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Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Tuesday, December 14, 2010 - 7:46 am
I know from time to time people ask for gift suggestions from baby showers to teacher gifts, etc. So thought I'd make a dedicated thread. (hopefully I did not miss one that was already started, if so, mods please move this) To start this off, I cannot think of ANYTHING for my 11 year old son. You'd think most kids have a list. But not him. He has a ds and a wii, but already has most games he likes. (He cannot stand anything scary or bloody--even Disney's Kingdom Hearts--with Mickey Mouse still freaks him out because of the "stealing of souls" thing!!) He did ask for carnival games and wipeout. And so I am stuck after that (the grandparents already got these 2 games). He's still not quite mature enough for a cell phone or a decent camera (those are two things he did mention). Anyone have any suggestions for (slightly immature boy) preteens???
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Wargod
Moderator
07-16-2001
| Tuesday, December 14, 2010 - 8:38 am
A go to gift for Caleb around that age (he'd enjoy it now too if we needed something else) was lego sets or k'nex. The k'nex has carnival rides that move like the ferris wheel that goes round and round or the roller coaster with the little car that goes around the track. I don't know if Ryan is into stuff like that, but it kept Caleb occupied for hours and the nice thing is that you can get sets that are not quite so complicated to put together or fairly detailed depending on their skill level and they're good for the preteen or older age groups. On a side note, we really like the wipeout game, it's pretty fun. My bils uncle bought Kota the carnival games for Christmas so don't know about that one yet.
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Dfennessey
Member
07-25-2004
| Tuesday, December 14, 2010 - 9:03 am
How about getting him a board game or 2 and maybe a gift card to game stop
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Hukdonreality
Member
09-29-2003
| Tuesday, December 14, 2010 - 9:14 am
If he wants a camera, then I would get him one. Nothing saying if he handles it well and really enjoys it that you can't give him a better one when your finances improve! I always feel that when a child doesn't ask for much, they deserve to get those things they really want. Most kids at holiday time have lists a mile long!
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Sportsfan
Member
09-03-2007
| Tuesday, December 14, 2010 - 10:51 am
Julie, most kids have cell phones nowadays. I would get him one with a cheap plan (texting is what they use the most!!!) In a few more years you can get him a better phone. Does he have an IPOD?
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Happymom
Member
01-20-2003
| Tuesday, December 14, 2010 - 10:57 am
Julie, I asked kind of the same ? in a couple of different threads. My 5 nephews are 9-almost 15 and I was pretty much stumped. I was searching around the internet for ideas too. One answer I found was that trying to find a gift for a teen boy is like trying to find the Holy Grail! lol! I agree with Huk. I'd give him an inexpensive camera. Some of the things I ended up giving them this year and in the past: T shirts geometric pattern art books and colored pencils animal flashlights cool looking polished rocks and big marbles pewter animals card games little games in tins (found at Kohls) science activity kits/books A couple of them asked for wallets this year. Suggestions I got here were: (I had a size and money limit and didn't want to send $ or gift cards.) nerf shooting toys candy books DVD of favorite movie a kite remote controlled things itunes gift cards card games A poster or cd of a band he likes. lots of stuff from the Dollar Store "There are some small electronic handheld games for around that price like Yahtzee, poker, hangman, solitaire, 20Q, that you can find at Target, Walmart, Kmart, or Walgreens, etc." and... "All my DS' friends have those long key holders that they stick they keys in their pocket and the long strap hangs out. How about some personalized my M&Ms? My DS loves those too. School colors, with Go Eagles on half and his nickname on the other half." Sorry for the long post, I just know how stumped I was this year and how hard it is to pick out gifts for boys this age. My girls have always had long lists. Two of my nephews really had no lists at all this year. Anyway, Julie, good luck!
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Dfennessey
Member
07-25-2004
| Tuesday, December 14, 2010 - 11:15 am
I have a prepaid cell phone and love it (I can not justify paying a monthly fee when i do not use it that much) and that way you can control what he uses
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Hukdonreality
Member
09-29-2003
| Tuesday, December 14, 2010 - 11:55 am
Julie, I know that in the past you have talked of Ryan having some difficulties with various friends (school and neighborhood, I believe). I'm totally anti-cell phone for preteens, I think kids need to be talking face to face or on the phone with one another. Even on this board, without the smilie faces, etc., oftentimes it is difficult to get our points across without another person taking it in a complete opposite direction than we intended. If you are still concerned with Ryan socializing, I think that a cell phone won't "force" him to communicate, and in fact, may cause more troubles with friends than not. I don't mean to overstep my boundries here, I don't know Ryan or if he has matured significantly since you used to write a lot about him. The choice is yours of course, and you know Ryan best. Just thought I'd offer my take on things from out here. I'd still go with a cheaper camera... 
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Wargod
Moderator
07-16-2001
| Tuesday, December 14, 2010 - 12:55 pm
Yeah, I'm not a big fan of cell phones, period, for any kid. Don't get me wrong, I think they come in handy, but not a neccessity or really good for all kids. I was the mean mom, lol. My kids were among the last of their friends to get cells and to tell the truth if it wasn't for the fact that they're involved in after school stuff and need them to get ahold of us at different times, they probably still wouldn't have them. As it is, we have fairly strict rules for when and where they can use them.
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Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Tuesday, December 14, 2010 - 2:17 pm
Thank you all!!! There are some great ideas here!
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Escapee
Member
06-15-2004
| Tuesday, December 14, 2010 - 3:16 pm
Lego has all kinds of cool stuff out and you are never too old for legos. I think it's more important to nurture the mechanical and artistic side of the brain through hands on stuff. Erector sets, k'nex, etc. Is he artistic? Michael's has all kinds of great stuff for artistic kids. My kids don't have video games, but do have computer games that are educational. What about roller blades or a new bike?
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Scooterrific
Member
07-08-2005
| Tuesday, December 14, 2010 - 3:47 pm
I'm with Huk'd ...if he wants a camera get him a camera...there's no harm in that.
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Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Tuesday, December 14, 2010 - 6:37 pm
I am leaning towards a camera. He has taken almost exceptional pictures with my Canon G6 (I know, kind of old since they are one G12 now!). But I am afraid since we'd likely only get him a canon A495 (about $89) that he might be bummed by the quality that he won't be getting anymore... He could also use a new bike (though he seems very happy with the $25 bike we got him from Goodwill a year or so ago) cuz I bet he's tall enough for a regualr size bike. Anyways, thank you all. You've come up with some good ideas and food for thought!! (Escapee, he is not very artsy at all, except musically. He's never liked legos, though he does LOVE the duplos that he sees at my parents' house. If anything, he'd love a set of those. But not sure if that is a good idea. Is it bad to encourage him to play with such little kid toys???? Plus I think the reason he likes them so much is the novelty. I think he'd grow bored with them if he always had access to them.)
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Juju2bigdog
Member
10-27-2000
| Tuesday, December 14, 2010 - 6:50 pm
Julieboo, kind of late now, but why not consider getting him his own G6 on eBay? Bigdog did weeks and weeks of research last year for an excellent but smaller camera to take to Europe rather than his big honking 40D, and he came up with the G6 (I think G10's were out then), and we bought a very nice used one very reasonably on eBay, and he loves it.
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Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Tuesday, December 14, 2010 - 6:55 pm
ooh Juju, that is an interesting idea. Which makes me think, hmmm, what if we gave him my G6 and I got a new one!!
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Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Tuesday, December 14, 2010 - 6:58 pm
Sportsfan, he does have a shuffle, but getting him a nano is also a possibility... But probably too pricey right now.
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Escapee
Member
06-15-2004
| Wednesday, December 15, 2010 - 8:10 am
What about Lincoln Logs? That's something he and Abby can do together.
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Juju2bigdog
Member
10-27-2000
| Wednesday, December 15, 2010 - 8:30 am
Julieboo, I just asked Bigdog what in his research caused him to get a G6 over the newer Canon models, such as G7, 8, 9, and probably 10 that were out at the time. He said the G6 was the better camera because it has glass lenses, while the newer ones have plastic. So maybe if you do give him your G6, you might want to consider getting yourself another G6. Asking Bigdog the drawbacks now - he says slow shutter from one picture to the next and smaller LCD viewer. (as compared to his 40D, not to other G models).
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