Living in a small apartment, I am struggling this Christmas to find the perfect presents for the kids, since their playroom space is already overrun with toys. Last weekend, we packed five bags for donation, and the toy bin are still packed. The kids have their Christmas lists all written out, or should I say cut out, pasted and taped, in Siella’s case, and I am strategizing the best way to play Santa, making their experience magical yet logistically logical. With toy commercials and holiday circulars, its seems that the kids want everything they lay their eyes on. For me, I am all about quality over quantity, and prefer that my kids have a couple of quality toys, that will withstand the rough play over time, rather than 15 little toys, that will fall apart after limited use.
But the other half of me wants the children to wake up to a living room full of magic, bustling with gift wrap boxes. My goal this year is to get year child one big gift, and then layout a few smaller toys around them. They don’t need much, and I really want to focus on the toys at the top of their lists, because these are the things they will continue to use throughout the year, rather than others they will lose interest in, after a few weeks.
This past Saturday, we hit up our local Target with the kids so we could gauge their interests. Ryder quickly made his way into the Star Wars section, while Siella went straight for the dolls, and Gemma, believe it or not, walked over to the bikes. At that moment, I knew my big toy options. These toys will be our center piece of each kid’s group of toys, and the big ones will remain under the tree unwrapped for that “wow” factor.
Next, I took notes on some of the smaller toys they migrated to inside the Target toy section. I gathered a mix of educational toys, and wooden toys, which are one of their favorites. And, for stocking stuffers, I will sneak in some of the necessities like character tooth brushes, chap sticks, slippers, and of course books!
Here are some of the kids picks:
The “WOW” gifts : Kidkraft Soho Townhouse // Razor Junior Scooter // Star Wars R2-D2 Interactive Astromech Droid
The “in the middle” toys: Badger Pink Stroller // Disney Princess Cinderella Baby // Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Legos
The Stocking Stuffers: Bear Book // LeapFrog Learning Toy // Kidkraft Wooden Block Set
So, I took notes, then came home, and ordered everything online. Deliveries in brown boxes are easier to hide from the kids before Christmas. As the kids get older, and the toys get larger, we hide some gifts at our neighbors, who are super friendly and kind. I am so looking forward to Christmas morning and cannot wait to still their reactions.
To kick off the month of December, I am giving away a $200 TARGET gift card to one lucky winner! Happy Holidays!
Thank you Target for sponsoring this post and granting a little holiday magic to one of my readers!
105 thoughts on “The Perfect Present || & $200 Target Giftcard”
I am planning on getting them the Wii U. So much fun. This would really help if we win!
iPad mini is the “wow” gift for my 5 year old!
A play kitchen for my 3 year old daughter.
A kitchen for my princess, and a laptop for my son. Great idea I just placed a target order this am and will be at the store tonight! #addicted
minecraft for my son!
My kids want so many things from Target! I would start with some Barbies foe my girls:)
My son is into all things YouTube/Minecraft related so I’m getting him the screen recorder that he wants.
my daughter will get a doll house and my son will get a nabi jr. i can’t wait to see their faces.
My son is all into pirates, Peter Pan, Captain Hook and Jake and the Neverland Pirates…
We bought my son a wooden car ramp with cars!
My granddaughter is getting a laptop computer to use for school.
That Frozen castle that is on every commercial. Oh Elsa, you’re killing me…
well it won’t be wow to everyone, but among other things, My 8-year old is getting a new pink 2DS and I think that’s the one she is going to be the most excited about 🙂
My son has become quite the cook, and this year I am all about buying him his own utensils and appliances! Would love to buy him some great pots and pans!
I’m planning on getting a large dinosaur lego set for my youngest boy who is into them and a scooter for my 6 year old. As far as the rest of my kids I still haven’t completely figured them out as of yet. 🙂
amazing marbles.. he has been asking for it all year!
American Girl dolls are on the girls lists!!
The WOW gift is Beast for my son. Finding some good sales, too!
My son loves photography so I’m giving him a lense
Vtech bear for my baby I hope he loves it
Play Kitchen . . so she can stay out of the real one 😉
I got my kids an art desk! Comes with an easal and art supplies!
My little girl wants the Chasters doll so bad! So I finally found it and got it for her!
Elsa & Anna Dolls!
This year, my daughter’s biggest gift will be her first Bitty Baby Doll. She saw it and really wants one.
For my 10 year old we are still trying to decide between a desk and a karaoke machine. She wants both and fur the Lithgow guy a bead maze
While we wait on a positive pregnancy test, we tend to spoil our nephew. So this year we got him Thomas the Train everything- a tent, ride on toy, play table, book, DVD, and wooden Thomas train set. He’ll be thrilled:)
AN Xbox One!!!
I am at such a loss this year for that WOW gift for my kids!!!
Well one wants a nintendo ds and the other wants a samsung tablet so we have gotten both already
I got my son an exbox he is just going to go nuts.
Hopefully a Plan Toys doll house for my two year old 🙂
Jack is getting a scooter this year – that’s his big wow gift.
A play kitchen for my kiddos is their wow gift this year 🙂
A doll house.
Baby hasn’t been born yet, but I splirged on a Nuna Pipa car seat for him. Can’t wait for him to get here!
The kids surprisingly haven’t asked for much. Like 1 gift each! They both love Legos and I think that they are a great gift to give and use over the years. And we LOVE Target! Great giveaway!
Windex, its what she asked for 🙂 and a roll of paper towels
Windex, its what she asked for 🙂 and a roll of paper towels.
Thanks for giving this season!
my son some half shell tmnt toys
I think this year we’re getting the Calico Critters Townhouse.
I’m getting my niece the full Frozen bed sheet set.
My son is getting a razor scooter and a minecraft goodie basket
We are getting a trampoline!
We’re gonna get my son a tablet for his “wow” present.
I am buying my son a new video game for the wow factor this year.
My daughter’s “wow” present this year is a cell phone
A Bicycle.
A green dino that does things.
an ipad air
x box 360 for my older kids
I am wowing my daughter with a camera.
My daughter is getting an iPad mini.
i am getting an xbox
She will be getting a laptop.
My daughter is getting a new bed.
I am getting my niece a Vtech InnoTab 3
We are getting our teen a cell phone.
A new television
My grandson is getting Zoomer Dino, which tops his wish list.
A harry potter wand remote controller for my husband
We are getting my son an xbox one
We are getting our grandson a new pair of cowboy boots.
We aren’t actually doing any gifts this year, but focusing on being together as the kids don’t see daddy for 3 weeks each month, he has previously brought them some gifts from his trips and we feel it’s enough.
Family gift of a new TV.
Buying a first bike
An HP Stream 11, his very first laptop, is one of my wow gifts this year.
We are buying a computer for my son.
a cell phone
My daughter turned 40 this year so she is not really a child, but still my child nonetheless…I will send her a gift certificate for a honey baked ham (really more for the son in law) and cash to get something she wants
I got my boys a power wheels!
nintendo 3ds smash bros
Not much of a WOW thing. But the biggest thing I got is a scooter for my almost 3 year old! He turns 3 on the 28th, so that will be his birthday present most likely.
The Chuggington Stack Track, my oldest son has been asking for it for months now. I cannot wait to see his face when he opens it up.
The WOW gifts this year happens to be books. Hard cover books. My kids are over stimulated with electronics and really need to calm down. I just didn’t realize books are so expensive now that e-books are all the rage.
We got our kids a Wii U for Christmas
My kids are all grown and in college. All they want is MONEY!
The train table this year is my WOW gift but I have a feeling the tablet will win.
We got our daughter the cowboy boots she wanted and my son a cool, remote, monster truck.
Wii U
I purchased an Xbox One for my son this year.
My boy really wants a tool work bench
An Anna dress for my daughter and lots and lots of Play-Doh for my son (he’s obsessed)
Anything ELSA is going to make all the girls go CRAZY!
I might buy an iPad.
I’m getting a new cell phone for my niece.
Elsa and Anna Dolls.
i got my daughter her first real purse for the holidays, it’s really cute, too!
I’m getting my grandson a mini ride in car.
A big lego set for my son
We are getting our oldest daughter an Iphone 6. Thankfully it’s time to upgrade so it won’t cost us anything. Thank you!!
My teen wanted a really nice pair of boots!
I’m getting my niece an elephant rocking horse
Our “Wow” gift will be a new laptop for the family!
I am purchasing the Elsa from frozen doll!
My sons WOW gift this year will be the InnoTab Max that he has been asking for.
jweezie43[at]gmail[dot]com
I’m buying a Kindle Fire HDX for my son.
The wow gift is for my grandson…he will be getting Bloxbox for his lego’s.
ipad mini – big time wow
tvollowitz at aol dot com
A camera for her!
My son wants a new game for his Xbox 360.
The one wow thing is a Vtech Innotab Max for my nephew.
Disney Infinity 2.o for one and hopefully ipad mini for the other
they’re getting an elves and angels kitchen! im so excited!
Such a great starter bike for the little ones. balance bike is best give for child.