Skylanders definitely can be a money sink though, if she's of a collector nature.
I was just going to get 8 figures...one of each element. So 3 come with the game, 5 more, about $50. Easy.
A lot more money than I want to admit later, I've got all four on-disc DLC map packs, all the Toys R Us exclusive "Legendary" Skylanders, and 31 of the 32 standard ones (and as soon as I find Wham-Shell....)
If she's a kid that is sorta hard to buy for Christmas/Birthdays/Good Grades, Skylanders might be a great thing to get started. For a lot of families, however, a potential hobby like this is probably best avoided.
The game IS super enjoyable though.