Gift idea for 8-year-old

[jubal81]

Yup, way off topic.
I'm taking a trip to the mountains this week and I'd like to take my 8-year-old nephew a cool present. Thing is, I don't have kids and I'm rarely around kids, so I'm way out of the know.


I don't want to get him a 'toy' exactly. He's pretty set on toys, anyway. My first impulse is a pocket knife - thinking back to what id've thought would be awesome at that age. Sis says 'nah' on that idea. Pfft, moms ...

[selfdestroyer]

Yup, way off topic.
I'm taking a trip to the mountains this week and I'd like to take my 8-year-old nephew a cool present. Thing is, I don't have kids and I'm rarely around kids, so I'm way out of the know.


I don't want to get him a 'toy' exactly. He's pretty set on toys, anyway. My first impulse is a pocket knife - thinking back to what id've thought would be awesome at that age. Sis says 'nah' on that idea. Pfft, moms ...

What about a wicked cool compass and you can show him how to use it. If you have a REI or another large sports/camping/outdoors store, just take a walk through it and I am sure something will pop out.

Cody

[alanp]

Squier Strat?

[jkokura]

You want to be the cool Uncle now, or the cool uncle when he's older and he's glad that you got him something useful?

It really depends on what he's into, but if he's a science sort of kid, get him something will inspire him to get into electronics, like a science/electronics experiment kit of some sort. If he's more of an sporty kid, get him some new equipment that he needs or doesn't have, like a new Ball glove or Hockey Stick. If he's more of a Reading kid... well the list for that category is ridiculous, but one of my favourite books at his age was the Hobbit. If he's an outdoorsy kid... well, a knife or a compass is rad for sure, but even getting him a nice nalgene water bottle is helpful for kids these days. I try hard to get my kids to drink water, and having a water bottle around is good. But that's not a cool gift so... I dunno.

Jacob

[ddog]

Might be a bit cheesy, but a nice watch could work. He might not appreciate it now, but he'll appreciate it when he is older. Maybe a G-shock or a Seiko 5. The g-shock would probably be more appealing for him (the seiko 5 is nice too, just not very interesting for an 8 year old).

Sometimes mountains have tourism shops nearby, maybe you can pick out a souvenir with him after the trip

[peterc]

I bought an 8 year old a kit for a solar powered car that he built up and loves it. It was a nice model, not badly made at all.

Night vision goggles? Dunno what they cost....
Pair of walkie talkies for himself and his mate across the road.

[Soup39]

What about a card game that is fun for the whole family to play?  It doesn't use batteries or need to be charged,  my 5 year old daughter loves to play WaterWorks and is constantly challenging me to a game.

[Cortexturizer]

I am almost 30 years old and I bought my first flying kite like a couple of weeks ago. I went mental over it and regretted a lot not having it as a child. That might make for a cool present that you both could enjoy outdoors.

[gtr2]

Legos 

[wgc]

Fishing pole?  Love the pocket knife idea, could be a very small pen knife that your sister might approve of ie small enough to stay out of trouble

[sonarchotic]

Not sure what part of the mtns. but if near Aville then a trip to the WNC Nature Center is usually a hit. My seven year old loves Mine Craft and outdoor type stuff. The compass sounds cool, or some nifty other hiking/camping gear. There's a Mast General Store in most of the towns in the NC mtns that carry that kind of stuff. Both of my kids like science based books.

[Soup39]

on the idea of a book, I grew up reading this:

The American Boy's Handy Book: What to Do and How to Do It, Centennial Edition

but the same authors have this: The Book of Camp-Lore and Woodcraft (American Boy's Handy Book)

[gtr2]

Anything remote controlled!!!

[flanagan0718]

Legos 

This!!!

[playpunk]

Tom brown's guide to wilderness survival


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