• Dolls’ clothes, sheets, blankets, beds. Knitted clothes are wonderfully flexible.
• Small knitted animals for block play.
• Small wooden animals for block play (e.g. home carved, or explore third world goods shops, specialist Steiner shops).
• Solid wooden trucks etc for carrying and “working” with.
• Interesting shaped blocks for curved bridges and walls (eg cut out of logs and sanded).
• Special shells, stones, crystals, nuts, cones.
• Play cloths of soft cotton dyed in soft rainbow colours.
• Silky materials or soft cotton for dancing /dress ups. Cut a hole in the centre of a square for the head, hem and thread elastic into it. Also put elastic in two opposite corners to loop around the wrist.
• Lengths of coloured silk for dress ups and other play (approx 1.5 metres).
• Play pool for water play.
• Buckets, pieces of hose, plastic tubing, funnels for water play.
• Sand and sleepers for a sand pit. Sieve, old spoons, saucepans for sand play.
• Camping shovel or geologists spade. Adult rake with cut down handle.
• Small wheelbarrow or pull cart.
• Small gardening tools – trowels, forks, hoes.
• Bulbs, seedlings, seeds to plant.
• Adult broom with cut down handle. Dustpan and small banister brush.
• Light weight but real carpentry tools (not toys) – hammer, saw, nails, pliers, screwdriver, screws and wood.
• Proper baking tools – medium sized wooden rolling pin, metal biscuit cutters, ginger bread man cutter, jelly moulds, chocolate/carob moulds.
• Blackboard.
• Good quality crayons and pencils which allow the colour to flow smoothly onto the paper. (Try bees wax crayons (Stockmar) from Steiner school supply shops and artist quality pencils.)
• Good quality watercolour paints (where the colours are pure, not muddy), soft brushes, large cartridge paper, drawing pads etc.
• Craft materials. Small homemade kits of materials can be made up for the child to make simple things with felt, wool, beads, embroidery thread etc. Ready-made kits of many different crafts are available.
• Good quality story books with beautiful illustrations.
• Stilts (for over six years).
• Ropes, long (for group) and short (individual) for skipping, building, pulley systems.
• Wee Willie Winkie candle stick with handle. Candle snuffer. For bed times and special times.
• Special experiences with grandparents – an air flight, boat trip, steam engine ride, zoo or museum visit, puppet show, music concert, local community events.
• Percussion/musical instruments of teaching quality from music stores and third world goods stores (e.g. Oxfam): triangle, drum, xylophone, whistles, indigenous people’s instruments etc. Note: if instruments that are meant to be in tune are not in tune (for example cheap toy instruments) avoid giving them to children.
• Personal stories from grandpa/grandma’s childhood. Preferably happy memories for little ones. They can be written out, or made into a book so they can be told over and over. Even better with illustrations or photos.

Ideas for gifts for older children

• Materials for building with: timber, ropes, rope ladders.
• Good quality camping gear: tents, cooking utensils for gas and open fire, torch, bedding, sleeping bags, rucksack etc.
• Good quality sports equipment and inside games.
• Good quality literature/books. Don’t forget books suitable for reading together regularly in an ongoing way as a family, or just with you.
• Reference books, illustrated books on nature.
• Magnifying glass, microscope, compass, gadgets for exploring the world! (Try the Australian Geographic Shop for ideas.)
• Good quality art material items: paint, paper, brushes, pencils, sketch books, carving sets, craft kits, etc. according to the interests of the child.
• Special cultural experiences: theatre, dance, opera, music, special events, a restaurant meal – especially food from other cultures.
• “Presents from the past”. Family memorabilia or heirlooms (little things!), family tree, copies of old photographs of great-great, great and grandparents. Family history is more appreciated after 11 or 12 years, but 9 and 10 year olds love to hear the stories and see photos of themselves as little children…”What you did when you were one….”
• Board/card games that encourage spending time with family or friends, that encourage imagination, working together, questions and conversation.

View/download pdf  Present