Toys for boys aged 7+

[PinkSpottyHat]

I'm really struggling with my two boys this year with regard to toys for Christmas. They will turn 8 and 9 shortly after it (so then I need to find birthday gifts too, gaah)!

One wants Lego dimensions, the other will want Disney Infinity 3.0, but apart from those and Lego I'm at a loss. I hate that they're becoming so dependent on TV/Video games for entertainment, they only ever play with that or Lego and yet I can't seem to find anything else aimed at their ages?

They also have nerf guns but they're short-lived, DS1 will adore a furby but DS2 isn't fussed.

We have tried with playmbobil and k-nex/meccanno previously but it just ended up being taken apart and never played with again my ASD DS1.

So, what non-technological toys do your sons around their age actually play with please?

[countingdown]

No ideas, sorry, but I'm going to follow this!

[bigTillyMint]

Balls. Football's mainly, but any ball would do
Also bike/scooter/roller blades and even at 8/9 he still liked playing with large cardboard boxes and Lego

[NurNochKurzDieWeltRetten]

My very nearly 8 year old plays for hours with box of marbles - he's invented a football league populated by teams of marble categories. My 4 year old DS2 sits and watches him for ages til he wanders off to do his own thing. It is most odd, but in a good way I think :o

There you are - should cost you about £2.99 :o :o

Apart from that he plays for several hoursa day with a real football, rides his bike a lot, and plays intermittently with minecraft or sstar wars lego. He wanted a skateboard but doesn't really use it, ditto in liners (his big sister uses hers a lot, and her wave board).

His birthday is coming up but he's mostly asked for specific lego, but also a football shirt with his name on. He has occassional interest in junk he sees on adverts and thinks he wants, but forgets about those things usually.

[NurNochKurzDieWeltRetten]

Oh I know what he does use especially when friendsare over - table football. That would make a good present if they like football and you don't already have it.

He would like a real drum kit (as in a proper looking one - he has an electronic drum pad but doesn't use it much any more). He isn'tggetting one though.

Guitars? 1/2 size proper ones.

DD had horse riding lessons and kit for her 8th birthday - her own request is there anything they'd like that isn't necessarily an "item"?

[NurNochKurzDieWeltRetten]

My kids also play card games like Uno and dobble together (little extra presents/ stocking fillers) and the 10 and nearly 8 year olds like cludo but we have to play too.

[Artandco]

Mine are slightly younger, but play with similar to older cousins. Things they all like age ranging 4-11 years are:

• wooden construction kit ( has screws/ bolts/ instructions)
  

• Lego. Not sets, just boards and loads of bricks
  

• watercolour paints and canvas
  

• air dry clay and tools
  

• Kapla building blocks
  

• cars/ trains.

[PinkSpottyHat]

Urrrrgh we're leaving the toy age really aren't we?

They have bikes, won't ride them often because they "can't" (they can). Have scooters they love, play in the garden with balls/trampoline/swing etc a lot.

They got kindles last year which are adored but I'm loathe to let them spend any longer than they do now on them, I feel this weird social pressure to not let them use them, even though they play with boxes quite happily too.

We went to a huge marble factory last week and they bought huge bags of pick n mix marbles so they are entertaining for now, as are board games.

Where did the construction kit come from, Artandco ?

[starlight2007]

I can't get over how you are worried about christmas in the middle of July..

My Ds was approaching 8 last christmas and wanted a guitar, He had quite a few board games..Working Adult manopoly, he loves uno also, lanyrinth is out probably most played game..We have just started play orthello... He had a boom box and Cd's

[PinkSpottyHat]

I'm not worried, just forward planning so I can budget and stalk for good deals on stuff between now and then.

[Elisheva]

My boys are 5 and 8. My 8 year old is really into Yugioh and Pokemon cards, he has just discovered playing cards too. They love board games (monopoly junior, guess who etc.).
They like to collect things(moshi monsters, gormiti, gogos, stones) could you get him started on stamps or something he is interested in? Mine quite like rocks.
What about juggling balls/Diablo/ kite.
Chemistry or electronics set.
Marbles and marble runs are brilliant - they both like these.
Magazine subscription - he wasn't impressed when he got this but loves it now he understands how it works!
Skylanders is electronic but he also has all the books and he plays with the figures by themselves.
Telescope and book about stars?
How much time do you get with them? Could you buy them backpacks etc. and start geocaching?
Chess set.
Tool kits and lots of scrap wood.
A musical instrument and a book on how to play it.

[Artandco]

Pink - it's the matador brand, here www.matador.at/products_klassik.html
I think you can get in various places online as we have bought some, family bought others. You can buy extension packs so the main large kits are fairly expensive but each additional extension set is very reasonable. Mine love the extra cogs

[thedevilinside]

Pokemon cards, trash packs, hex bugs, DS 9 with ASD/ADHD is still into these, particularly Pokemon cards (his obsession). Unfortunately, he doesn't have the attention span for lego. Stunt scooter and bike are also favourites

[NurNochKurzDieWeltRetten]

Where's the marble factory Pink? Please say near York or Manchester. .. (sorry for the tangent) :o

[Rainicorn]

DS3 wants a drum kit [cries]

He also wants Lego dimensions, does anyone know if the price is going to go down from the current £80ish advertised price. Seems very expensive in comparison to Skylanders And Disney Infinity.

[SavoyCabbage]

What about a marble run? Galt do a good one.

[tomatodizzymum]

Don't know if it has been mentioned as I've not read the thread but what about real metal meccano. It's more of a big boys toy.

[PinkSpottyHat]

No sodding drum kit. Ever!

Nur it's in Devon, sorry!

Rainicorn I'm sure it will go down, I'll be stalking Amazon on Black Friday for that one.

[Monroe]

Also watching with interest. DS will be 9 and also seems to be outgrowing toys.

We bought him a few craft things, crystal growing kit and model airplane kit which seemed to go down well last year.

We also got him a kindle which he loves as well as a scooter and he has a bike already. It's his birthday in a couple of weeks so any ideas we had have gone on that.

He really loves listening to music so I was thinking an ipod? If anyone has any advice on these I'd appreciate it.

[supermariossister]

I still use my ipod nano that I got years and years ago. it has video and ability to record I think,we got a stereo with docking station which was around 70 pound so I could plug ipod into for when in the kitchen,it also charges it , it has cd and radio function also. if you think he would use it I'd say they are pretty useful most people use their smartphones lately but i try not too as it drains battery.

[1122christy]

My 7year old (8 in feb) is wanting Lego dimensions too, I'm hoping price will come which I think it will.
Other things I'm thinking of getting him is minecraft figures, more Lego. He also likes hero mashers. Books. He likes making Hama bead things so will get him a tub of that.

[Monroe]

Thank you super I'll definitely look into getting him something like that.

I've not heard of lego dimensions, off to have a Google. Luckily DS has always appreciated getting clothes too so they'll be going on the list as well

[WhatWouldTheDoctorDo]

Ooh, interesting thread but I'm not thinking about Christmas yet

DS is 7 too and it's all skylanders and Lego here too. Lego dimensions will be on the Christmas list I'm sure. He does like collecting moshi monsters, and periodically gets out a snap circuits set to play with. Decent magic set? He enjoys that.

Will be watching for other ideas too. 7 seems so young to be growing out of toys, and our house can't cope with any more Lego!!

[Dismalfuckers]

Second the balls suggestion

Football goal

Minecraft stuff

Games console/netbook/ laptop/tablet

[Dismalfuckers]

Oops, sorry for techno recommendations