30 PM on December 3, 2019 [6 favorites]
I think that was the age I was into sticker books about nature: rocks, seashells, etc. I didn't have access to any of the rocks or seashells in the books, but I still remember the books and some of the different types of items, especially the beautiful seashells.
posted by amtho at 11:14 PM on December 3, 2019
posted by amtho at 11:14 PM on December 3, 2019
The reverse sequins thing is cool - my son (5) has a pencil case. It’s very sensory, weirdly soothing to just sit and brush them back and forth.
Other things my son has liked: Hatchimals, little live pets dragon surprise egg (really good buy, very cute!), iwako erasers (food ones get used for picnics with toys). I think he’d probably also like walkie-talkies, pop beads, stick on earrings or nail stickers, peel off nail polish. (I mean... he also has a rainbow striped swishy skirt that is sometimes a skirt and sometimes a lion mane. A lot of things have broad appeal so long as they're not super PINK GLITTER or whatever.)
posted by jrobin276 at 12:28 AM on December 4, 2019 [4 favorites]
Other things my son has liked: Hatchimals, little live pets dragon surprise egg (really good buy, very cute!), iwako erasers (food ones get used for picnics with toys). I think he’d probably also like walkie-talkies, pop beads, stick on earrings or nail stickers, peel off nail polish. (I mean... he also has a rainbow striped swishy skirt that is sometimes a skirt and sometimes a lion mane. A lot of things have broad appeal so long as they're not super PINK GLITTER or whatever.)
posted by jrobin276 at 12:28 AM on December 4, 2019 [4 favorites]
In here to third art supplies. When I was six, my godmother gave me a set of high quality colors, from Caran d'Ache. There was different types, water colors, pencils, crayons and markers and I loved it so much I still have the box from the water colors as one of my personal treasures. 50 years later. The point was the quality, even as a six-year old I could really tell the difference.
posted by mumimor at 12:46 AM on December 4, 2019 [6 favorites]
posted by mumimor at 12:46 AM on December 4, 2019 [6 favorites]
Best answer: Oh, we just finished shopping for our own six-year-old girl. On her (edited for public consumption) wish list:
posted by asnowballschance at 2:57 AM on December 4, 2019
- legos
- art supplies (at this age, quantity may trump quality, but YMMV, and washable is always best)
- a train set
- a remote control car
- make-your-own jewelry kit
- more legos
- a flashlight of her own
- a watch of her own
- stickers
- a diary
- coloring books
- yet more legos
posted by asnowballschance at 2:57 AM on December 4, 2019
If you have unlimited choices, please choose things that don't require frazzled parent participation (aka science kits, cookbooks).
Legos, books and more books, cool water bottle / lunchbox, art supplies, hatchimals, flashlight, extra-cute room decor, pencil cases, backpack or duffel bag, throw pillows, fluffy hats and gloves, jump rope, animal socks, bath bombs, clock/watch, any of that is REALLY good.
posted by nkknkk at 5:08 AM on December 4, 2019 [6 favorites]
Legos, books and more books, cool water bottle / lunchbox, art supplies, hatchimals, flashlight, extra-cute room decor, pencil cases, backpack or duffel bag, throw pillows, fluffy hats and gloves, jump rope, animal socks, bath bombs, clock/watch, any of that is REALLY good.
posted by nkknkk at 5:08 AM on December 4, 2019 [6 favorites]
Our recent go-to gift for art supplies has been these oil crayons from Korea. That plus a few Melissa and Doug sketchbooks and everyone is really happy.
I also understand a lot of kids really like lolcats. I'm not entirely sure what they are, but it's all the rage.
Since you asked for books, there is a Ramona the Pest boxset that could be fun for that age. There is also a read-aloud Little House on the Prairie that is beautiful and will be kept for a long time.
posted by luckdragon at 6:18 AM on December 4, 2019
I also understand a lot of kids really like lolcats. I'm not entirely sure what they are, but it's all the rage.
Since you asked for books, there is a Ramona the Pest boxset that could be fun for that age. There is also a read-aloud Little House on the Prairie that is beautiful and will be kept for a long time.
posted by luckdragon at 6:18 AM on December 4, 2019
If you want to stay away from sparkly "girl" coded art supplies, try neon colours. I have yet to meet a kid who didn't like neon coloured pens, paper, craft stuff etc.
Neon is awesome.
posted by Omnomnom at 6:58 AM on December 4, 2019
Neon is awesome.
posted by Omnomnom at 6:58 AM on December 4, 2019
A small-ish set of Magformers would be a good gift - they're durable, long lasting, appeal to a variety of age/gender configurations, and stack up to store in a very small space.
posted by telepanda at 8:40 AM on December 4, 2019
posted by telepanda at 8:40 AM on December 4, 2019
Nthing art/craft stuff. I would go for any of the book/kits in the "Klutz Jr." series, as they're generally self-contained in terms of supplies (which means that you usually have enough to make ONE of some thing, and then the supplies are used up) and easy to do.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:27 PM on December 4, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:27 PM on December 4, 2019 [1 favorite]
Best answer: On one of the other gift threads, someone suggested a movie ticket package (including popcorn). I thought that was a pretty great idea, as going to a first run movie is splurge-y, and 6 year olds are pretty aware of what the latest movies are.
posted by Kriesa at 4:38 PM on December 4, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Kriesa at 4:38 PM on December 4, 2019 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: These are all very helpful! Thank you. We will go shopping Sunday morning.
posted by NotLost at 10:44 PM on December 4, 2019
posted by NotLost at 10:44 PM on December 4, 2019
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posted by saturdaymornings at 6:52 PM on December 3, 2019 [2 favorites]