Birthday present for 8 year old DS

[Holymoly321]

Hi, DS is turning 8 next month and we have no idea what to get him. He's asked for an Ultimate Moshi monster collector book! He did mention a DS but now is not bothered as he plays games on our old iphone that he shares with DS2 who is 5. They only get to play on it about 10 mins a day which they are fine with.
He has a bike, scooter and skateboard (none of which he shows much interest in!). We've bought him lego etc in the past and he builds it but then just leaves it to gather dust! We are a bit stumped! Any ideas?

DS just turned 8, and he got books, board games, a Wii game and a beginner chess book. And a lego set which he assembled and left to gather dust
The chess book was definitely the best present.

How about a treat instead, like trip to theatre/circus/zoo/castle/adventure playground?

What is he interested in?

He loves reading, so will prob get him the third Harry Potter book as he's read the first two. Chess book sounds interesting - and maybe theatre tickets. We've got Merlin passes so we do the them park stuff quite regularly anyway (go them thru Tesco club card - blimey kids as SO lucky these days!)

Forbidden Island is a cool cooperative game that my DS enjoys at the moment. And Wild Boy is one of the books that he keeps rereading.

How about a subscription to National Geographic kids? It sounds like he will be fine with some books and a game. Not much point in getting big stuff just for the sake of it.

Depending on how mature an 8 y/o he is (and maybe depending where you live!), what about a small but proper penknife? We got dd this 58mm swiss army knife for her 9th birthday, and it is still an absolutely prized possession 2.5 years later.

It is really very tiny, so not a 'scary knife' but is still useful and functional (dd uses it for whittling bits of wood, for the scissors, when she needs a screwdriver etc etc). The only downside is that it is very easily lost though - so far - always recovered!

My DS is 9 and I think the very last thing I would get him would be a knife. For one he would loose it and another reason would be that a classmate was given one for his birthday and used it to threaten other children. Nice.

These are great ideas - not sure about the knife tho! Has def given me some options - thanks so much ladies!

I guess as we live in the countryside it is a bit different, children are on the whole used to using sharp tools sensibly (and know they will be taken away instantly if they are not). DD definitely isn't alone in having a knife, in fact several of her friends have more serious carving / whittling knife sets now that they are all a bit older.

I did think dd would lose her knife, but despite being misplaced frequently (including in a haybarn on one occasion) she has always found it.

I don understand why you can't get him the Moshi Monster collectors book if that's what he would like.

Am I missing something?

I'd give him the Moshi Monsters book and maybe have a family meal in a restaurant, my DSs would love this

Don't buy stuff for the sake of it, get him the book her has asked for and take him on a treat! He sounds lovely!

thanks ladies - he is lovely! (most of the time!) have ordered the book and will probably get him a few more of the dreaded moshi monsters and then a sciency type thing as suggested here. Love mumsnet!

Sounds like a lucky boy. I'm sure he'll love them