"Growing up" birthday present for 10yo?

[Peregrane]

I am running late with my birthday present for my 10 year old boy. I think he'd appreciate some presents that acknowledge that he is slowly growing out of childhood (of course he'll remain partly a child for a good few years more, I hope). I have thought of his own manicure kit, but that's hardly a fun present, at least on its own. And he will probably be interested in having his room decorated more, but I have very little time at the moment.

So far we have bought two Chris Riddle books and I have organised a nice party for him. I don't want to give him a mountain of gifts but more than two books for sure...

He does not desire many objects, but likes quality and beautiful things. He plays the piano but I don't think he "needs" anything linked to it, he likes puzzles but already has a puzzle table, he is not into football like many boys of his age. He will not be getting a phone yet and we won't be buying fancy electronic gadgets. Any ideas would be gratefully received!

A watch

Thank you @MyBedIsMySpiritualHome!
Good idea in principle. He has won a watch in a raffle so he happens to have one already.

Lynx Africa 😅

Can't go wrong with Lego, the more grown up sets.

A manicure kit?! Take him to show / day out instead of you don't want to get him stuff.

What about something adventurous like a junior track day or climbing experience?

Take him away for the weekend ? My son really enjoyed an overnight trip to our nearest city and loved the novelty of a hotel.

go for a nice day trip somewhere exciting, or an overnight stay with a fun activity you can do together.

Must say I'm a bit floored by the manicure set but each to his own! I have a DS this age and he would like a theatre trip (back to the future, lion king & Mrs doubtfire were all hits with him) or a an activity such as course of climbing lessons at the local indoor wall. My ds is sporty though and enjoys footy etc which you say your chap isn't so maybe the climbing wouldn't be for him. But maybe there's a coding course or robot making or something which you think would interest him - doesn't need to be a passion he already has, helping him find something new maybe?

An experience was a good present at that age for DD.

We did zoo keepers and several theatre trips over the years. Overnight stay in an unusual place?

Technical Lego

camera
fitbit
cool rucksack
wallet with a voucher/money in it

Telescope and an astronomy book
Binoculars
Cookbook and lots of different cookery utensils/decorations
Walking with llamas experience

Some good ideas on here. Just adding those strip light thingies to the list.

This sort of thing

https://amzn.eu/d/gLlz3zU

My kids liked them at that age and made their room look more ‘older child’.

A wallet?

Lynx
a wallet or his own bank card

not sure about the manicure set…

My sons slightly older but a manicure kit wouldn’t be on his radar but he does like his aftershave and Lego.
What’s he into? We usually do a trip with an overnight stay, a sports match, theme park, overnight stay in the city, safari park.

The new Polaroid cameras (and some packs of films) are fun

edited to add link to the one DD has Camera

I’m pretty sure my children would not enjoy a manicure set but maybe your son has always wanted one.

A clothes shopping trip to sports shores or where he chooses his own clothes?
An experience like wall climbing?
A circus or show eg Jurassic Live?
An activity - Ice skating? Nerf wars? Zip lines?
A tablet?
A trip to the cinema, order pizza and have a sleepover with a few friends?

We did stadium tour (their favourite team) they loved it x

We did a Go Henry card with some spending money already added for 10th bday. It went down a treat. They felt like a proper grown up tapping their own card on the machine, having picked their own clothes.

Go Henry is great idea, but look into hyper jar as well because it's fhe same but free

Stadium tour
Indoor skydiving
Go carting
Wallet

Those are some super ideas there!

I shall report back on how the manicure set went down :D I remember being pleased when I received my own as a teen! (just standard scissors etc, no nailpolish or fancy things). Then again, we were quite poor and living behind the iron curtain so I also got toothbrushes and oranges for Christmas :D We don't have the same budget constraints now, thank goodness, but we are not into buying stuff just because we can. In any case, I bought my son a travel kit in real leather with quality scissors and file.

He would love an experience. If I had been switched on earlier I could have bought him a concert ticket for an artist we recently discovered whom he enjoys, but she has just finished touring... gah.

DS got his door key and a cool key ring as it was the first year he was walking home from school alone. He also got a man bag and loads of Lego