Ideas needed for 6.5 year old DS

[eorandpiglit]

Hi - I have 6.5 year old DS. His Xmas wish list is for things like Game Boy or Nintendo or Playstation. Most of his friends have these or are getting them but for various reasons I have already decided to hold out until at least his 7th birthday next summer. He knows this and I think he accepts that Santa wont be bringing them.

Trouble is I would like to get him something else he will love but he hasnt really come up with his own ideas. Meanwhile DD has come up with some lovely ideas and I have her sorted.

All friends I ask at school seem to be coming up with Nintendos etc so I am looking for help on here. If you have any suggestions pls let me know.
Thanks

My DS who is 7.3 wants loads of Lego although he particularly wants the Star Wars stuff and that is v. expensive. He also wants the National Geographic Metal detector which he has seen advertised on tv. He isn't much interested in anything else although he did get a second hand Playstation for his birthday so he has asked for a couple of games for that as well.

Apart from that i will probably find him a board game and some books.

What about a CD player or iPod/MP3 type thing so that he can listen to audio stories.

this

Dss (6) is having this for his big christmas present.

HTH?

I think you need to go for something fairly dramatic to compete against all the computer games consoles etc. DS is currently looking at the Mars Mission lego, one of the larger pieces out of that range might be good?

How about something remote controlled? They can be pretty impressive.

we've got ds (6.5) this for christmas. but he his a huge hamilton and F1 fan

watching this with interest, DS (1) is also 6.5 and I too have decided that the DS lite he wants will wait for his birthday, not sure what else to go for as he is not great at playing with his toys and although he will enjoy books not sure they will have much xmas wow factor.

Have just come back on here - thanks for ideas so far. We have a mini-scaletrix (My First Scaletrix ages 4 to 7) which he has sort of outgrown 9 it comes out every now and then) but I think another one wouldnt impress.
Hvae been through some remote controlled toys - not majorly expensive ones - but is it just our household or do other people find that they never seem to last very long?

Will look into Mars Mission Lego - he likes space things but I have never heard of this? He has been given some Lego Bionilces last year and they didnt seem to interest him. Is this similar? He still plays with basic lego blocks now and then (with younger DD).

Will also look at your idea Scorpio1. My DS loves his basic little £7 transformers so this might be a possibility although DH might put his foot down over the price I am not sure.

Any more ideas welcome. Thanks so far.

DS is getting a new bike.

I feel very mundane...

Geomag and magnetix are good for this age group.

My ds (6 turning 7) has been informed that he will never get a nintendo, wii (who names a toy after urine) or similar, no matter what his friends get. I also don't feel the need to keep up with the Jones...ds and dd will get reasonable presents that I know they will love. Ds is getting a new bike for his birthday and we still haven't figured out xmas.

Having said that, you asked for suggestions...we gave this to ds last year and he LOVES it. He still plays with it all the time. Make sure you get the 150 piece one called Rollercoasterl. Some of the others are a little complicated for a younger child. Also, the Hot Wheels sets are always popular with boys of any age and any personality. Ds is nerdy non-sporty type, but all his frinds including (super atheletic jock types) from 2 to 12 play with his Hot Wheels when they come over.

geogteach, I also have a ds who does not really play with toys... there was a good thread last year on non-toy presents but I can't find it (might start a new one!)

My ds does already have a DS so might get him a bag to keep it in or a new game.

Otherwise he is getting a lot of books, including annuals. he really likes The Beano so could get him a subscription to the members club. Have got him a board game and a Tamagotchi (reduced in Asda at the mo). Have also ordered him a very cheap MP3 player.

That will probably be his lot unless I can think of something fab that doesn't cost much.

For those of you whose ds's ^do" play with toys, Wilkinsons had a fort/castle thing last week reduced to £10. The box is impressive (got it for ds2) but don't know what it will be like in RL.... looks like it is a sort of Playmobil imitation.

If he likes Transformers how about Optimus Prime at £40 from Argos? They also have the National Geographic planetarium half price at £9.99 at the moment.

I'm getting DS a camera for his b'day (next monday). I am thinking about a hot wheels sort of thing for Xmas. The roller coaster thing looks cool but DD(3) is in destructive mode so I am wary of things with bits!

Some great ideas thanks - love the idea of the rollercoaster but quick google suggests I might have trouble finding this? Definitely will look into Hot Wheels - he has seen on TV and shown interest so it might be the one. Anyone want to recommend or steer me away from any particular variations of Hot Wheels?
Am wary of expensive transformers - one of those things which might be a great success but then again might be a two week wonder IYKWIM. Might get a cheaper one though or the planetarium - could get the grandparents to get one (I always have to tell them exactly what to get and where from) .

Dont really know what an MP3 player is but he has a tesco's £9 CD player. Will leave Ipod idea for future years. (How can children be into these things at age 6/7 - I am back in the dinosaur age when it comes to technology)

TellusMater I think new bike is best present and not at all mundane, if havent already got one - unfortunately Santa has to pack our gifts in a suitcase in back of the car/sleigh this year

mp3 player is pretty much same as ipod, but not apple brand. Have considered one for DS for his birthday (Feb) but undecided yet. My DS doesn't really play with much which makes it tricky for us, although we have decided to go down the DS route for Christmas.

Try higher end toy stores (that don't have websites) for the Quercetti Rollercoaster. When I was searching for one for my ds last year, they were the only ones who had it in stock.

We have the Dragon Fire Hot Wheels set and that has lasted several years with heavy play. Before that we had the Octopus one for my stepson and that one didn't last so long.