How to make a laptop a more exciting present for a child

DKLS

How about livening up the grey laptop with a big sticker/skin

Loads here http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=HP+laptop+stickers

Not bad for £7 and wish I hadn't clicked now as I just bought 2

codemonkey

Leaving aside the whole spending/expectation debate, what about Football Manager? Not violent, and sneakily teaches useful skills whilst being fun. But be warned, you might not see him again til he's 30. I should know - I'm a FM widow.

Pollycat

bigmomma051204 wrote: »

Ahhh there always has to be one :T

I have bought him a laptop first and foremost because he will need it for school from this point on. Rather than buy him a present and then have to buy a laptop separately on another occasion, I have combined to kill 2 birds with one stone. It cost me £50. I would therefore like to spend a little bit more to make it a super duper present.

He is in no way spoilt, as your post implies. How dare you make such sweeping statements about other people's children? My son is, in fact, the least materialistic child you will ever meet. He is not perfect, he has his faults as do we all.. but a spoilt ungrateful brat, he is not! He will appreciate the laptop. That doesn't mean I can't buy him a couple of other little gifts to go with it. And just so you know, this post wasn't asking anyone's approval

Actually, I think you'll find there's more than one.

I just wasn't going to post. :cool:

As far as I can see, the 2nd paragraph in Georgiegirl256's post wasn't specifically aimed at you - you just took it that way.

I too think any 11 year old would be thrilled with a laptop.

barbiedoll

DKLS wrote: »

How about livening up the grey laptop with a big sticker/skin

Loads here http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=HP+laptop+stickers

Not bad for £7 and wish I hadn't clicked now as I just bought 2

When my son got his first laptop (second-hand) he was more thrilled with his "bullet holes" skin than he was with the computer!

Jagraf

Op, don't bling up what is a fab pressie, I get what you are saying but too much over exciting a present can spoil the present iykwim. My dd only wants money or vouchers now, which look carp in a Santa sack lol. But if I bought her loads of fillers its money she found have spent on herself.

FBaby

Andypandyboy wrote: »

My 16 year old was thrilled with a laptop last Christmas. I think you are over thinking it.

Yes, he will do his homework on it, but he can do so many other things too. Play up that angle, £350 is a good laptop for an 11 year old, you should expect him to be grateful, not be looking to add to an already great present.

A tip from someone with several children - don't set their expectations too high, too young! Each year it will get harder to find something that will excite or enthuse.

Totally agree with this. Frankly I am shocked to read that getting a laptop at 11 as a Christmas present would not bring utter joy as a stand alone present. DD got her first laptop at 15, and that was indeed because she 'needed' it for homework. But it was a real need. She could have access to computers at school, and use the family laptop at home. She asked for it herself because having her own gave her freedom and of course the chance to see videos, chat with her friends etc... She saw it as a super treat and was over the moon.

For her birthday a few months later, she asked for a printer. Again, that was her only main present even though it was mainly for the purpose of printing homework.

gabriel1980

Get him Grand Theft Auto 5 for it - he'll love that

tea_lover

As the laptop's mainly for school, how about adding something like this? http://shop.unicef.org.uk/Shop/p-1247-Learning-materials-for-a-child-for-a-year.html

pigpen

Andypandyboy wrote: »

I couldn't agree more, but a £350 laptop for an 11th birthday is a good gift by anyones standards I would have thought. I do it differently though, for me, gifts are about wants not needs, something special that they are not expecting.

As you say, it is people or family, not what they give, that is special, which is why I am sure the OP will be surprised at how the laptop will be received by her son. He will love it.

I'm sure he will be thrilled as it is too.. I know my 11 year old would be!

I would say to OP.. consider repairs.. my son got a laptop at 14.. he had had it a week or 2 and cracked the screen... he was absolutely distraught .. utterly heartbroken.. and it was a further £80 to get it fixed.. had he not been so upset I probably wouldn't have got it fixed as quickly as I did.. he's been fine with it since. My daughter (now 15) however has broken 3 tablets and doesn't care.. shes broken her phone too! she can have a new phone for Christmas but that's all she is getting! She is by nature an ungrateful person.

Mine usually get the 1 item they have been saying they would like to have and then the boring needy stuff.. stuff they need year round, clothes toiletries etc.. stuff you have to buy anyway.. my 5 year old has been wanting a 'frozen tablet' all year.. I know she is not aware it is just a rubbish cheap tablet with a sticker on the case and a couple of songs installed and a karaoke mic.. and at £80 is simply not worth it.. so she isn't getting it.. I am actually looking at a cheap ipad and getting a sticker for it and downloading a karaoke app.. but I may need to sell a lung to afford it.. so that too is unlikely!

As a one off present if explained that it is a special one off gift (that will need replacing to upgrade in about 3-4 years) it will be well received.. as an every year thing spending that much isn't really possible.. you run out of stuff to buy!

pigpen

gabriel1980 wrote: »

Get him Grand Theft Auto 5 for it - he'll love that

which is rated 18.. I won't even have it in the house! haha