Okay, I'm at a loss. My younger son's birthday is on 7 November and I have no ideas.
He's very much a boyish boy. Likes his bike, playing outside, cartoons, etc. Not big on video games. Definitely climbs a lot of trees and such.
I'd like to give him some things that will really trigger his imagination (one of his prized possessions is a brass telescope like pirates used). I don't want to get him things that will be interesting for a month and be forgotten.
Help me out, ladies. $100-150 is my top price range for everything. TIA!
I guess I should add that he has no interest in Legos....every Lego set I have bought him is now in his older brother's possession! :-) He is very artistic and loves music and dance. He likes to collect things...pretty rocks, coins, etc.
Hexbugs http://www.hexbug.com/
These things are so cool! We have tons of them and their "habitats". My boys are 10 & 7 and my 2 year old daughter loves them too (with her brothers keeping an eye on her). We've had them for a while now. My husband and I love them too ;)
I ordered my 9 year old grandson uncut money from the Washington Mint. It was a big sheet of $1 bills uncut...he thought it was the neatest thing and shows everybody when they come to his house.
These cars are my go-to boy gift. They are more of a European design...smooth wood, clean lined...and they come apart and can be re-made into other car configurations as they see fit. My car crazed nephews and boys in my life from age 3-11 have loved them (I keep buying them new sets for birthdays and Christmas and they all go together).
OOPS Forgot the website for the cars..here it is
http://www.automoblox.com/
My daughter is an artist. We always did art kits we put together for her. Fancier colored pencils & drawing pencils, paper, sketch books, cutting tools, paint and brushes and canvases if thats what he might like (my daughter never liked to paint canvas but used paint for other things) The art store has wonderful fiber papers...big sheets are about $3-$10 each and have things like flowers pressed into them..my daughter makes some incredible paper art now..shes a senior in an Arts High School.
If visual arts might be something he enjoys, consider going to an art store or even the art section at a Michaels type store and making him a kit? At her Art School they needed a "box"...which is basically a large tackle box, for their supplies...
Good luck!
My son LOVED the Tin Tin comic book series at that age, lots of adventure, history, humor and great artwork.
If he is mature enough I would suggest a Swiss army knife, but only if you think he could handle it. My son "earned" one in Cub Scouts and it became a special treasure.
My son just turned 9 on Sunday and we bought him a couple of the big Star Wars Leggo sets ($80 each). He has not always been "into" leggos so this is something new and fun for him and he LOVES Star Wars. He really has to focus and read the directions to put them together and of course, can use the pieces to build whatever else he can think of. Have you asked him what he would like? Good luck!
I second the beyblades. They were a hit with my son.
My 9 yo grandson loves Legos. He likes the kits that make into a truck, boat, Sponge Bob Crabby Patty store. He puts them together following the instructions. Then he takes them apart and makes different combinations.
You can get complicated kits for $40-80. So far the most complicated one we've purchased was $30 and he's having difficulty with it. It's Sponge Bob's Crabby Patty set up. There are many small pieces to be kept track of and fit together. I have difficulty with the instructions too.
I'd start with a $10 small kit to see if he likes it.
Do you have a Wii? I noticed a Wii game that is dancing for kids.
This is going in a totally different direction then everyone else's answers, but here goes. I have 8 yr old twin boys and every year it seems to get harder and harder to think of what to get them for Christmas or their birthday. And of course, everyone always asks what they want!! This year, my husband and I are getting them a family gift certificate to a lazer tag place for Christmas. We also considered a G.C. for Chuck E Cheese, Monkey Joes, or a paint ball place. We're actually still thinking about looking into the the paintball place. It beats toys all over the floor (many of which they probably won't remember in 6 months, anyway) and will make a neat memory, instead!
what about the moon in my room? my nephew loves his!
http://www.amazon.com/Uncle-Milton-Moon-My-Room/dp/B000EU...
He likes collecting pretty rocks... how about a rock tumbler. They have them at Hobby Lobby for under $30. All of my kids love finding rocks and using it and the end result.
How about a real telescope and a book about stars and constellations.
He is artistic so what about an easel and paint, markers, chalk, granite pencils and a portfolio to keep all of his drawings in.
He likes to climb.. so how about building him a rock climb in his room.
http://www.atomikclimbingholds.com/topic/15-frequently-as...
There are some neat books that help you draw, since he likes cartoons.
How about a Hobby store with things to make for outside like a bird house.
He could build and paint it. Buy him a star in honor of his name to go with the telescope. Does he have an ipod for his music? How about something neat to display his rock and coin collections? Maybe you could divide up the money and get him different things. Good Luck.....
have you ever considered letting him join Cub Scouts? If he's all about being outside & nature, then perhaps this would be a good fit for him. Both of my sons did Scouts....with my younger son working toward Eagle this year.
& since you live in Jeff City, do you receive the MO Conservationist & the kid's version...Xplorer? Do you ever attend the programs at the Conservation Center there in Jeff City? Both of my sons loved doing stuff like this. Sooo, then tying this all in with gifts: does he own a BB gun? A slingshot?...that's the ultimate fav with all of the boys in our family! (usually we give the Dennis the Menace movie with this!)
Does he like to read? I would think the Magic Treehouse series would appeal to him! My younger son loved these books....
Hope some of this helps!
My 9 yo loves Beyblades. While they won't necessarily spark his imagination they will keep him entertained.
The Dangerous Book for Boys
A pup tent and mag lite
A membership to the science museum or plantetarium
How about putting him in Boy Scouts.
A kalidascope. What about a small digital camera and some free editing software.
When my son was 9 or 10 he received a bird call from an older couple. It was a small metal and wood thing that you turned slowly and it made a sound like a bird. He thought it was stupid. We lived on a couple of acres with trees and there were a lot of birds. The next day he ran in the house yelling, "Mom, mom, come and watch! The birds are answering back to me." He was so excited and insisted I buy him a book on birds so he could tell which ones he saw. It was truly one of the best gifts he ever received. That was 25 years ago and I still have it. I also gave one to the neighbor boy with a book two years ago and he and his dad loved it. You can get them at any animal or bird place. Good luck...
