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[naomikritzer]

I want to buy Kiera alphabet magnets for her birthday. I hunted for them today at Target, CVS, Walgreens, and Creative Kidstuff without success. It's too late to order online. Where do you get these?

I would love to have tiny cheap magnifying glasses as party favors for the girls' (mystery-themed) joint birthday party next week. I once bought one at Creative Kidstuff but they are currently out of stock. Ax-Man Surplus has magnifying glasses but they're larger and more expensive than I want to get for party favors. (I did pick up some cheap compasses, though, also for party favors.) Again, it's too late to order them. Anyone know where I might be able to find them?

Finally, you know those old Chinese coins with the holes in the middle? I swear I've seen these for sale, occasionally, for not too much money. What are these called, and where do you find them?

Comments

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

Try someplace like Party city. I know they have the small magnifying glass, along with other party favors. They might have the magnets as well.

[rivka.livejournal.com]

I once found Melissa & Doug alphabet magnets at a Carter's outlet. (You know, kids' clothing.) I bet Toys R Us has them too.

...Oh, hey! Minneapolis has two Lakeshore Learning stores. They should be able to hook you up with magnifying glasses and alphabet magnets.

[cnoocy]

The coins are often called I Ching coins or just antique Chinese coins. You can probably get them for expensive at an occult shop or cheap at a bead shop.

[jimlawrence.livejournal.com]

I just wanted to second what rivka said. Since my wife is a teacher I do from time to time accompany her to teacher stores and I am pretty sure I have seen magnetic alphabets in two different teacher resource stores (along with all kinds of interesting stuff... I think any parent could have a good time shopping for cool stuff in one of these stores (just skip the aisle filled with stacks of boring workbooks and such).

[lilisonna.livejournal.com]

Realizing that you said it's too late to order online, I offer a possible online solution. Unless her birthday party is on Monday, I recommend taking a gander at Oriental Trading Company. They have dirt cheap magnifying glasses, and they ship quick. And by dirt cheap, I mean 12 dozen for under $10.00. At that price, even the rush shipping ($20.00 for 2-3 day delivery) doesn't add up to too much. They also have the Chinese Coins: $4.00 for a dozen.

[dsgood.livejournal.com]

For the coins, try Oriental groceries on the "Eat Street" stretch of Nicollet Avenue.

[mamajoan.livejournal.com]

I have gotten alphabet magnets at the dollar store, which of course are plastic and cheapo and probably made in China out of chunks of pure lead dusted with anthrax...but my son loves them anyway.

[olddog299.livejournal.com]

Tiny cheap magnifying glasses -- any decent sized Dollar Store will have them or something similar yet affordable

Alphabet magnets - Toys'r'us or Kaybee?

Chinese coins - an occult book store that carries the old Richard Wilhelm translation of the I Ching...

Happy birthday to the little one.

[peacockharpy.livejournal.com]

I've found the alphabet magnets at Marshall's (discount store) -- Melissa and Doug is the brand. They're wooden, and come in a set with upper and lower case letters... which are all strung around our house now. *sigh*

[lydamorehouse]

Another place for Chinese coins -- beading stores.