Save my school holidays (what can DS7 play with)

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The first day has been very up and down, I would love help/ideas:

DS(7) is OBSESSED with the switch and talks constantly about his favourite game. Obviously we restrict it, way more tbh than we probably would do if he was less into it!! Feels like punishing him for liking it but there you go.

Consequently he gets on both our nerves. All the time he's talking about it, telling us what he's done or is going to do next, counting down to his next time of being allowed. It's incessant.

What else can we get him into that he will like and might distract him a bit? And that he can do himself?

He likes:
Mario Lego - but needs help
Board games - but he can't play those alone
Imaginary games - but wants a partner and DH and I are SO over that
Reading - but not enough to do it for ages, he's an early morning/bedtime reader mostly.

He's such a happy sociable little thing and so keen to please and I honestly feel bad for him that he's stuck in a house of introverts who have shit going on (DD (10) will play with him but not 24/7, DH is swamped with work and I'm about to start chemo). We do have him signed up for a few clubs but it's the time around those that's going to get us, I'd love to be able to buy him something engaging that he could get some real independent pleasure from.

Any help or toy suggestions or frankly any parenting advice welcome!!

Dogman & Bunny Vs Monkey books, my two would always go back and reread them over and over

An audiobook in the background while he does Lego/drawing/ whatever? It takes away the "silence" without needing any input from you? (Except setting up a free borrowbox account and joining it with your library card)

Good luck with chemo, OP.

Have you considered he is possibly addicted to the screen because he is aware that some point you will restrict it?

Perhaps for this summer just let him have it without time limits (obviously making sure it is content you are happy with him accessing and is safe) and you will see he will want it less.

Sometimes the restriction feeds the addiction.

Or perhaps just let him be bored. When he says "I'm bored" just reply "I can't wait to see what you come up with"
Kids are supposed to be bored.

OMG the thought of giving him a laser chills my blood 😂 that does look a fun toy though!!

Times tables games would certainly ring the changes. There's a plants vs zombies type one that he likes.

snowgal my DD adores those! She gets the Phoenix but Ds isn't interested yet sadly. Even when she nicks his Beanos he doesn't reciprocate.

user478 great idea! DD has various audiobooks which DS has not tried. I'll see what he makes of those!

rumby the boredom thing- I know exactly what you mean, but I just don't feel like we are providing DS with any good options when he's bored. If DD says that to me then I suggest writing, cross stitch, reading, some kind of Hatchimals type creation, drawing/crafting, the list goes on. Or as you say, I just send her off to be bored and she has to solve that problem. With DS it doesn't feel like I'm sending him away to find something he likes doing, if feels like I've said no to everything he likes and sent him away anyway. He's full of suggestions of how to fill his days, it's just that they all involve us too!

I would look into more holiday clubs otherwise its going to be a very long summer with no holiday to break it up. Are there any that are new skill focused like sailing or computing?

He is signed up for some clubs, but they're not boarding school (and nor would I want that!!). They are mostly 9-3 which leaves about six hours in his day. Take out an hour for eating/bathing and that would still give him 5 hours to fill. I'd like there to be something he's looking forward to in that time, that's not screens.

Would he be interested in any kind of home science kits or electronics? I'm. Not sure what is available these days but I remember at that age my brother and I had a How To science book of experiments we would work through and an electronics board that had crocodile clips etc and if you followed instructions in the book for different tasks you could make it ring a bell, or turn a light on etc. At least one summer was spent pored over that.

Alternatively, scalextric?