The Smith Family Wishlist Note: This year there is a shortage of gifts for children between the ages of 6 and 12 years. Gifts such as board games and activity-based toys are always well received. Don’t forget that your gift should be ready to play with as soon as it’s opened on Christmas morning. When you’re deciding what to buy, remember to include batteries if needed, and colouring pencils for colouring-in books.
Children 0–2 years
• Push and walk toys • Building blocks • Push and pull toys • Pretend play toys, e.g. toy keys, phone, kitchen sets • Large balls • Soft material bath books • Counting books • Alphabet books • Board books • Musical toys, e.g. toy keyboard, guitar, maracas • Tangible ‘feeling’ toys • Sensory toys with mirrors, sounds or textures
Children 2–3 years
• Toy trucks, tractors and cars • Pretend play sets, e.g. tea party set, plastic golf sets • Building and construction blocks • Dolls, e.g. Barbie, La Newborn • Duplo (larger blocks) • Sand toys, e.g. bucket and spade • Water toys • Picture story books, e.g. Possum Magic • Educational books, e.g. alphabet, numbers or colours • Lift the flap books • Golden Books • Matching games, e.g. cards • Simple puzzles
Children 4–5 years
• Magnetic toys • Transformer toys • Dolls or figurines • Matchbox cars • Barbie dolls or My Little Pony sets • Throw and catch, e.g. grip ball • Skipping rope • Pool toys, e.g. inflatable toys • Repetitive books, e.g. Dr Seuss Cat in The Hat • Books with an educational focus, e.g. Titch • Fairy-tale books, e.g. Goldilocks and the three bears • Activity and colouring books • Imaginative play – dress ups, puppets • Fine motor skill games, e.g. Operation, Barrel of Monkeys • Creative activities, e.g. Playdough, colouring activities • Easy jigsaw puzzles • Board games, e.g. Snakes and Ladders, Guess Who
Children 6–8 years
• Creative sets, e.g. Paint set, textas, crayons, chalk • Active games, e.g. bowling set, catch ball set • Imaginative play, e.g. action figurines, Monster High, Shopkins, Duplo • Outdoor toys, e.g. kite, frisbee, yoyo • Lego • Remote control cars • Picture story books, e.g. The Day the Crayons Quit • Small chapter books, e.g. Aussie Nibble • Educational Picture Story Books • Board Games, e.g. Connect Four, Pop N Hop, Mouse Trap, Hungry Hippo, Jenga • Art, craft and bead sets • Jigsaw puzzles
Children 9–10 years
• Sports toys, e.g. netball, basketball, football • Board games, e.g. Cluedo, Trivial Pursuit, Monopoly, Family Feud • Beach sporting goods • Remote control car • Chapter books, e.g. Aussie Bites, 75th Story Treehouse, Rainbow Magic • Educational picture story books, e.g. Just another Ordinary Day, Count on Frank • Children’s novels • Board games, e.g. Chess, Checkers, Guess Who? • Art and craft sets • Interactive board games, e.g. Twister, Pictionary • Meccano sets • Lego
Children 10–12 years
• Sports toys e.g. netball, basketball • Beach sporting goods • Stationery, e.g. diaries, notebooks, glitter pens • Interactive board games e.g. Twister, Pictionary • Board games, e.g. Cluedo, Trivial Pursuit, Monopoly, Family Feud • Meccano kits • Chapter books, e.g. Books by Judy Moody • Short novels • Board games, e.g. Game of Life, Scattergories, Scrabble • Science kits • 500–1000-piece jigsaw puzzles
The naughty list:
• No clothing, including shoes, costumes and PJs • No food products • No game controllers or computer games or CDs • No toys that look like weapons • No fragile or breakable items like glass or porcelain • No candles and lamps • No items containing liquid • No calendars • No beauty products, toiletries, make-up • No products that require flammable liquid or gas • No items of a religious nature • No second hand items or damaged goods • No branded items/marketing • Nothing that requires batteries, unless you also provide the batteries • No sheets and towels • No large items e.g. bikes, hula hoops (try and keep presents to backpack-size or smaller)