Present ideas for 8 year old son : s

RoxieW

Morning all
Well yesterday my boys did their letters to Santa. My younger boy ran out of space on the page, there was so much on there!
But my older boy just put one word - surprises!
So now Im stumped.
He's not a typical boy in that he doesn't really buy into all the latest fads and crazes, isn't into sport/football or computer games. He does like Lego but has lots of it and prefers to 'freestyle' rather than build a kit to instruction IYSWIM.
I think a lot of people have the same trouble with buying for him as for his recent birthday he opened mostly books. Not a problem with that as he likes to read, but he could start his own library up there and I got the feeling it wasn't very exciting for him to open book after book after book.
He also really likes transformers but has two boxes full of them now. Am wondering if there is anything along a similar theme to Lego and transformers ie something that can be built?
He likes films but again, has most recent releases and we bought him a dsi for his birthday which he likes. Was wondering about those puzzle 'professor layton' games but wasn't sure if they would be too difficult for him? He's not terribly patient and loses interest if he can't do something. He also loves going on the Internet but I think he's too young for his own laptop tbh.
Any suggestions grateful received.

jakes-mum

My nephew is alot like your son he likes things he can build and examine, not really sporty and has no interest in the must have toy this year. He likes poseable action figures so I have bought him a few of the harry potter action figures off Ebay.

Other ideas

Explosive Science Kit (not as bad as it sounds honest!)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Living-Learning-Horrible-Explosive-Experiments/dp/B000FGG9BI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=toys&qid=1289122875&sr=8-1

There is a brand new scooter out that is supposed to be pretty cool (though not cheap)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Street-Surfing-The-Whiplash-Scooter/dp/B002N4TJB2/ref=sr_1_29?s=kids&ie=UTF8&qid=1289123107&sr=1-29

Lego remote control robot
http://www.amazon.co.uk/LEGO-Creator-4958-Monster-Dino/dp/B000NCI3JU/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1289123206&sr=1-7

ummm i'll keep thinking :S

midnightraven3

not great on ideas i'm afraid
my son is much older

but wanted to chime on the professor layton games

my son sounds just like yours (at his age)
loved lego etc and made his own things
and now is on course to be a structural engineer, so it can stay with them

anyways, i digress

prf layton games i think may be just the ticket
they do challenge the mind somewhat
but if you are stuck, you can get clues
(they arent cryptic or hidden very well:D)
you only get so many chances, 3 i think on each level, but each bit is small, so if they get stuck, the just keep going and can come back

i think they are good
there are 2 out and one just coming out
so if you ooked and got the 1st or second quite cheap i think it would be a good addition for him

have you thought about bionicles?
my son LOVED them, and again made all sorts of weird and quite wonderful things with them
they make a robot/monster(?????thing)
and you get them in a can
he had the set
and often made things using all the bits rather than the creatures

themull1

Harry Potter Cluedo? build your own skeleton from m and s, new dvd releases due out Sorcerors Apprentice, Scrooge(Jim Carrey), one of those lights that shine the night sky in your bedroom? grow your own crystals, or those little shrimp things in water that you can buy - possibly called triops, but might have just made that up, there is a Lego Atlantis that looks good, build your own house kit from Hawkins Bazaar, other than that, i don't know cos i've got girls.

themull1

Oh, theres a build your own bouncy ball kit, get an owl pellet and take it apart to see the skeletons of mice, and you can buy packs of geodes, and crack them open to see if there are crystals inside.

amandada

Is he active at all? My 8 year old ds is hoping for a new skateboard and skateboard ramps
There's also roller blades and scooters

rinroo

I have a son the same age, some of the things we've got for him are:

Motorised k'nex as he loves it. Meccano, rubix cube, a telescope and a microscope, few science type kits, make your own circut board, alarm clock etc..

RoxieW

Thanks for the ideas all
I am thinking a telescope and some other sciencey things ie grow your own crystals set. I like the idea of a robot he can build but the Lego ones vie seen are out of my price range really. I will look at motorized knex, he hasn't had any of that and also bionicles and the professor Layton game. My dad is getting him a scooter but he's not hugely active. Prefers to sit indoors with his Lego lol.
I have just ordered him a robot bank, a robot money bank from amazon that he hopefully will like.
Thanks again

rinroo

I got the k'nex from TK Maxx for £15 alot cheaper than the £25-£30 in toysrus and argos.

LEJC

When my son was that age it was anything he could construct...so the science museum things were good
he was also really into knex
and I remember him having a techno balls marble run which you needed to construct first..took him hours..but he was really pleased with the results
about that age he also staryted to get into cars...and top gear..so why not get him a few bits like the stig soap on a rope and see how that goes down

jorose

must be their age my son is the same i have bought him some lego, science kits(blast lab), a magic set, computer games, new trainers, and dvds he enjoyed watching big on tv a few weeks ago so i have ordered a few from my childhood that i think he will like.. ghostbusters, indiana jones things like that.
he still likes playing with diecast cars with his 5 year old brother so i have got them both some hotwheels sets.
also.. paper jamz guitar and AIR HOGS R/C Vectron Wave

But one thing i think he will love is the meccano extreme rc you build it and then can drive it around

he loves his mp3 player too if your son dosent have one

big stig fans here too anything top gear, stig or richard hammond is a hit in our house with both my boys and other half