My grandbaby Matthew will be 3 in a week and I am at a complete loss as to what to get him! I know! I know! Some Grandma! BUT I never see this kid as he lives on Vancouver Island.

Any suggestions? This will have to be mailed so smaller is better.

I have a 5 yo stepson, and if your DGS isn't into anything specific (like pokemon, bob the builder, etc.) get something that makes noise. Christopher loves anything that makes noise, the more annoying the better. This is an especially good idea if you live far enough away that he won't be bringing the noisy item to your house. LOL

Rescue hero's are to on the list. Cheep too. under $10 american. Also Clifford is big with the group too. Video of Blue's Clues and books are always a hit with my kids, although not with all of them. Also modeling clay, made by crayola is fun for them too and good for building hand dtrenth....Hum get some for yourself for recoup from your surgery!!!
Hope some of these ideas help.
-L

Help has arrived since I have a 3 year old of my own! Although a girl, her best bud is a 3 year old boy and I'm savvy to the needs and wants of the kids. Basically, anything truck, car, boat--vehicle related! Matchbox cars are a HUGE hit--you can even get matchbox kits with a selection of cars and a track. Or even a game--Miree's favourite is Hungry Hippos (we have the "generic" version--hungry frogs!)--lots of fun and a great early game for them to play. Happy shopping!

More votes here: truck or car related...... OR. (as someone already said) anything "Clifford" or "Arthur" (videos are great on rainy days!!) or "Elmo"..... we just found a battery-operated ride-on jeep for him.... it WAS kind of expensive, tho..... dh found it on Ebay, and it can be shipped directly to his house! Sam is kind of easy..... he also loves puzzles and books...... the more the better!

Ditto on the Cars, trucks and like! The big metal classic Tonka pick up and friends! HOT DOG!

There is a matchbox carwash for about $20 that my kids LOVED!

Pooh videos...Cowboy Pooh was great fun! OH! there is a series of "There goes a Truck" videos (race car, boat, airplane ect ect) that my guys just went buggy over!

A Thomas the Tank beginner train track set.. .makes a figure 8 and is nice to add on to. It is a bit pricey but sometimes you can find them on special. A lovely keeper of a gift from a grandparent.

If something else pops in my head I'll add it on!

peach

Any book by Richard Scarry. Anything that can be taken apart and put together again and makes noise. Anything with little pieces that can be stuck up his nose and into his ears. Kids love the look on your face when they do something like that. LOL

Ditto on anything with Bob the Builder, Blues Clues and definately Resuce Heroes. RH have the neat figures that talk with certain vehicles. Toys R Us have them fairly reasonable as does Wally World.

My youngest grandsons are 2.5 and soon to be 7. They both enjoy the RH. So, might be good to consider for long term enjoyable gifts they won't forget! lol

In the way of videos, mine enjoy, of course, the same type of known characters. But also dinosaurs, veggie tales (not alot of violence).

Ok, trying to think ~ Oh, now I remember the name anything with Leap Frogs! It's a learning fun "computer" type of learning tool. I believe they have the sets starting for ages 2 and up. I've bought those for birthday/christmas gifts for all the kids including my friend Susie's 2 boys. I believe I spent $39.00 and that included 2 books. It's fairly compact and light weight. Lots of fun for the kids and they're learning at the same time. Gee, can you tell I love Leap Frog ????

I'll try to keep thinking!

A gift certificate to Toys - R - Us or a local toy store, knowing kids today bet he has everything under the sun !!

leenie

Heather is a lot littler than your grandson, Ruth but she loves her bubble gun.. it takes 4 double aa batteries and shoots bubbles automatically when you pull the trigger. Grandma loves it, too.
I also just got her a really neat rocking horse from Walmart, you squeeze his ears and he makes a whinny sound. She absolutely loves that... Not so easy to mail but a gift that your grandson would surely love.

here's something i did for the kids who live far away... i'm willing to do it for peachie's boys, too, but we actually get to see each other...

i bought a couple of those large story books, the ones that take at least a half hour to read, and mostly the disney ones. you could pick anything, but it should be longer than most parents have time to read to a child at bedtime.

and then a small tape recorder and tapes, and something to ring and something to drink.. and read the book onto the tape. you can interject all kinds of comments along the way, and be sure to ring when you turn the page so the child can keep up with you.

ok ok ok. i confess. when i taped most of these, my beverage was generally wine and a clinked the glass when it was time to turn the page...

my niece loved these. and would often go off to read with 'aunt jane' in the middle of the afternoon... of course, there was the time when she and her mother drove here, a 7-8 hour trip, and the only thing the child wanted to listen to was aunt jane, and her mom didn't want me to talk for awhile.

my other niece and nephew had no interest in it. and they can't read even now!!1

Jiff,
What a really nice personal gift.....I wish my Aunt Jane had been so nice to me. my kids love books on tape, and listen to them every night as they go to sleep. Both now read very well. Books have been a huge part of the kids life. When asked what the kids want as gifts i always ask for Banrns and Nobel credit. We spend hours there reading and having hot chocolate. It is what WE do on rainy days. Then they get to call and say thankyou and tell the person who suplyed the card we used what exactly the bought.