Should I Just Get Two of Everything? Christmas Gifts for Boys 6&4 - Detroit,MI

My oldest boys are 2 1/2 years apart and they do play a lot together. I will by a few things 2 of each but different styles. They both like the Tech Deck set so I bought them each a set but with different designs. Or sometimes the same thing but different so they can put the sets together to make one big set. Then I will buy them completely different things they can play with separately. this way they can play together or by themselves.
I hope that all made sense. It works for us.

My husband and his brother are only 14 months apart. The entire time growing up they were given the same gifts. He hated it.

siblings are always going to fight lol! if you get two of everything you cut down on the "his toy is better:" fight but you get ther "no that one is mine!" fight instead

I would get things they can play with together, like board games, big puzzles, art supplies, legos, blocks, etc.

Here are a couple of great toys that they can share:

Qubits: http://www.discoverytoyslink.com/esuite/control/product?P...

Zip Track: http://www.discoverytoyslink.com/esuite/control/product?P...
Zip Track Extra Cars: http://www.discoverytoyslink.com/esuite/control/product?P...

Marbleworks: http://www.discoverytoyslink.com/esuite/control/product?P...

Check out those and more at http://www.discoverytoyslink.com/karenchao - they are all fun, educational, and they come with a lifetime warranty. You can't go wrong with Discovery Toys! Order by 12/13 for guaranteed delivery in time for xmas.

K.

Sams has some awesome hotwheel sets CHEAP if you decide to get them that.
There is an awesome 2' tall Little People garage/ramp that would let 2 play, but I am not sure if they are too old for that or not.
I know a M. of twins who fought. She decided one gets pink, one gets purple. Then when they started K, she explained if they could share, they would get twice as many gifts. They learned to share fast and she didn't waste money.

In our house, Santa brings 2 nice gifts - different. My boys are 4 and 5, and one likes cars and the other likes trains. We still do Thomas, so the little one gets that this year, and the big one gets lego city stuff...

For boys aged 6 and 4, I'd look at similar gifts - two different lego sets, a digger and a dump truck (so they can play together), etc. My boys like hotwheels too - do you have a floor mat for them to drive on? That's a good "shared" gift. Or maybe some roads (Plan City makes nice ones), or a parking garage for matchbox sized cars?

J.

Life isn't always going to treat them the same. Ask the boys for their lists and get them some separate things. My observations of what others do show me that when you treat kids the same, it increases issues of rivalry and jealousy. It's okay to buy them both hot wheel tracks and legos, but not the exact same ones. I'm a big believer in individuality for siblings. When one asks why they didn't get something, point out what they did get - all things he likes, and the same number of gifts as his brother. It is not too early to for them to learn that they need to be thankful for whatever they receive! If you do Santa, you can say that santa picked these things out just for you.

My boys are 7 and 5....and yes, most things I get 2 of but in different colors...I do make sure to get them individual stuff too though.

Some things my boys like are:
~All things "Army"! That means tanks, planes, army soldiers, weapons, castles, you name it :)
~They also like board/card games, like chess and poker...these can keep them occupied for a good long while, there's just something fun about knights and poker chips :)
~Leggos!
~Anything sports related!
~Computer Games!

Happy Shopping!

My boys are 5 and 6, so I know how you feel. This year we moved away from the hot wheels and tracks (they have a ton), and have been getting the boys interested in more imaginative toys. This year they are getting legos and puzzles and craft supplies. Some of the stuff we list as for both of them, the other stuff we split, knowing they will have to share, but they are used to that by now! If it is a toy (like a cool truck) that I know they would both love and fight over, than yes, I get 2 just to keep the peace.

Oh Honey you can't just stop buying Hot Wheels as they get older they will still like them I have a 7 yr old son he loves them I fill his stocking up,Easter,Valentines,& the would you like a new car while we are at the store.Now he has 2 sisters they like Hot Wheel also.Yes I have alot but there is so much fun in them the excitment of racing them when they decide which one to get we have 0 repeats.
So yes if you want to buy 2 of the same go for it.Hot Wheels has some really cool tracks that the 4 yr old will like & not to complicated to put together or play with.
BTW Hot Wheels is the most inexpensive gift there is that lasts will not break unless run over by a car :)
Updated:
Just wanted to add this my sis has 3 boys ages 5 & 3 twins she has mentioned to me that she HATES them receiving the same toys it teaches them no value to share they all like the same thing but buying & giving them the same one is boring to me.

Imaginext toys are AWESOME! They are very sturdy (very solid thick plastic) and most of their stuff uses minimal battery life. AND, as the name says, they encourage imagination play. My son has the batman cave, the pirate ship and tons of the other smaller stuff. Most of the bigger stuff runs about $50, but the smaller stuff (batmobile/submarines/etc) run about $20 or so. You could always get them one of the bigger sets as a "combo" gift and then buy them the smaller stuff, each one getting their own thing individually. My son has been playing with his imaginext stuff since he was three and he's five now and its still like brand new (that's how durable it is--and he is REALLY rough on toys). This Christmas, we bought him the Imaginext Space Shuttle (it was on sale for about $35 at Toys R Us)....It has about 10 different combinations of lights and sounds and its pretty large (you know how boys can be about the bigger playsets) and will surely keep his little mind busy for hours. Just go to Toys R Us and check out what they have.....I'm sure you'll find something that they'll both love!

There is the new hotwheels stealth.... Its a rc remote control it actually folds down and pops up for play and has a remote in the case. Check that out thats something you could do two of. Also maybe get the 6 year old dsi and the younger one something different. I would not do the same in all. Theres legos out there they can build together or knex. Licoln logs. if you go to Lowes theres a tool box with tools and a whole bunch of different things they can work together with assistance on building and put to gether like maybe one could sand one piece while th eother paints it than they can glue and screw them together. Or you can by educational books activity things to work with them on. good luck

I have two girls and depending on the item I will usually get only 1 of each thing. If it is some sort of stuffed animal or barbie I will get two so they can play together. If it's something they can easily share like a baseball bat or video game system I get just one.

To avoid the whole "why did she get this and I didn't?" Conversation I just don't wrap anything and put it all under the tree with no names on it. Actually Santa does that ;o)

My girls will usually ask for one big item each and they usually get it but it's normally something different from the other. This year however they both asked for a DS. Normally only one would be purchased but I decided to be nice this year!

I would get them identical items for some things (like Leapster which covers both ages and above) and some that are different. Example: you could get them some legos but get different sizes based on their age. You could also get them a joint large gift (train set).

I'd try to get things they can play together, like 2 similar but different transformers or action figures, as well as something unique to each one. You could get a race track or something as a joint gift too.

To be perfectly honest yes!!! You can still buy them something individual if you know one prefers trucks and the other trains...I have three and the oldest a girl and her brother next. They are 5 and 3. Regardless of gender I find that I just need buy some identical things for both or there is a problem. While we will give some different gifts based on gender..the rest will be identical especially the vtech travel system...otherwise they will be fighting over it. I remember when we got some crayola kits and each got a different one...It didn't matter the sister wanted what the brother had and vice versa. I hate the fighting..! LOL!

My kids are very young (2.5 and 12 months) so I don't have experience with the whole fighting over toys thing yet. But just yesterday my cousin was telling me that she bought 2 of everything for Christmas...for her sanity!! Her kids are just under 2 years apart.

My two boys are close in age. To keep the fighting down we just buy most of the toys in sets of two. The only toys we don't buy in twos is all the learning toys. My younger boy is to young to understand how to play with most of the games and will get bored with it really soon and go play with his other toys.