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Birthday present idea for non-sporty 12 year old boy

6 replies

BikeRunSki · 10/08/2020 16:14

DS will be 12 next month and I have no idea what to get him! Or what to tell his grandparents when they ask the same! When asked, all he says is “Lego”. He loves building the kits, and has collected quite a bit of the old and new Harry Potter stuff over the last few years, but I’m thinking he can’t just have Lego. He says he’s not interested in Tecnics.

  • He’s not into football/rugby. He reluctantly plays cricket (we’ve never forced him, but he likes to go and see his mates) and has all the kit he needs. His main sport is archery, but he got a bow and arrows last year, and we don’t have a big enough garden for him to shoot at home.
  • He got a decent bike a couple of years ago, which still fits fine.
  • He’s got a tablet. He’s enjoyed a bit of programming in scratch on it, but seems to have lost interest.
  • All boards games end quickly in a fight.
  • He has a PS4 which he shares with his sister. He recently got a new game with his pocket money, and has no desire for anymore.
  • He’s at a middle school (Y6-Y8) so his teenage influences are limited and other than a Hype rucsac he chose last year after he’d started school, he had no interest in the clothes, shoes etc that he wears.
  • He has guitar lessons, and was very lucky to inherit a lovely guitar when a relative died a couple of years ago.

My plan forbthis birthday was always going to be for him to have “driving lessons” at one of those places where young drivers can get some experience, but - even though they are running - I’m not that comfortable with him doing this right now. Seems a bit of an unnecessary need to go to a city and sit close to a stranger 30 mins.

I realise that makes us, or him at least, sound extremely spoilt, but I’d still like to give him a birthday present!

OP posts:
ilovespinach · 10/08/2020 16:21

Is he interested in a few branded bits of clothing? My 12 year old ds likes Nike etc tees or joggers.
Does he listen to music? Spotify/Amazon subscription.....
Cool watch?

It's hard when they get older....

BikeRunSki · 10/08/2020 16:28

Thanks @ilovespinach. He’s genuinely not interested in clothes. Believe me I’ve tried, but still more than happy with basics from next. He has almost unworn Vans boots that he’s rejected fir his old M&S trainers which he says are more comfortable.

He got an echoDot for Christmas, and listens to music on my Amazon Music account that way.

He got watches for his 7th and 10th birthdays, but refuses to wear either.

I suppose I should be happy that he doesn’t want for anything.

OP posts:
fedup2017 · 10/08/2020 16:32

If he has an electric guitar then an acoustic one or vice versa.
Failing that sweets and money?( We have that to our 13 yr old and despite me feeling it was a cop out he loved it).

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MacavityTheDentistsCat · 10/08/2020 16:34

How about a Turing Tumble? We got our 13 year old DD one for Christmas last year and she loves it (and so does her dad!).
www.turingtumble.com

BikeRunSki · 10/08/2020 16:47

@fedup2017- an electric guitar is a great idea... maybe next year. His lessons are classical/accoustic. He was on the verge of joining the school rock band when school closed! He took his grade 2 the previous week and wanted that out if the way first.

I asked him again, and whet he’d really like is to have his best friend over and play Minecraft all day (his birthday is the last day of the summer hols), but due to local lockdown we can even do that!

I’ve ordered him a nice cake at least.

OP posts:
minnieok · 10/08/2020 16:56

Phone? Think that's what my DD's had. My mum gives them cash in an envelope - dd 1 buys 2 or 3 nice pieces of clothing, still wearing them years later, dd 2 buts a shed load of cheap stuff from primark and lately requested a bank transfer so she can shop online. Girls are easier I suppose

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