Best presents our 8-12 year olds have received...

[ThreeLannistersOneTargaryen]

I often see threads on Mumsnet asking for ideas for birthday or Christmas presents, so I thought we could share the best presents our children have received.

Here are our family's top four:

1. Compact digital cameras: bought for DS3 and DD for their eighth birthdays, and still used nearly every day, two years on.

1. Minecraft: exceptionally good value for money in terms of hours spent playing it. All three boys play regularly.

1. Onesies: popular with 14 y old, 12 y olds and both nearly 10 y olds. In our family, you can't go wrong with this one.

1. Rainbow loom: only DD makes them, but DS3 is happy to wear the results. She says it was the best Christmas present ever. I think the phase will pass, and the bands get everywhere.

[starfish4]

My daughter's most used presents have been her Nintendo ds and her ipod. After that books are a firm favourite, as is money!

[LastingLight]

Books, books and more books. Magic kit. Money (which might be spent on books).

[Takver]

YY to rainbow loom, I was dubious when dd got this last Xmas (she was 11) but it has seen massive use.

Scramble net - expensive and a pain to put up, but has been a long term winner over several years.

YY also to magic set, dd was given a very good one and it really sparked an interest

Swiss army knife - 9th birthday present & still in regular use (and not lost!) 3 years later.

[MissHooliesclassmonitor]

ooh good thread - was just wondering what to buy ds1 10 yrs (loves minecraft, Wii etc but i want to get him doing other things) and ds2 (creative, actorish, loves drawing) with money they are getting from gran. £20 each if anyone has any ideas they would be much appreciated!

[Trollsworth]

A iPod.

Sorry. I know that this is not a popularly answer with parents, but it's extremely popular with children.

[Takver]

Can't help with your ds1, but dd is similar to your ds2 (creative/artistic), & she really liked this book on drawing (aimed at adults, but fine for kids.)

Another present that's had a lot of use is a small whittling knife + this book.

[exexpat]

DD (now 11, very into arts and crafts) best present over the past few years: little sewing machine from John Lewis; mini glue gun; big box of lots of craft/sewing materials (e.g. packs of interesting buttons and ribbons from ebay). iPod nano. Mini-tablet (nexus) for games, youtube/iplayer and using as a kindle. Also last Christmas her favourite present was a unicorn set: unicorn onesie, unicorn t-shirt, unicorn necklace, unicorn plaque for her bedroom etc - all sourced from ebay and Amazon.

DS doesn't do 'stuff' so much, so the best/most used present he has ever had is his iPod touch - he's now on his second, and it gets used every day.

[MissHooliesclassmonitor]

Thanks Takver - would never have thought of those kind of books, especially the whittling one great idea!

[soontobeslendergirl]

Scooters