yes i would advise not to buy her crayons or anything else that makes a mess or is noisy without checking with the parents first when would he be seeing her next ? so she would be able to open it on christmas day and have it taken away so it could be put away for her to wait for the next time she saw your husband there is nothing a kid wants more than something they are given but then cant have this is not the kind of gift that is ' without mums involvement ' she will have to wash the pjs she will have to clean up afterwards she will have to deal with upset little girl when the pjs paint fades or washes out or she grows out of them she will have to deal with the other clothes that were in the washer at the time that are now covered in this paint stuff been there done that got the faded pjs and the 4 loads of laundry to get it out of other clotheswhy not get her something that they can make together the next time he sees her and send the crap that was on the list ? if hubby wants to make memories with her how about a decorate your own photo frame with a picture of the two of them or a bracelet they can make together or do handprints on a canvas for her to have on her wall something she can actually keep for the rest of her life rather than something that will get ruined and she will grow out of in a couple of months how i know 7 year old daughter who has been there done that and thrown away the pjs and the draw on bear and the decorate your own handbag and the decorate your own t shirt and the put diamantes all over your jeans and lets fabric paint trousers and jeans and probably every other one of these make your own clothing items you can think of