My 13 and 7 year old have never had a pet but have always wanted one. So this year I've decided they'll be getting a hamster for Xmas. Obviously, I can't wrap a live animal (LOL) and I'd like to make it as fun as possible for them - kind of like a scavenger hunt, to discover their gift. I need some ideas for clues or what not. For example: my daughter has always wanted a hamster she can name Sprinkles, so I thought the first clue could lead them to the kitchen cabinet where I keep the baking sprinkles :) but I need more clues that are not so obvious that they figure it out immediately. I was thinking of maybe an adoption certificate, a book on the care of hamsters (kind of obvious) responsibility and sharing etc. Also, even though I can purchase all the the items necessary to keep the hamster (cage, food, bedding etc) I cannot bring the hamster home until the very end as I have no way to hide it from the kids. Plus, the pet store may very well sell out of hamsters on xmas eve, so my only option might be for them to realize the gift is a hamster that is waiting for them at the pet store and can be picked up on the 26th of Dec. Anyway, I'm trying to be creative and make this super fun and exciting for them, but I'm out of ideas and need your help. I'm also ok, with suggestions that go in a different direction too! Thanks so much!
Get the kids a toy hamster and wrap it. If you have space, hide the real pet in it's home in a spare room while they are opening their gifts.
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Get the kids a toy hamster and wrap it. If you have space, hide the real pet in it's home in a spare room while they are opening their gifts.
I would look for regular reading books where a hamster is a featured character for your 7 yr old. Or maybe an episode of Little Bill where he has his hamster, Elephant.
How about rescuing a hamster instead? Did you know that there are tons of cute hamsters on PetFinder, waiting for new homes? You can get them all the stuff and then print out a page of waiting hamsters from Petfinder from your local rescue/shelter. Let the kids pick one out that they really like. Or consider dwarf hamsters, which are smaller but can live in groups. A rescue can help you find the right pair. We got hamsters from a "reputable" pet store years ago...and ended up with a very happy male and 2 females and 3 litters. Please skip the pet store.
http://www.petfinder.com/pet-search?animal_type=Small&...
Since they've never had a pet, why not do sort of a personalized Advent Calendar (where you open the little windows and count down to the special day)?
Wrap up boxes, one to be opened each day. And I wouldn't have the last one be on Christmas Day itself, but a couple of days later, so maybe start on the 23rd and end on the 27th or 28th.
Inside the first box, put something that will get them thinking, like a little container of sprinkles like you suggested.
In the second box, to be opened on the second day, put a blank calendar. When they get the pet, they can fill in the calendar with chores like "replace the bedding" or "check the water" and "feed Sprinkles", and they can divide up the chores and be responsible for checking off a completed chore. But they won't guess what a blank calendar is for!
The third box can be a bottle of water and some healthy food, like an apple or some oatmeal. This will relate to the fact that they'll have to keep the pet stocked with proper food and water. Later they'll have to learn what to feed their pet and what not to feed it.
Find out what kind of bedding hamsters require and put a clue to that in a box. If it's pine shavings, put a pine cone in the box.
The next box can be a book about taking care of a pet (any pet). Make sure they read it before they can open the next box.
Then the final box can be a hamster wheel and that can be the day you take them to the pet store.
We rescued a puppy for my daughter when she was 5 one Christmas (the best chocolate lab mix). I adopted her from a shelter a week before Christmas then asked a friend to keep her until Christmas Eve. It worked out perfectly. If there's any way you could ask a friend or family member to keep it for you a few days before, I would do it that way (and a hamster would be WAY easier to keep than a dog or cat). Only because I think a gift is a bit anti-climactic for kids if they can't get their hands on it that morning. Just a suggestion. Also, the "scavenger hunt" idea is a great one - I've done that several times for different things. I agree that they would figure it out right away if you did the clues about the actual gift. I would do more like a "treasure" hunt and they have to find clues like in a map form - send them all over the house - put clues in the freezer, in the shower, closets, cupboards, (you can even tell them to turn left, take 5 steps, turn right, hop on one foot :)) etc. then the final clue can send them to the actual gift (if you have the hamster or if not, then put a "treasure box" of care items along with a picture). Kids love this at ANY age and I had just as much fun coming up with the clues of where to go next. Have fun!!!
i wouldnt give clues during the scavenger hunt except maybeend with the sprinles idea with one last clue where there present or photos will be.
they would figure it out 2 minutes in and then it wouldnt be fun. i'd J. give cluses for the next clue (as in a riddle that will lead them to the attic, then they get another clue that leads them to the basements and so on until you get to the last one sprinkles and the photos?
That sounds like a ton of fun!! :) All 3 of my kids have hamsters: Cookie, Brownie and Nibbles!! :) One word of advice, make sure that it's a friendly hamster.
How about getting them the movie G-Force?
Buy the hamster and put it in your room wherever your kids won't go. I like the idea of the scavenger hunt. That should be really fun!
Ooh, I love the idea of rescuing the hamster by another poster. Brilliant!
Just wait to pick up your hamster from the site she provided Dec 26th.
Contact them ahead of time telling them you want to rescue one for your
kids for Christmas.
For the actual Christmas gifts you can do the scavenger hunt (which is so
cute) & have some of the items you need for the hamster hidden like:
-cage
-water bottle
-hamster food
-the care of hamsters book etc.
you could always get the stuff out and buy two of those silly little hampsters (a zhu zhu pet) and then let them know that they get to go pick out theirs dec 26th.
as far as ideas for the scavenger hunt I am clueless. maybe put pieces of the cage here, or there. and let it all come together?
Is Christmas at someone's house, like Grandma's? Can you leave the little critter there and surprise them when they get there?
I would really reconsider the hamster idea. They are not good children,s pets. They are stressed by kids' handling and many of them bite. There are pet stores that will not even sell them to a family with younger kids. I would consider a Guinea pig. I also suggest not getting the pet during the holiday excitement.
