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Christmas

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Original poster

What are you buying your 8yr old DS?

27 replies

Iseechickens · 10/08/2014 09:04

I'm not sure what to get and looking for ideas.

He loves being outdoors, reading, making comics and has a xbox and iPad.

He's getting to the stage where he doesn't play much with toys anymore, he will get out his trash pack bundle or lego but doesn't seem to spend more than an hour before he's back outside or reading.

At this stage I can only think maybe a pedalled go kart? But that's just one idea.

OP posts:
MamaPain · 10/08/2014 10:04

My youngest DS is 9, I haven't decided on a main present yet as am waiting to see what he puts on his list. He will get some lego as he's still obsessed, but otherwise I'm a bit Confused too.

About the go kart, where does he play? We had one for eldest DS a few years ago and it was fine on pavement but he couldn't pay with it on grass/mud. As it was very low and invisible to cars I didn't want him playing out in the street with it. Turned out to be a bit disappointing. May have just been that our was crap but thought I'd let you know.

AppleAndMelon · 10/08/2014 10:19

In the past we've done basketball net, football goal, one of those sticks you hop around on. Lego still a big hit here. Kobo or kindle for reading (the mini kobo is good for children).

PinkSquash · 10/08/2014 10:22

Marking place and will come back a bit later!

TheWoollybacksWife · 10/08/2014 10:27

DS will be 8 just after Christmas. He's getting a Hudl. His big sister got one last year and he asks about once a week if Santa could bring him one. I'm planning to preload it with Minecraft and Fifa14. He's good about screen time limits with my iPad so I'm happy to do it. The only other thing he's mentioned is a Liverpool dressing gown.

New footie kit for his birthday.

TheWoollybacksWife · 10/08/2014 10:31

Has your DS got a den making kit?

Original poster
Iseechickens · 10/08/2014 10:38

I'm glad it's not only me struggling for ideas. Smile

We live out in the wilds so he will have plenty on room for the go kart, we have a good size brick pave drive and in front of the house. It's any idea though but don't want to waste money so really unsure yet what to do.

Would you say the kobo is better than the kindle? He has the kindle app on his iPad and uses that a lot so don't really want to double up if I can help it.

OP posts:
Original poster
Iseechickens · 10/08/2014 10:40

wife yes, bought it last year for him. He loves playing with it.

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AppleAndMelon · 10/08/2014 12:23

I would say a kindle and kobo are very similar but which ever you buy ties you in to where you buy books (though I think with kobo you can buy from quite a few places, not sure about kindle). The main advantage is that the battery life is much, much longer than a tablet if you are on holiday etc. The little kobos often get reduced to about £30 in Smiths and can fit in a school blazer pocket or trouser pocket.

AppleAndMelon · 10/08/2014 12:24

Scooter, camera?

DitzyDonkey · 10/08/2014 13:11

My ds has asked for a tele (not for his bedroom but sitting room, where he can set up his x box etc)

Loves minecraft so will be getting minecraft figurines, annual ec

Couple of games for Xbox and ds

ADORES books so a couple David Walliams and other ones I have to think about

After that I'm kinda stumped also.....

Original poster
Iseechickens · 10/08/2014 13:56

Thanks Apple will have a look at the kobo next time we are in town.

He has a nice stunt scooter that we bought years ago and will last another couple of years. DD and DS share a camera, tbh they don't use it much as it is, but there when they want it. They have a TV/DVD combi in the den already, it's our old one but works fine.

An annual I will buy and a game or two. I'm stumped too for the main present.

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MegBusset · 13/08/2014 22:48

Reading with interest. DS1 will be nearly 8 at Christmas and it's the first year I've had no idea what to get him, apart from lego and books! I'm thinking about maybe a decent electronic keyboard as he has enjoyed playing the piano at GPs' house but we don't have room for a full size one!

Original poster
Iseechickens · 17/08/2014 11:05

Spent yesterday afternoon in ToysRUs and there was nothing he really 'wanted'. He understands there's a budget and ATM he want 2 games for the xbox and that's about it. I hate spending money and find the toys are not being played with and he is getting to an age he doesn't play much with his toys.

I'm half thinking about getting a PS4, but not sure yet. I know it will be played with and will have it for years. trying to justify the cost

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PringleLicker · 17/08/2014 11:11

If he likes making comics (which might suggest an interest in animation) and also lego and iPad, could you get a video camera and software to make animated movies with his lego figures that he could upload to YouTube? No idea what exact stuff would be needed, but my DS did it at a summer activity session and loved it.

trice · 17/08/2014 11:19

It sounds like he might prefer "experience" presents. A season ticket to the pool, cinema vouchers, a magazine/comic subscription.

TheWorldAccordingToJC · 17/08/2014 11:20

Mine will be 8 in December and I'm also wracking my brains! He owns all the toys in the world as it is and must have thousands of sets of Lego, so it makes it doubly hard.

Mine can't read properly ( whole other subject! ) and obviously has books but no point buying more of those. He enjoys ..

Being outdoors
Lego
Halo
Figures such as power rangers and transformers
Ipad addiction - he's mad for minecraft and war type games ( which we restrict! )

So far he's said he'd like a slushy maker, more ' Mashers' and some more Minecraft animal figures.

I'm stuck for a main present though

Original poster
Iseechickens · 17/08/2014 14:09

pringle he loves doing his own videos with lego, LPS, oidroids etc and does them on his iPad, the iPad seems to double up as lots of things! He would love to upload them to youtube but I've said only when he's 10. Is that reasonable or am I a bit strict?

He had a beano subscription last Christmas which we will carry on, both DC love the magazine coming through the door.

It's just finding the main present I'm having problems with.

He also loves cheetahs and wild animals so maybe adopt a pet for a year?

Thank you for all your ideas, very grateful.

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PringleLicker · 17/08/2014 16:38

Perfectly reasonable Iseechickens, my DS is a bit older so a bit different.

Has he got a bike? I seem to remember reading something about a limited edition chopper bike coming out.

My Ds and his dad had a go at flying and landing different types of planes in a flight simulator last Christmas. Think I got it from Amazon local or groupon or somewhere like that. They loved it.

AtlanticDrift · 18/08/2014 22:41

If you are thinking of some sort of go kart, this is super. 4 ds (6,8,10. &12) here and we've had green machine and few other go karts but the Rip Rider 360 is definitely the most popular of them all. It can move in any direction with the caster wheels and is on its 3rd year of play here.

Original poster
Iseechickens · 19/08/2014 07:02

pringle yes he has a bike which should last another two years, going to look into your idea though DS would love that.

atlantic that looks very cool! I'm sure that would be a hit with DS. Are the back wheels fully intact after 3 years? Some of the reviews were saying the back wheels wear quickly.

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daisydalrymple · 19/08/2014 11:06

I think we're going with a football table (DS will be 8 in feb). He also wants a new football kit but i've decided that will be a pressy under the tree 'to ds happy christmas love mummy and daddy' this year, after last year's 'mummy why do you buy presents for everybody else but not us? And everybody else buys us a present'!! (Not in a particularly spoilt wanting more gifts tone i should add Grin ).

Original poster
Iseechickens · 19/08/2014 11:43

daisy that's a good idea too! DH would love that

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306235388 · 19/08/2014 21:04

Reading this with interest as Ds turns 8 in December.

He loves football and is obsessed with it and hasn't played much with his toys this summer because he's been constantly outside....playing football.

He wants a kit for Xmas but actually he's getting it soon because we are redecorating his room in a football theme as a surprise and will put the kit in his wardrobe.

Other than football he likes:
Books but isn't a good reader Hmm
Lego
Star Wars
Soldiers
CBBC
History and science

So far my ideas are

Mine craft figures
New bigger goals for the garden
Football boots

Am stuck otherwise! What also is annoying is that dd is almost. 4 so still getting big in size presents like dolls prams and cots and a slide for the garden etc ...

306235388 · 19/08/2014 21:07

Oh and due to a very large family he has a bike, stunt scooter, go kart and table football. One thing I know he'd adore is a new games console but that isn't happening - he already has a wii, hudl and ds. If he casually mentions the need for a console to his uncle though his wish will be fulfilled which is lovely but excessive! He sounds spoilt but tbh we haven't bought much of this, it's all been extended family.

aubreye · 20/08/2014 22:08

DS is turning 10 in late September so here is a list of things he is getting;
-New bike- from me and DH
-Set of two Nerf guns- from FIL and MIL
-A pair of navy converses- from my mother
-A new XBox game- from SIL and her family (she has a son who is helping her choose one)

  • A new baseball bat and mitt- from one my brothers (lives in US and son has been great at baseball every time we go and visit them and brother came up with this idea)
-iTunes £20 gift card- from another one of my three brothers -A nike sports duffel bag- from the third of my brothers (Some money from other relatives)

For Christmas so far it's;

-New Head Tennis Racket, something from TopShop (saw him looking online last night (he's tall for his age so would fit an XS T-Shirt - Me and DH
-New astro studs for his football boots- from MIL and FIL

In his stocking we were thinking some new picks for his guitar.