10 Gift Ideas for a 6 Year Old Girl

I'm still not sure how my first baby just turned 6! But, one of the most fun privileges of my life is watching her grow through all the stages. This school age season is new to us, but really fun. Six year old Abby seems so much older than first day of Kindergarten five year old Abby! :) We love her so much and celebrated lots last week. Turning six is FUN!

All of our birthday celebrating inspired this post! My trusty six year old sidekick (who both loves giving and receiving gifts) and some of her friends have approved these ideas either when I asked or based on the sound of excited little girls as gifts were opened at the party. Some are gifts that Abby got recently for Christmas or her birthday. Some are things she has on her running wishlist. Some are just her current favorites. I just think the best recommendations come from the 6 year old herself! Hope this helps you as you think through making a sweet little girl smile on her special day!

1. Legos:

Our six year old loves loves loves Legos. This year, her birthday party was even Lego themed. Abby really enjoys taking on the new challenge, following the instructions step by step and creating. Then, she and her sister have lots of fun playing with the sets.  Her top three favorite sets so far are:

1. Heartlake Hair Salon
2. The Dolphin Cruiser
3. Pop Star Dressing Room 

If you are like me and love Legos, but (a) can't keep up with how fast your kids build their new sets and/or (b) don't know what to do with all the accumulated sets (purging the toy overload, anyone?), then you will understand why my life was changed when I learned about the Pley membership. Think Netflix for Legos. You pay a monthly subscription fee and help your kiddos create a list of the sets they want to try. Then, your set arrives in the mail. Your girl (or boy) can take as long as she needs to build. We send it back when we are done building/playing with it and Pley sends us the next set on the list. You guys, it's genius and I'm still wishing I thought of it myself.

 Giving someone a few months of a paid subscription or a giftcard makes for a great gift for kids of ALL ages! I'm sure you have some of the same question I did, like what happens if we lose one of those little pieces, but Pley has a great (and realistic) system set up. So, give it a try! I definitely recommend checking it out for your favorite Lego builder! 

2. Little Cosmetics:
I read about Little Cosmetics on another blog and saved it to my "gift idea" list last year. Abby loves to play with my makeup and pretend to get ready. There may have even been times when I come around a very quiet corner to find this...

When she packed her purse to go out to dinner a few weeks ago and made sure to include a small water color set that she was pretending was a makeup pallet, I knew I had made the right decision.  When she opened her (mess-free pretend) makeup set on birthday morning, her face confirmed it! Abby tells us all the time how she wants to be all grown up and just like mommy, so I wondered if pretend makeup would be slightly disappointing! BUT, when she opened it all up and realized it was pretend, she squealed, "Yay! This is the best. Now, I don't have to ask permission and wait to use it. I can use it whenever I want AND it will never run out."  Here's hoping I will now be able to find my favorite lipgloss when I want to use it.

3. Cute new clothes (and accessories):
Abby loves new outfits as much as she loves my makeup. When she started wearing a size six, we moved into a new department in most stores and depending on the store, I found some of the clothes to be disappointing. Clothes went from being cute to having plunging necklines and snarky preteen slogans. No thanks, not for this six year old! I like to say Abby's style is cutesy, with a side of growing up! :) I love this age because she has preferences and her own style. Her current favorites:

• dresses and tights
• maxi skirts
• all things glitter
• shirts with cute animals on them
• her sparkly crossbody bag
• tall brown boots (so she can dress like mommy) 
• infinity scarves
• tunic style shirts with funky printed leggings

4.  GoldieBlox:

Have you heard of this fun line of construction toys for girls? My girls loved them after playing with them at a friend's house. I love that the company gives girls a space to explore their engineering minds. Check out their mission here. Abby loves this set that she got from friends.

 

5. Small giftcards to experiences:

With a birthday three weeks after Christmas, we are usually still trying to find places for the new Christmas toys by the time Abby's birthday rolls around. Maybe it's because I'm in full blown purge mode or because I believe it really doesn't have to be expensive ($5 makes any kid's day) or because I LOVE the idea of giving the gift of experiences to enjoy at a later date, but I love the idea of small giftcards.

Abby loves the chance to get herself and her doll all dressed to go on a date to Starbucks or frozen yogurt with a purse filled with her own money (or "card") where she can walk up and pay all by herself. She likes to pretend she is a mommy who goes to Starbucks with her kid and buys a coffee (hot chocolate). In the middle of winter, having little outings like this is the best. Other ideas are a ticket to the movies or a session at the indoor trampoline park.

6. American Girl (or 18" doll) clothes, accessories and crafts: 
Abby is loving her new doll, so she is also loving all of the mini things that are made for American Girl (or 18" dolls). I think it's great that so many stores carry 18" doll clothes and accessories. We've found fun things at  Target, Walmart, Joann's, Amazon, Michaels and A.C. Moore. If you find things at the craft stores, you can use the weekly store coupons, which makes the items pretty inexpensive. That's what I did for Abby's birthday present this year. I created a Doll Birthday Celebration themed box. Some things I included were:

This Doll Celebrations book 

Petite Party Settings 

(found on Amazon or craft stores)

 Doll Party Hats 

Mini Party Decorations Craft Kit

I also found a cupcake felt craft set at my Michael's store, but can't find a link. Though I do think this would also be a cute addition to your Birthday Celebration box.  Another idea would be a Doll School box (complete with Doll School book).

Abby loves it and my girls have been playing birthday party ever since! :)

7. Dollie and Me Clothes: 
 If your girl has an 18" doll, she might love a Dollie and Me outfit for her birthday. Abby loves the idea of matching her doll. I've seen these sets at Kohl's (which I'm sure could be great with the right coupon or sale), but for more than half price on Amazon. 

8. Board Games and Card Games:

Family Game Night is a favorite in our house, so we have a long list of favorites. Abby is our UNO girl. She is always up for another round and outlasts all of us. We also love Skip-Bo Junior. Some other favorites are Sorry, Trouble and Monopoly Jr. I also think Pie Face would be a fun game at this age.


9. Books: 
Books ALWAYS make good gifts. There are too many good ideas in this category, but at this point as she learns to read on her own, Abby loves getting new readers. Two of her more recent picks at the library that she loves are Fly Guy Meets Fly Girl, the Katie Woo series and any book filled with jokes.

10. All Things Crafty!
Abby loves to craft and create! So Abby would say any craft set that says "Make Your Own" is a great gift! Bonus: when a set indicates "6 and up". Abby feels like that means it's made for big girls! :)   

Add to the list and share your thoughts or ideas in the comments!

linking up with:

Andrea and Erika for Friday Favorites 

 A. Liz Adventures

September Farm

Friday Favorites

{one} You guys! I love coffee. My husband maintains that what I drink is not coffee, but deliciously sweet and creamy coffee drinks. (Psssh. It is what it is. I'm all about the Iced Caramel Macchiato year round.) I've never had coffee first thing in the morning. I'm more of a middle of the day coffee boost kind of girl. And until now, I rarely made coffee for myself at home. I'm a Starbucks girl, but let's be real when you don't drink "real coffee", $5 coffee drinks add up! Baby #3 has had me wanting coffee daily instead of every now and then. I needed to find a solution fast. Then, Joe got the Ninja Coffee Bar for Christmas. I mean we all saw the commercials with Sofia Vergara telling us how great it is, but really this thing is amazing. Joe turned barista and has been making all kinds of fun drinks! First up, made with love and a bit of sweetened condensed milk for his tired and cold coffee drinking wife: Frozen Cappuccino. It is DELICIOUS. Like so so good that I look forward to enjoying it everyday and haven't wanted to go to Starbucks in weeks! Then, just to make it a little sweeter, another favorite is the new cup Joe got me to enjoy my frozen Cappuccinos in.

So really that's four favorites: the Ninja Coffee Bar, Frozen Cappuccinos, my gold glitter cup and (best of all) my handsome barista!

{two} I reread Zephaniah 3:17 earlier in the week and haven't stopped thinking about it. I've read it in a bunch of translations and each brought new things to light for me. 

For the Lord your God is living among you.

    He is a mighty savior.

He will take delight in you with gladness.

    With his love, he will calm all your fears.[a]

    He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”

To be delighted in, cared for and rejoiced over...that's the kind of love that changes hearts and minds. What a sweet blessing to me as His child. What a real reminder to me as a parent!  

{three} I love birthdays and all the joy and excitement that come with them. It's birthday week in our house, which means lots of preparations, celebrations and a daily lunch box countdown. Ella celebrated her half birthday at school on Tuesday with a class party. Abby turns six on Sunday, so we are getting ready for a birthday party (Legos and friends), a birthday dinner (Tacos and family) and a class celebration.

my almost six year old 

my three and a HALF year old! 

{four} Something old, something new. I shared about an old favorite on the blog yesterday. We tried a new favorite last night: Chicken, Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna. You guys, even my kids ate seconds complete with lots of spinach and mushrooms. It was that good!

{five} I have written our family story for the last six years on a blog I started when Abby was born. I love documenting our life and memories. My in-laws give me one of my favorite gifts ever each year when they compile the posts into hardcover annual volumes! This week, I've been enjoying my latest copies!

What are your favorites this week?

Linking up with:

Momfessionals and www.tabanderika.blogspot.com for Friday Favorites  

 A Liz Adventures for 5 on Friday 

 September Farm for Oh Hey Friday

Nana's Sour Cream Cake

I spent my senior year of college enjoying every last bit of my time at Syracuse University, while planning a wedding. In May 2007, I graduated from college and got married two weeks later. As my days of dining halls and meal plans were running out, my excitement for learning how to cook and trying new recipes grew. I had always loved to cook, but my hours of watching the Food Network suddenly had new meaning. It was about to get real and I wasn't sure where to start. I started my cookbook collection, practiced on my hungry fiance and gathered recipes from family and friends. It was so special to get a cookbook from my Nagymama filled with recipes straight from her kitchen, recipes that mark my entire life. Every time I had dinner at someone's house, I asked for the recipe and ran home to make it myself. But, some of my favorite recipes to collect were the ones that marked Joe's childhood and his memories. With just months to go until our wedding, I got this sweet handwritten recipe in the mail from my future grandmother-in-law and it remains a special recipe in my collection eight years later. 
 

Recipes that tell stories with their history are the best kind! With friends coming over for coffee last month, I pulled out my recipe, whipped up Nana's Sour Cream Cake and added one more memory to this tried and true favorite. 

Nana's Sour Cream Cake

2 cups sifted flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup sugar 
2 eggs, well beaten 
1/2 pint sour cream 
1/4 pound butter 

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda together. Cream sugar and butter. Add eggs and beat well. Add (alternating) sour cream and dry ingredients. 

Topping: 
1/2 cup brown sugar 
1 tbsp cinnamon
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts 

Thoroughly mix all ingredients. Butter tube (or bundt) pan. Put half of the batter in the tube pan. Then, half of the topping. Repeat with the rest of the batter and topping.

Bake for 40 minutes at 350.

Friday Favorites

Five things I'm loving this week:

{one}
I know I'm late to the game, but I joined Goodreads and set a 2016 reading goal. So much fun! Anyone who knows me knows that I don't need help reading more books, but I DO need help documenting all the books I read and this is perfect! Not to mention, the button you press to indicate you've finished the book is very gratifying to this Type A list maker. My goal is a little ambitious this year (50 books), especially because life is pretty unpredictable in this season, but I think it's possible. There is way more hidden time to read in day then we think. 

Don't get me wrong, I love to have fun, but this sweatshirt belongs in my drawer!

Speaking of reading, I love that with some extra time before school this morning, Abby decided to curl up on the couch with a book and read out loud. Then, she sat next to Juliet and read the story to her. She kept looking up from the book with confused look on her face saying, "I know what I'm reading, Mommy, but what is a Zane? What is a Gook? Dr. Seuss books are a little strange." 

{two}

I got our girls these journals for Christmas and they are definitely one of our favorite finds. What a sweet way to help them learn how to make space in their day to reflect, read God's word and apply it to what's going on in their hearts. Ella (3) is a little young, but likes answering the questions when we ask her and coloring pictures about her day.

{three}
This week was sleep deprived and challenging. Some of it was life with an infant. Some of it was nightmares. One night I was up from 2-5:30 with all three kids in rotation. It made for some rough mornings, some bad attitudes and lots of coffee, but in some of my desperate moments, the Lord reminded me of the sweetness of it all. I asked for His help and He made me more aware of the gift it is to spend my days loving these little girls (including loving them in the middle of the night when I'd rather sleep). As I sensed him changing my attitude, I started to notice one of my other "favorites" this week. I started noticing all of the little girl "fingerprints" you find throughout our house at all times. Of course, sometimes it simply translates into a big mess, but how long will my girls be little and building doctor's offices that take up the whole living room? Or leaving piles of Legos on the table for days? Or wanting to bring their babies with them everywhere we go? As much as I want more sleep, I also want this to last forever. Evidence of their little lives all around me is one of my favorites! 

 

{four} 
We are loving this book as a family. Like the Jesus Storybook Bible and Unwrapping the Greatest Gift: A Celebration of Christmas (more faves), the author does a great job of tying the Bible stories our kids know so well to Scripture's overarching message of God's plan to redeem His people. Reading it with our girls has stirred my heart with the Gospel and created some great discussions!

{five} 
Pandora station I've been loving: Anthem Lights  

This weekend, I have to get the details in order and shop for my favorite six year old's birthday party. We're partnering with Pley to throw a Lego themed party this year! How is it only one week until my first baby turns six? :)


Linking up with:

Momfessionals and www.tabanderika.blogspot.com for Friday Favorites  

 September Farm for Oh Hey Friday

 A Liz Adventures for 5 on Friday 

 

Word of the Year: Enjoy

It's 2016! I can't start this new year without reflecting on this past year. Even though I can't really remember how I got through much of the day to day, I can look back and see how God's grace has marked our year with so many amazing memories. Some parts were harder than others. Some parts were filled with so much joy we thought we might explode. Each part a reminder of how good God is.

The year kicked off in a blur, when I learned I was pregnant with our third little girl. We were so excited! My first two pregnancies had been really easy, but the combination of being pregnant with two other little ladies to take care of kept me in a fog for many months.

`
The first trimester, pregnancy hormones and some challenging family situations had me worn out!  The year also brought with it some of the greatest battles with fear and anxiety I've ever experienced. Some days I could barely put one foot in front of the other, but in my weakness God reminded me of His strength. On the days, when life kept happening all around me and I felt like all I could do was take the next step, God met me there and helped me enjoy the sweetness of each moment in meaningful ways.

There was hidden blessing in that season because so much of the unnecessary fell away and the time and energy I did have became more focused. Somehow on the days when all I wanted was to nap, I learned how to love harder, listen more and be more selective.

In 2015, our family celebrated life and answered prayers. We celebrated birthdays (I turned 30!) and breakthroughs. We learned some hard, but life changing lessons that continue to help us experience freedom and joy. We soaked up quality family time on some of our favorite family trips yet.

In September, we welcomed our newest little love, Juliet Grace!

The year of 2015 is the year Jesus reminded me of His faithfulness in new and tangible ways. He brought joy, peace and hope to broken places! This year, I want to soak it all up more than ever!

Which leads me to my word for 2016:

Enjoy and choose life! Enjoy my relationships. Enjoy instead of fearing. Enjoy instead of anticipating the future or grieving what is not. Enjoy instead of planning every minute! Enjoying is a choice, isn't it? No matter what our circumstances. A choice that I will make more and more as I'm experiencing the true joy that comes from my relationship with Jesus. I'm ready! :)

Recently, I read the words of another blogger who shared how she wanted to give her children the gift of her words. I love that and feel the same way. It's why I've consistently blogged our family's story for the last six years. So, my hope for this space is the same as it was at the start of 2013. I want to share my story. I also started this blog to embrace who God is and what He has breathed into my life. So...in addition to my story and what God is teaching me, expect to see lots of recipes, book recommendations, ideas for celebrating life, gift ideas and anything that helps us embrace beauty. 

Cheers to 2016! 

with sparkling grape juice, of course!

 "Let's walk into this new year unafraid, because He's already there waiting for us." -Lisa Jo Baker

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