Shoebox ideas for 10-14yr olds, please

[purpleturtle]

I'm not looking for a discussion on the rights and wrongs - if you want to, go here instead.

What I would like are some ideas of things that girls and boys in the 10-14yr age range might like in their box. For a younger child there's any number of toys I can think of, but what to do for the older ones?

toothbrush/paste
notebook and pens
gloves
perfume
lipstick/gloss
sweets
jewellery
hair stuff
calculator

I usually put in bits of toiletries, hat & gloves, pens, hair bobbles (all this for girls obviously!).

I understand that things we consider basics will be considered luxury items to these children: soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, pens, pencils, exercise books. Combs. Yo-Yos. playing cards (have seen playing card/domino sets in pound shops); last year i also got hat & magic gloves from pound shop. socks. For girls, hair accessories. I now always do for older boys, as I believe they receive fewer for that group.

arghh, MN on a go slow AGAIN hence the cross post!

the leaflet list things in 4 categories: something to love, something to do, something to use and something to eat or wear. It's the something to love bit that's taxing me - or do I just go for make-up bits? And what about the boy?!

I have decided to do a box for an older boy too as I imagine they have less of them. It's so hard to know what to put in though.

girls -
pens and notebooks,
over the knee socks
nice gloves/scarf/hat set
deoderant/body spray
hair bobbles
toiletries
a little bag/purse
small cute cuddly thing
cheap watch
toothbrush/paste

boys
Pens and notebooks
gloves/hat/scarf
deoderant
toiletries
tennis ball
small calculator
cheap watch (wind up so no battery needed)
socks
toothbrush/paste

Are you allowed chocolate? (some schemes specify no foodstuffs)

little hand held puzzles (like those little boxes you have to get the balls into complicated holes)

I just had a look at the leaflet and it shows a box with a temmis ball and dominos, they would work well for older boys.

We can put in sweets but no other foodstuffs or chocolate.

Just a thought - My 10-year-old boy still loves little novelty toys, and fiddling with modelling clay etc BTW

Thank you - am liking the tennis ball and modelling clay ideas. Watches sound great too - and thanks for pointing out the wind-up factor!

have bought a wind up torch for ours. In other years

solar powered calculators
binoculars
compass
magnifying glass
football items

from our area they go to a cold place so hats and gloves go in every box - and sweets .

I always include a cheap drawstring shoe bag/sports bag to keep their special things in.

This is a shout for anyone doing one of these this year - a friend of mine sorts them and is involved in sending them out.
* THEY HARDLY GET ANY OLDER BOYS BOXES 10-14 OR 12-15 DEPENDING ON WHICH CHARITY YOU USE I usually do a young girls box because of my dd and I enjoy buying all the girly things to go in it * But this year I'll be doing stuff for the older boys to try and redress the balance a bit xxx

We did 3 and DS1 whos is 8 did his for an older boy as like others, I am sure they get fewer for this age range.

We put in toiletries etc as all 3 boxes, then for DS1's boy we added a little set of pens, a big pack of pencils, ruler, metal pencil sharpener, plain and simple pencil case, little hot wheels car and yes, DS1 insisted a cuddly was OK even when you were 10. He chose a cuddly lion instead of a teddy on the basis that he would be happy to have it. Also one of those mini bouncy balls.

This compared with DD's girl who had fluffy pencil case, hair band, little dolly; and DS1's 5-9yo who had a disney light-up pen etc.

Some great ideas on here.

Our leaflet actually stated that they are often short of boxes for the 10-14 year olds, which made me really , and led to me persuading the dc not to do a box for someone the same age as them.