What are you getting your 11 year old boy for Christmas?

[TupperMom7]

Other than video games, what are you getting your 11 year old for Christmas? We have a Wii, but my son does not play with it that much. He'll be 11 just before Christmas. He likes Knex, Legos, etc., but I sometimes feel like I'm getting him the same thing over and over.

He likes to play board games, but he has to have other people to play them with. He has siblings, so that's not the problem, but I'd like to get him things for just him.

Any ideas?

 

[mickeymaker2003]

Does he like projects? Would he enjoy building models or small wood projects?

 

[MinnieForMe]

A mountain bike was a big hit last year for my 11 year old. He went to mountain bike camp this past summer and got a great workout from it.

This year he wants the drums for his Guitar Hero. He also enjoys collecting antique car models (the type you put together). It's a little harder than Legos so more of a challenge for him.

 

[mom2val]

11 year old nephew is getting Abercrombie clothes from me. Check the clearance section online $13.90 long sleeve t-shirts and jeans for less than $30.

 

[smylie1]

I'm looking forward to answers to this! I have an 11 year old and am having the same problem. He does love video games so a couple new ones are a given, but I'm having trouble finding non-electronic things that will intrest him. Please keep the suggestions coming!

 

[MinnieForMe]

Thanks for the heads up. My son is also an Abercrombie wearer!

 

[Leader of the Club]

My 12 y/o son wants a small video camera.

Maybe get him a digital camera (to take pictures of his lego creations).

an MP3 player to listen to while he is building something great with his Knex. My son downloads audiobooks from the library onto his MP3.

A couple of great books for his age. (I have lots of recommendations if you need them.)

 

[3BoysRDisneyFreaks]

My oldest will be 11 at the end of November. For his birthday he is getting a Nintendo DS. For Christmas he is getting some DS games, Wii games, MP3 player...Not sure what else. He just finished reading all of the Harry Potter books, so I might look into another book set for him.

 

[disneybound31]

Getting our 11 year old his own digital camera. Loves to take pics and is in school photo club.

He also wants to redecorate his room- getting him sports items to replace his current Pirates of Carribean theme.

Gift card to his fave restaurant- will take him out for a special 'him' only night of his choosing. Do same thing for DD7.

Movie gift cards to the theatre are fun.

 

[tycopj]

I don't know why, but last year my nephew (11 at the time) wanted a large pack of different color sharpies. So I got him a big pack, at least 12, and a drawing tablet with thick paper. He loved it!

A sweatshirt or baseball hat to the local high school is a good idea too.

 

[Phil'sFrontier]

ever consider a 'netbook' style computer. They are the ultra small laptops with like 10 inch screens.
Also cash, I don't know about you guys, but when I was a kid I loved getting a hundred dollar bill in a card from my Dad or something.

Also noticed you are from NY so you must get snow. Maybe a North Face goose down jacket, it is stylish and will keep him warm! Also if treated right will last, and be a great hand-me-down for a cousin/brother.

 

[bzkds]

My 11yo ds wants a Clone Trooper voice-changer helmet. And a flag-football set he saw at the sporting goods store (it had the football and flags). He also loves any of the Bakugan cards or balls, anything Star Wars (the little figures especially) and anything Nintendo related. A subscription to Nintendo Power magazine was a hit last year, along with a pack of light-saber DS stylus' I put in his stocking.
Beth

 

[Tweevil]

Same problem here for my boy. 10 going on 20! He loves his video games but I need to get him something else. I was thinking about a bike but he has one and he's more of a brainy kid - no sports or anything like that interests him. Loves to read but he gets books all the time... I am totally at a loss this year... I have done the paintball stuff, board games, clothes, before and it wasn't a "hit" so I am not sure.

I have been looking at those electronic modeling kits - the ones that you construct a working robot or something like that. I am just at a loss and am reallllyyy trying to keep things un-game related.

Maybe an AP? lol, I am about to give up.....

 

[hanutedmansionmomma]

my DS likes video games and legos too.

We noticed he was watching stop action lego movies on youtube last year, so we got him computer software to make his own movies - Honestech Claymation Studio 2.0. It's not super easy to use, but he's willing to sit and noodle thru it. It's like a step up from windows movie maker. I'm sure there are others too.

We also got a small tripod for the camera (he uses ours). Camera or video camera might not be a bad idea either!

He's starting to get into music a little more. I was thinking maybe a small ipod with itunes card.

HTH

 

[java]

Well there is always the Flip camera- my teen loves that thing.

And I wanted to add this is a great website for some sciencey kits-

http://www.sciplus.com/category.cfm/subsection/1

I can always find something unusual there.

 

[Boo Mc]

My DS is 13. A few years ago we got him a nice red toolbox with a couple tools. Now every year he gets a new tool or gadget to go with it. He likes to help us with projects and it's something he should learn how to do anyway. I figure he'll have a decent set by the time he finishes college and hopefully he'll have learned something along the way!

 

[r4blessings]

My ds is 11 now. Some things that he has that he loves are his ipod nano (he listens to music and watches videos on trips and at his sisters gymnastics practice), his nintendo ds, legos, k'nex, a lacrosse goal, bike, fuzion scooter and wii games like madden09 and endless ocean. He also got a netbook for his birthday this past june (he needs to do most of his work on a computer for 5th grade and I didn't want to share my laptop!) And then we got him a cell phone when school started, b/c he was at the middle school and he gets dropped off at practice some nights, while I take the other kids to their activities. He loves his cell phone!

This year for Christmas he is getting a digital camera. He also fell in love with the Percy Jackson book series and roman history so I got him the Roman and Eygptian sets from Playmobil. Those will be a big suprise....since he doesn't even know they exist. He always asks my SIL for abercrombie clothes (I have two older neices who LOVE to clothes shop for him). I am getting him a Jets jersey.

Hope this gives you some ideas! I know its hard sometimes to find a WOW gift for kids some years!

 

[loveysbydesign]

My ds is 10 1/2 and loves all the other things mentioned by previous posters. He also loves science kits and other weird gadgety things...Edmund Scientific online has some really cooll stuff! http://scientificsonline.com/Default.asp?bhcd2=1257186190
He has the sonic rocks that they show on their homepage and loves them...his friends think they're neat too!
They're on clearance for $6 http://scientificsonline.com/product.asp_Q_cmc_E_HOME_PAGE_A_pn_E_3122737

Be sure to sign up for their newsletters for great discounts and deals!

 

[3boymthr]

For something that suits his interests but isn't a "toy" consider investing in the Lego Dictionaries. I just picked up the Bionicle and Star Wars ones for my kids. The Star Wars one comes with an exclusive figure. It has photos of every star wars lego set ever made. Totally cool. They couldn't keep it in stock at the school book fair despite the high price (It's $22 but you might be able to get it with a coupon from Borders.)

Other cool things I got for the oldest when he was 11 - a metal detector, a chemistry set and we got him started on some "collections" which now give me something to get him every year. We now get an antique lead soldier (about $10- $50/ea.) and a Ted Williams Baseball card from the Fleer 1959 set every year ($3 - $35/ea). I get them on e-bay and the local shops. Middle DS started his own collection of rocks so this year he's going to get a display case for the rocks with a couple of new rocks.

 

[DawnM]

My 11 year old would rather go naked than get clothing for Christmas!

Dawn

11 year old nephew is getting Abercrombie clothes from me. Check the clearance section online $13.90 long sleeve t-shirts and jeans for less than $30.