Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Christmas gifts--elementary age

$150 is the lowest I've seen, so I think you're looking in the right stores. I suspect that DD16 will play with it too - which is a tad unsettling. Maybe I should be glad that she hangs out with quirky bright kids who watch superhero movies and still might play with Barbie...and that she isn't hanging out with the kids who are getting arrested.

For those of you whose children want the Barbie Dream House, I would skip purchasing the over priced and cheap plastic actual Barbie brand dream house and check out any of the wooden doll houses from Costco at half the price.

http://www.costco.com/CatalogSearch...0701&langId=-1&keyword=barbie+doll+house

Kid Kraft is a nice brand. I have many Kid Kraft items and they are all good solid wooden durable quality items.

Plus the houses come with nice furniture.

chris1234, thanks for the reminder about getting sketch pads at the dollar store! DD needs some new pads and like you mentioned, keeping her supplied in paper has been an expensive feat!!

We were very lucky when ds13 was about 7, a neighbor dad who worked at a printer (big printer) had extra rolls of white paper, nice stuff - the nub ends the printer can't use. We got one roll and it has helped supplement the other paper we purchase, plus you can get one really big sheet and roll it out on the table and several kids can work together. Lasted for years.

I did see those wooden houses, I think they do look much more sturdy. thanks!

I agree that those dollhouses look better, but we had the Victorian Playmobile House with lots of furniture as well as my old dollhouse (with some vintage dollhouse furniture). If the Playmobile house or my old dollhouse won't do, I suspect she would reject the nice wooden dollhouse. It doesn't have the bells and whistles of the Barbie Dream House. I have tried substituting items over the years and it didn't turn out too well.

I think we will break down and get it for her. She really wants this to the exclusion of all other things. And DD16 would like it too - she was "teaching" stuffed animals with DD9 last weekend. And DD16 wants the full set of original Scooby-Doo episodes. We have many of them but not all.

Check out Target for the Scooby Doo DVD's. I got two boxed sets there a year or so ago. If they don't have them in the store, they might have them online. Plus they sell them individually (usually for $5 each) so you might be able to just find the ones that you are missing.

I think the combination of experiments and old food my eldest kept under her bed (and didn't tell me about) were likely biohazards. I'll note that about the petri dishes and ask the school to dispose of her science fair exhibit (though I bet they just toss stuff like that in the trash).

I found some places selling the original Scooby-Doo series - there are some boxed sets with all three seasons packaged in a Mystery Machine - I think I'm going with that one!

Yes -- I work at a newspaper, and we have the end rolls available to the public. Check with any place that prints newspapers and you can probably get some!

Awesome! Thanks for the suggestion!

DD got a Calico Critter dollhouse and it's been just the worst thing ever so I've been looking for a replacement dollhouse and I think this one is gorgeous. I want it for myself:

Fancy Nancy Dollhouse

DD doesn't like it and wants a plain wooden one but I thought I'd share just in case one of you has a DD who is/was a bigger Fancy Nancy fan than my DD.

For those of you whose children want the Barbie Dream House, I would skip purchasing the over priced and cheap plastic actual Barbie brand dream house and check out any of the wooden doll houses from Costco at half the price.