Gifts for a bright boy who can't read?

[Methenyouplus4]

Our 7 year old DS is smart as a whip but still can't read (dyslexia assessment pending). Trying to think of gifts he can play with himself that don't require the ability to read. He has bike, scooter etc, it's more things for before bed/ lazy afternoon where normally you might pick up a book.

In the past he has had:

1. Lego (loads from older sibling)
2. Electric Circuits
3. Board games (is incredible at them, happily plays ones aged 14+ as long as no writing)

So far this year I have thought of:

1. A good maze book
2. Find it type books (Where's Wally, I Spy etc)
3. The 'Journey' trilogy by Aaron Becker (story with no words, he already has one called 'The Arrival' which is similar). Be grateful for any other recommendations of books like this.
4. Find it toy (shaker where you have to find tiny pieces hidden in beads).

Any other ideas gratefully received. I did think about some sort of device to listen to audio books on?

I was also going to say rush hour and Rubik’s cube.

Zoom is a good book (Puffin)
You can never have too much Lego
Kinex
iPod for audio books
Sketch pad and how to draw book
Fimo
Skateboard

If you have a waterstones near you they have a great Dyslexia section.
My son is 10 and severely dyslexic although he loves fact books!!
They also have books with the coloured paper, which makes reading easier, they have choose your own pathway books eg. You start a chapter (they're very short a paragraph or two ) it gives you 2 options A and B and the reader chooses which they'd like and it says proceed to page 6, it carries on like this and the child then feels like he's made his own choices about said book?
Does that make sense?
They also have old classic but, much shorter versions which whittle out the boring parts. :)
I have the names of many good fact and history books, if your son is into those.

I agree with the poster that said you can't have too much lego! My kids get gifted lego on birthdays and Christmas. Lego is always bringing out new sets to build. Addictaball keeps my kids entertained for ages and rubix cube. Jigsaw is another thing he might enjoy. Stationary and art supplies.

For wordless books I like Jeannie Baker.

Manga drawing books are great for kids into Pokémon etc

Dyslexia friendly reading books - a whole set.

Things to encourage him to read. Dd is dyslexic and hates reading but actually she did learn, just really reluctant at that age to bother because it was hard for her. It's well worth it because they are still bright and can learn to overcome it to a certain extent, she still won't read for pleasure but is at university studying for a maths based course

I recommend books aimed at reluctant readers, graphic novels. Also maybe a circuit set, raspberry pi to learn coding

@Pinkypie86 I didn't know this about Waterstones! I'll be going tomorrow with my son!

My son is older now but he always loved factual books with plenty of pictures. Wed look at them together and even though he was not able to read them independently he would also look at the pictures.

@CaviarAndCigarettes

Honestly they're fab!! I took my son into our local one and the staff couldn't have been more helpful, in fact the lady who we spoke to has Dyslexia and, really made my son feel special.
If you just ask for the Dyslexia friendly section.. :)

Great ideas on this thread-thank you! Our ds6 isn’t a confident reader but loves fact books with lots of pictures-national geographic for kids are good and audio books have been great for the car too-Harry potter and Roald Dahl big hits.

More lovely ideas- thank you!

I have done a screenshot of all the suggestions for dyslexia friendly books; he isn't a reluctant 'reader' in the sense that he adores books and is read to daily- DH is currently reading him the second illustrated Harry Potter which he's loving. Our house is stuffed with books as DH& I are both English teachers and he is one of 4 so mountains of children's books. The issue is access, his level of reading alone is about the following sentence 'A cat sat on a log', and even then he would have to slowly sound out each of the words.

Several of the suggestions he already has (or siblings have/ are 'family' toys), so both Rush Hour and Tsuro (both loved), rubix cube (less interested), has loads of art stuff and lots of science things as that was main theme for him last year (do science sets, microscopes, science based bath toys etc).

Graivitrax looks like a great step up from our marble run, we've had it a couple of years now and has been well played with, but it's probably a bit too simplistic now.

I also think he would love those real bricks, do you have to buy cement etc separately?

Brother is getting a keyboard so I might see of he shows an interest in that, and if he does get him an instrument for his badly (Feb).

Thank you again, so many ideas and listed them all to have a proper look at, I'll be buying several. [santa]

book of the snowman? Waterstone's children's section will also have plenty of "coffee table" type beautifully illustrated books about animals/maps etc.

In terms of toys - old school cup and ball/yoyo/rubiks cube type toys?

oops,sorry cross posted there about rubiks cube!

Forgot to add, he has atlas and loads of non-fiction, what would be best option for audiobooks? I definitely don't want anything that has other 'tech' available on it (games etc) as I feel that would be too tempting.

Have you heard of an E-Reader pen?
I'm sure that's the name - they're a little pricey but, if you're wanting him to become more independent in his reading then it might help. It's an electronic pen that you run across the words of a book, and it reads it back to you, stores the last read sentences and take you to a definition of the word ( if they don't know the meaning ).
My son doesn't have one yet but, I definitely will be getting him one when it's his Bday.

A light up globe?
Wanderlust scratch off map of the world? Amazing, if we travel on holiday we scratch off the country and it reveals underneath facts about said country.. very cool and decorative.

Graphic novels? There are lots of graphic adaptations of classic books, educational ones like Maus (Holocaust survivors diary) and also fun ones like Elfquest. Graphic novels are great for dyslexics because they can convey more complicated concepts & facts without dense text and lots of words.
Here is a list of 100 top graphic novels
www.npr.org/2017/07/12/533862948/lets-get-graphic-100-favorite-comics-and-graphic-novels?t=1571898798496

Pinky is this the one you mean?

www.amazon.co.uk/C-pen-FBA_7350085370028-C-Pen-Reader/dp/B015OL7VNS/ref=asc_df_B015OL7VNS/?hvlocphy=9046751&linkCode=df0&hvptwo&psc=1&hvnetw=g&hvadid=310843019467&hvpone&hvlocint&hvpos=1o1&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl&hvqmt&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&hvtargid=pla-561405563666&hvrand=1224467791673365019

I haven't come across it but really interested, thank you. Going to do a little more research but looks great.

He has an atlas and unfortunately the scratch map might not be great as we tend to holiday in the UK every year, it would get boring scratching off the Lakes every summer.

Yes that's the one.
They do look really good, especially down to the fact it promotes independent reading - because let's face it we can't always be there. :/
My sons school will let him use it too - so it could come in handy if your son might need the extra help in school too?
Haha.. they might do a UK version, I'll have a quick look. We don't holiday anywhere too exotic yet either - chance would be a fine thing.

They do a UK version.. so your son can scratch off every town, county etc.
I've just ordered one for us £8.95 - we are always wanting to find new places to go - may even give the kids free reign next time! God help us. :)

Marble Run
Jigsaw
Playing cards and a book of games

Look at Dogman books. Those are what got my DS reading. He was so turned off by reading he wouldn't even touch it.
It sat on the worktop until curiosity got the better of him. Then I suggested I read it to him. Got him hooked, then him reading the odd word, then alternative pages before he started reading them himself.

What about a subscription for audible.co.uk. DGD1 has dyslexia and loved hers. She could 'read' books of her age but not her ability. I think we stated it when the Harry Potter books came out. She is 24 now and still uses audible as loves books but still struggles with reading