5 year old boy Christmas help

[ballpitbonanza]

Hi can I get opinions on these ideas for a crafty 5 year old boy please - Hama beads, aqua beads and a nerf gun!? Have other stuff but not sure about these things.

Do not buy Hama beads under any circumstances- they are a recipe for frustration and disaster. In my experience, child spends ages lovingly creating something, then it gets dropped on the way to the iron, there are many many tears and whole palaver has to be started again. Also, the finished “creations” are utterly rubbish and you will find little plastic beads all over the house for years to come. I cannot advise against them strongly enough.

Haha brilliant!!!! Thank you for the honest review! I can picture that exact scene and am now crossing them firmly off my list!!!
Any thoughts on the other two items?

My DTs were given Qixels when they were 5 and both loved them.

Never had any problems with Hama beads tbh, nerf guns though that's another issue! If you don't mind being popped in the head a few times then not too bad.

Hama beads are fantastic! My DS loves them age 6, it's a non messy way to be creative.

Just carry them over to the side/ironing board when they're finished. We've never had an issue with more than a few spilling.

Clearly DS and I are too clumsy! At risk of sounding v worthy, I also really object to Hama beads on environmental grounds-billions of teeny tiny bits of single use plastic which will never decompose, can’t be reused or recycled. As you can tell, am not a fan!!!!

Oh n Hama beads on a lovely sunny afternoon of school holidays your 7yr old yep 7 not the 3yr old decides to see what happens when you stick one up your nose- its gets stuck and you have to go to A&E that's what happens and mummy 3 doctors and 2 nurses pin you down with mummy consent while the ENT consultant whips ig out as we were not having a Fing overnight stag for a hama bead oh and he wanted it back to finish his art work.

FFS 7yrs old one and only trip to A& E as a childrens nurse I was mortified (also frustrated at the practice nurse wouldn't lend me the nasal hook to do it myself at home :) )

So yeah dont get barstard Hama beads

My youngest is now just turning 5yrs struggled with bday presents and xmas will be tricky too

Have you looked at treasure x both my boys love this

My 5yo nearly 6yo is getting hama beads for Christmas. He and 9yo ds1 live making minecraft and pokemon characters with them.

Do you need 2 types of bead toy?

Personally I absolutely refuse to get nerf guns. I listen to the ophthalmic surgeons stating that a large proportion of eye injuries in my city special unit are from nerf injuries. Not looking for a detached retina thank you!

Plus I dont like gun play. Ds make their own from sticks etc.

I also seem to be getting treasure x for my 5yo. I hate mess and think its utter trash but its top of his list.

Zen my 9yr old with his bday money brought that £60 big treasure x thing he was delighted I was horrified at the money he spent but we have a your bday money spend it as you wish rule

For my son’s birthday, I went to Hobbycraft and bought lots of different craft bits to make a hamper. This included different glues, shaped scissors, wooden spoons, pom-poms, stickers, Clay, google eyes, paper plates and a couple of small kits. He has had so much fun with this, so it might be an idea.

Also, out now nearly seven year old got a Nerf gun last year. He has had lots of fun, but the one he was originally given was too big and complicated. He found it really hard to load and shoot accurately. We bought a more basic one and it’s solved the issue, so I would suggest just a cheap, simple version for now.

These scratch art books are good fun

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00LV0YBTO/ref=cmswwrsmsscapiiikBe0DbCZW88D8