DS age 5, a difficult to buy for man of the future.

[wouldthatbeworse]

I'd love some help with suggestions for my DS age 5. He's a sweet boy and receives everything gratefully but presents often end up unplayed with.

He likes numbers, maths, magnatiles and trains (especially tube trains). He spends all his time playing with a calculator, stopwatch, a favoured book about trains and our large stash of magnatiles. He already has an inherited bike and scooter.

He's the youngest so we have a house full of lovely toys already. Things he has available but has shown no interest in playing with: lego(!), playmobil, train sets (depite loving to talk about trains), hot wheels, marvel, action figures, vehicles, dolls, sylvanians. He sometimes plays with a coding toy we have and is starting to read books like Dogman. He does like his science kit but I'd love something he could do without a parent.

TBH he'd be happy with some chocolate buttons and the new numberblocks annual but his brother wants a switch and ALL the lego so that won't really cut it.

Thanks for your help.

Tape measure

One of those wheels for measuring distance

Lots of great suggestions like the magnatiles new add ons

What about a label maker? Genuinely kids of that age love it. He can write out his numbers etc and stick them around.
Osmo coding stuff for a tablet if you have one. Its fantastic and I managed to get it super cheap! Around £15 for the tiles and camera thing.
There are some great train apps if you'd consider a tablet. Also some good maths games.
Otherwise, number blocks window stickers and cubes.
Sticker sheets full of numbers.
A timer.
A vtech camera if he's technologically inclined.

How about a day out to We The Curious, in Bristol, or Techniquest in Cardiff? Get the train there, and let him have a “yes day” while you’re out (so, yes to whatever he wants to eat / do / buy in the gift shop etc) Could get him a branded gift from their shop to wrap up for the Christmas stocking and make a big gift label to explain?

Oh thanks, now I really want a fridge door marble run!

The puppy would eat it, though.

Have a look through the Bright Minds website / catalogue , they have lots of odd things in there .

I have a boy like that who is now 18. At 5 he was into polydrons - you can get big tubs from Amazon. What about a watch, or even better a wall cuckoo clock?

Does he like maps? You could get him a large underground map or an atlas or A to Z. For older children you can get a map of Great Britain with all the silly and a bit rude names on such as Sandy Balls No place Pity Me etc. They are all genuine mind you that could appeal to lots of people.

I would get him a kids traffic lights set, some poles with traffic signs on them and maybe a bit heavy duty torch. These have been a bit hit with my family

A 2x2 cube? He could then move up to a 3x3 etc (I have a cubing mad daughter!)

How about a globe or something that projects images of the stars onto the ceiling. Or a telescope.

Have you seen the smart games (thay can play alone)? Or maybe a kids smart watch (they have cameras and video cameras)? If too old for marble run, there's gravitrax and k'nex?

There are some really good independent puzzle games from Smart Games, eg Squirrels Go Nuts.

A lot of cute board games and card games for this age group too (but multiplayer).

You can get some seriously good, well priced binoculars and also mini microscopes on Amazon now. One of my old digital cameras is a favourite for my 5 year old!

Remote controlled car / plane of some kind?

An animatronic guinea pig in a hutch that "has babies" was a super hit with my 5 year old boy.

A boy dolly such as Finn (Lottie doll)? My 5yo is still quite into his baby dollies and their accessories.

Has he ever watched Underground Ernie? DS lives tube trains and therefore Ernie! I am sure it's still on DVD and there may be toys around.
Great soundtrack too!

Thank you all for the excellent suggestions. Rest assured the child in question has been on mail rail, trams and the cable car. Glasgow, Bristol and York sound like great destinations for the future.

I had a similar DS…he is now 19!

His best ever present was a trip to York to the Railway Museum.

My son is very similar. Here are some of our faves:

• Any of the sets from gearsgearsgears
• the connetix ball run that is compatible with Magnatiles
• top trumps
• no stress chess
• make do