Help! Birthday present for nephew who is going to be 11 - I think.

[GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER]

Hope I am NBU posting here - didn't know where else to put it. Hardly ever see him since they live abroad, but will be seeing the family next week, arriving just before his b-day. Any ideas of what is popular for boys that age? I don't have a clue. He probably has most stuff anyway, so I need inspiration. Would be v grateful for any ideas - I only have tomorrow and Sunday to shop. Can't be anything very expensive or bulky, since I will be going on Eurostar with minimal baggage.
Many thanks, anybody who can suggest.

Noone's mentioned Minecraft. Do I have the only children addicted to minecraft?

Cold hard cash and a bag of sweets :)

I would stay away from vouchers if they live outside the UK because they probably won't have UK iTunes accounts etc or worse would be geoblocked. Unless you buy them while you're there.

I'd probably get something small and give cash. I don't think you need to give £50 though!

No Sloppy you're not alone!

Sloppy, you're not alone but who knows what the birthday child of indeterminate age overseas is into?!

but who knows what the birthday child of indeterminate age overseas is into

His parents?

Thanks everybody. I don't think it'd be much use texting his parents - they'd only tell me not to bother. The family is not exactly 'short' so I didn't want to give money - just some little present to open that he might like. I don't even see him every year hence not quite sure of age. Did ask dh since it's his family but of course he wasn't 100% either...
Many thanks for suggestions - will be trawling the JL toys today.

I have an 11 year old. His favourite gift ever was a decent swiss army knife which he uses all the time and actually we do too. If we are on holiday or day trips we are always asking to borrow it. It has tweezers/screwdriver/scissors/knife blades/bottle opener/nail file etc etc.
Other thinghs he likes Nerf guns,watch,stopwatch,compass,walkie talkies,Beano subscription,Ripleys books,magic tricks,anything lego

I think the amount to spend on gifts is a very individual thing. In our family we have a limit of £5 unless a significant birthday. We are a big family with a vast range of incomes so wanted to keep it fair. I try and stick to this budget generally as it feels odd to spend more on random kids I don't know well than my neices and nephews but I try and get stuff in sales etc so it does not appear cheap. I think kids get a ridiculous amount spent on them these days and it just adds to the culture of people living beyond what they can afford. A small well chosen gift can bring alot of pleasure.

Rubik's cube or Bop it type game

Frisbee or Boomerang

I'd agree with a voucher- if they have a phone a voucher for apps goes down well.

Technic Lego, graphic novels (Alex Rider ones popular here) or books on AdventureTime or similar would also work.

Lego?? Lego?? My two sons would have been embarrassed to have been given Lego at 11. Some 11 year-olds are basically adolescents, not little children.

John Lewis toys probably not the best- most 11 year old boys are beyond the toy stage- JL have a teen gadgets section. Just because the parents are well off doesn't mean the children have money

I did get my 11 year old nephew a swiss army knife-only to find out that he already had 2 as a scout.

I think lego is for all ages. Some of the (admittedly eyewateringly expensive) kits are aged 14+ and even 16+ but I definitely do not think you can say it is babyish. My 10,11 and 13 year old all still love it when in the mood.

Some 11 year-olds are basically adolescents, not little children

I think DS would be upset to be called a little child because he loves Lego. He sits there doing Technical lego, sucking in the air as he looks at the instructions and then blaming the instructions when it's not quite right - until he's found a mistake.

Good training for Ikea

Where do they live? What about a London t-shirt or if pushing the boat out a football shirt for a British team. My nephews who were born in and live in the USA love to get England football or rugby shirts

my 11 year old views lego as very babyish, and like the previous poster said he wouldn't like toys etc as he's more adolescent. I think money would be best, then he can buy something appropriate for his own tastes whilst they are visiting

I second the football shirts, I bought an 12 year old goalie gloves in his favourite British team. Not too pricey or a baseball cap. I think all boys wear them. And some British sweets

I think Lego is for all ages.

For all ages who like playing with children's toys, maybe. Sure, some 14 year olds still like playing with Lego. Some adults like collecting teddy bears.

I still think it's a bizarre assumption to make that an 11 year-old you don't know would be pleased to get Lego.

I still think it's a bizarre assumption to make that an 11 year-old you don't know would be pleased to get Lego

No one knows what anyone will like if they don't know the child.

Each child is different - I do think it's a bit sad that people are labelling toys as childish. Isn't that a bit like labelling toys as 'boy's or girl's toys' and judging them?

I do think it's hard to say what an 11yr old boy will like without falling into stereotypes.
Football tops?
Minecraft?
Lego?

And as for Lego...

www.lego.com/en-gb/seriousplay/the-method

The LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Method is a facilitated meeting, communication and problem-solving process in which participants are led through a series of questions, probing deeper and deeper into the subject. Each participant builds his or her own 3D LEGO® model in response to the facilitator's questions using specially selected LEGO® elements. These 3D models serve as a basis for group discussion, knowledge sharing, problem solving and decision making

The LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Method is a technique which improves group problem solving. By utilizing visual, auditory and kinesthetic skills, the Method requires participants to learn and listen, and it provides all participants with a voice. The Method serves as a shared language regardless of culture or position. It is also a method that requires a trained facilitator

The best thing for an 11 year old is either cash or a shit ton of sweets. Foreign sweets are particularly good actually.

Yy to foreign sweets.

Our 12 year olds love those aerobie rings, one of them has a boomerang version, which is great for lone play. Although they are all buggers for getting stuck in trees.