What to buy for a 7 year old who likes taking things to pieces?!

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He loves tinkering with old clocks etc and a screwdriver. Any ideas?

A rubik's cube!!

Something from the Science Museum range - make a robotic hand etc.

Thank you. He's got loads of Meccano and Lego (have bought him both before) and has got a Rubik's Cube. I'll look at the Science Museum range. Do keep 'em coming! :)

Combustion Engine looks good but more than I want to spend, really.

ds is 7.5 now and exactly the same - he had this last year (6.5 years) built it with a bit of help and LOVED it - he spent most of boxing day asking people what sweets they wanted out of the roses tin and picking them
He's not a fan of meccano but loves kinects - if lego then definitely technics not 'normal' lego
We're looking at a powered technics set this Christmas and probably a box of things from maplins from which he can make circuits - I have seen science circuit kits too but I think they are pricey, we'll get him a book and bits to make up a starter kit

A makey makey (google them - simple to use but hard to explain! )

The robot arm looks amazing - but I don't really want to spend more than £15 tops, as I've already got some Lego.

John Adams HotWires set? Here DS is 6 and desperate for this!!

Sorry - xpost. The hot wires set is a little more than £15!

How about Snap Circuits? My DS got the Junior kit for his birthday last year and has played with it loads. Its building rather than taking apart but it has taught him how different electrical things work (in a safe way!) and now he builds his own circuits by altering the ones in the instruction book.

My DS sounds similar to yours. He's 9 now but he got given this when he turned 7 and LOVED IT: www.amazon.co.uk/Make-Your-Own-CLOCK-Kit/dp/B0039ZMZGK/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

A soldering iron and a baking tray and lots of broken electronic things.

He might be able to fix them, or just be interested in what is inside, or he might just enjoy unsoldering the components.

Thanks both. He's not my ds, hence my not wanting to spend a lot. :) The clock looks a possibility, but possibly a bit too educational looking for the kind of boy he is!

MIL got the same Make-your-own-clock toy for 5yo DS last yr. Mostly it was 8yo DS who put it together, I wouldn't say it's overly educational. You can see how the cogs work to make the hands move which is pretty cool.

Not very durable and novelty wears off quickly!

5yo DS likes building stuff from this set (it is suitable for up to age 10 I reckon). You can find the instructions for building the vehicles online.