What are you buying your 9 year olds?

[LadyJCB]

I know it’s early. Please forgive me. But my baby is due in December so we’re trying to be as prepared for Christmas as we possibly can so we can enjoy that newborn bubble without the last minute shopping!!!

what is everyone buying their 9 year old children for Christmas?
May 9 year old step son doesn’t play with toys, and I don’t want to buy things for the sake of buying them. But I equally don’t want to just buy him clothes!! He has almost everything and doesn’t understand the gift of a ‘day out’ or ‘zoo pass’ etc.

fully stuck and would appreciate all and any ideas!!

as a note… he still has gifts from his birthday in August sat in gift bags in his room containing crafts, books, Lego etc.

I'd just get his birthday presents out and rewrap them then.

remote control something- drone, boat (if you have somewhere near by), helicopter or those off road cars. All popular with boys that age and not too ‘toy’ like if he thinks he’s too grown up for toys!

Lol

🤣

my 9 year old is a DD but I’m getting her:
a yoto box with some of the older kids cards
some bedding she has requested
a Labubu (😱)
a nice hoodie and leggings set
top trumps cards
fart yoga game
A hot water bottle
stocking bits

So far I have.. Lego sets, perfume thing for boys, nerf sniper, bracelet making set for boys and a jellyfish lamp thing

Mines having a having a switch2, he’s also stopped playing with toys (and believing 😭) so very limited in what he’d like this year

Nerf is definitely a popular thing. As well as guns and bullets, you can get targets, protective goggles, vests and other accessories. If you want to go down that route.
Or as per pp - remote controlled anything.
Is he into art? Music? Sport?
My other DS is a bit less boisterous- we got him a set relating to doing stop motion animation. He does lego based stuff.

Or a switch - depends on budget! Our 2 boys (now 11 and 13) got a ps5 between them last year.

@Topbird29 could I ask about the stop motion set please? Sounds like something my ds would like.

Sports equipment (football / tennis racket etc.), chess set, fancy dress outfit… what does he like to do?

This is the Christmas board, it’s never too early!

This age is hard especially when they have outgrown toys.

I know days out are out but what about experiences?
Race car driving
Off road driving
Helicopter ride
Amazing race style experience

Tickets to an event, concert, comic convention ( big hit in our house).

Tickets for a night away somewhere where he gets to see or do something like a football tour, go somewhere for an experience he wouldn’t normally get to go to.

Last year I bought my 10yo tickets to a show she wanted to see in another city, she got to pick DH or me to go with her, we went on the train had a night in a hotel basically got spoilt rotten and got to see her favourite show. We presented the tickets in gift boxes with clues she had to solve.

Mine is just turning 9. He loves his Google speaker and has a kids YouTube music account (part of family subscription) i don't see the benefit of yoto boxes.

He's getting electric guitar for birthday does lessons which he loves, but i need other ideas for Christmas

What does he like? Not toys, not Lego, not craft stuff...but what DOES he like to do?

Would he like some stuff for his room? A cool lamp, some new bedding, posters or wall stickers, a new rug, an alarm clock some novelty accessories...a kind of bedroom makeover kit.

A t-shirt that says 'best big brother' on it from the baby.

same question as above, if no toys/crafts/stuff, what does he like doing?

Im going to guess either sports like playing football with friends? Video games? etc.

Plenty of stuff that you can buy for things like those. I'm not a huge fan of so much video games at that age - but in terms of presents, just search for "gamer" stuff, and you'll find "gamer ___" everything. Loads of stuff that would make a kid who loves games excited. Same with football and outdoor stuff with friends.

@Beansandcheesearegood - the camera is something like this one

www.amazon.co.uk/HUE-Animation-Studio-Complete-Software-Blue/dp/B0D1VV3NPS/ref=mp_s_a_1_2_sspa?crid=2FTAW030RL67R&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.1gnJmTrVYulu0Fy7wJu0nnezGjZQqbAyqdJmxbzGbNFhJBT9e3vzeDDS3Zfr2z3h8Y3PZ0jQ6IMDrDu29bife8AupCX1Ct_xhtZj9sVp8tKrzgn8C0ZAdYZybsfrVRezND4a8VhvUhPTGYcH2H_ZiJ_MAdh_tyo-toxHmrqVeivs6Nx5G-XMP_7cQe5-KFLLi5ygaVqri9iL2AMCT2iEkA.BNV1sXmStIUX2aJg2mN6mXjBQnLFtHeMIqbryYic2_k&dib_tag=se&keywords=stop+motion+animation+kit&qid=1760492172&sprefix=stop+motion%2Caps%2C178&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRm&psc=1

I totally get where you’re coming from — 9 is such a tricky age! They’re sort of in between still liking toys but also not quite ready to appreciate experiences. My eldest is the same; half the time, gifts just sit untouched.
A few things that have gone down well for us: a smartwatch for kids (not too fancy, just something with games and step tracking), a beanbag chair for his room, or a proper set of wireless headphones. One year we did a “room upgrade” theme — new bedding, LED lights, a poster of his favourite football team — and he loved it.
I’ve stopped feeling guilty about not filling the tree with toys. At that age, it’s more about picking a few things they’ll actually use or think are cool, rather than loads of stuff that ends up forgotten.

🤣🤣

Op you say Stepson, does he spend a lot of time at your house?

Does he have a bike or scooter something to play outdoors with?
So he can ride while you walk to the park and things?

Some nice stationary and a notebook to write stories in? Usborne also do write your own story books with prompts.

Science kit? Most kids like watching reactions / things explode.

Board game?

Colouring or sketch book and some artist pencils?

If you share what he likes to do, people will be able to give more specific ideas over general.

Would work if he was 2!

We bought our older 2 children a trampoline just before our 3rd baby was born. Best thing we ever bought- my 12 year old still uses it most days. If you have space, 9 year old would love it and baby will too in a couple of years.
Agree with above suggestions of bike/scooter/tech for things that arent wasted.

I have 2 boys (12 & 9 year old).

Things the 9 year old has requested include:

• a new tablet
• Fortnite theme Lego
• squishmellow teddy
• exploding kittens game
• comics like monkey Vs bunny & dogman
• Chocolate & sweets
• slime

Things that have gone down well for his older brother include wireless headphones, bath bombs, coding toys, yoyos, tamigotchi , oodies (mine specifically wanted the branded version), Nintendo switch games, blox fruit plushies (which have the gamer code in them), board games (these have to be something funny or novelty based to hold their interest), smart watches, colouring sets/novelty pens, hover boards with go kart attachment, gaming chairs, bikes/ scooters, themed bedside lights.

If they get Lego we tend to set time aside in the evenings to complete. That way they each have some time to themselves with mum or dad.

I'm also considering tickets now for the older one for days out like the HP tours, monster trucks show etc as he's getting to the age where he doesn't want a lot and is not interested in toys, clothes or sports.

My DD9 so far is getting

• a gaming laptop
• new phone cases
• hello kitty themed stuff
• trainers
• skincare
• board games
• books
• games like the sims for the laptop
• wireless keyboard and mouse
• cd player
• various cd's
• headphones

what he does do would be a help!
My DNs are 8 and 11, still play with things like lego and very much appreciate an "experience" voucher. They really like board games but it helps they have each other to play with, and grandpa indulges them in that too when he's there.
Anything sporty - football kit, boots, bike helmet, swim bag etc?