What to buy when they outgrow toys?

[MonsterDeCookie]

I am struggling with what to get DSS (12) this year. He used to be Lego mad and Harry Potter anything would do. The only thing he wants this year is an Xbox and that's not happening for a host of reasons. What have other people bought their preteen boys?

DS is 11 and firmly in the no Lego camp as well In a couple years I guess designer clothes will be a thing but they're not yet so after much wheedling and coaxing for ideas I have got:
A GoPro
RC car
Nintendo 3DS
Decent backpack for scouts
Small tent for scouts
A knife
Smaller bits and pieces, clothes, books etc
Will also get an Xbox game and probably a gift card for Xbox live.

That seems quite a lot but things like the tent and backpack I would end up buying anyway. Buying them for Christmas has simply padded the pile out a bit

New bike? Segway?

Tech, tech and more tech :)

Mine are 15 and 14, still not into fashion etc so that may not be an option in the future :( Gaming stuff is the main request but they've also had the large wheeled "adult" scooters too as they use these to get to and from the park when taking a bike seems like too much hassle.

Stuff for his bedroom maybe. DS1 got an architects drawing board and all the gubbins one year. We've done scout equipment too at times.

Camera/software for the computer?

If you can get to Weybridge, Mercedes-Benz World offer driving experiences for anyone over 1.5 metres tall.

£45 for half an hour in a B class or £50 for half an hour off road in a 4x4 Merc.

All excellent ideas - thank you! We have a wii so maybe more games for that. He does do scouts but I have no idea what stuff he might need. I might see if I can figure it out. We got him a bike two Christmas's ago and it's never been used once. It's not as flashy as the one at his mum's so has been refused. The Go Pro camera idea is ace. I think he'd love that. I'm trying not to buy too much stuff this year because in past years lots has remained in the package months down the line! But DS will get more presents because he's 3 and the things he wants are cheap and I don't want DSS to feel short changed.

My Ds is so hard to buy for and has been for years! He's 14 now and already has his Xbox One, computer games, a laptop, a bike, a smart phone he has no interest in upgrading, a TV etc etc. This year he's getting an outfit, some aftershave, chocs, maze runner books and £100 to spend on whatever he wants. He prefers the money and it means I'm not wracking my brains trying to think of presents for him which he inevitably doesn't end up using. Makes my life so much easier!

Dd aged 11 is getting similar. She wants to save for a laptop so will use the £100 I give her towards that.

Will he still secretly enjoy any of the things he's too old and cool for?

My godmother got me an ice skater barbie when I was 12, which obvously I pretended I was too old and cool for (not to her face though obv!) but I secretly loved it and played with it loads!

I tunes cards would be popular, I guess, but not quite the same, I know.

Actually cookie I was asked for a GoPro, what I actually bought was this:
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00J02XVYG/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It has (mostly) great reviews and as I suspect it will spend much of its time strapped to the top of a RC car, I'm happy with the price