Gift ideas

My middle DGD is 5 and I have put together a box of things for Easter, for her and her sisters concentrating on going outside now it's spring. A little box of elastic for French skipping with a leaflet with some ideas, also as chocolatelovinggran suggests, a gardening tool kit, or some seeds. I have also included some cute little bunny rabbit hair slides and some Easter themed cookie cutters.

Spending time with them is the most important thing though. I spent a couple of really quiet hours teaching her elder daughter to do cross stitch.

There are also painting by numbers sets for that age group.

It depends what she likes. Our 5-year-old is a right Tigger, so cross stitch or reading a book isn't an option with her. She loves numbers, though, and for Christmas we got her a nice clock to go on her wall to learn to tell the time.

It's a lovely age because they are beginning to learn to play board games and actually follow the rules, they can dress themselves and are quite independent so you can move on to real conversations and doing things together, like making a scrap book. They are also old enough to sit through an age-appropriate film or play, of which there are usually some on offer.

Depending on your budget, she might even be interest in riding lessons, or maybe take her swimming and out to tea.

Obviously it was her elder sister I was cross-stitching with - not daughter!!!!

Have a look at Kinetic sand on line. It hoovers up well when dropped on the carpet. Endless hours of amusement in my house when my grandaughters arrive. Even after a couple of years.

Our grandchildren supply wish lists too.

Does it have to be a toy? I was thinking about some fun PJs or a nightdress.