Presents for boys

[BetsyS]

I have 2 nephews to buy for, 8 and 11. They are not the crunchy types , but as uber, uber religious right, they tend to like the same sort of toys (save any rainbow colored "tree hugger" type t-shirts ). Fairly simple and classic. (Their sister is getting a springform pan and a cookbook for cheesecakes; she's 13)

Their mom, my SIL, wasn't very helpful on the phone today. So, give me your best ideas. We're talking the $20ish range (each), but cheaper is fine. They share just fine, so a combo gift is great, too.

[afishwithabike]

Books? Kits to make a birdhouse? Those are the ONLY two things I can come up with right now.

[jayayenay]

Some kind of science experiment kits/books/supplies? You could stay in the same theme as big sis and find a book about kitchen science experiments & include some easy/cheap ingredients like a box of baking soda & a small bottle of vinegar...

Building kits like legos or erector sets or some of the others that let you do battery-powered creations?

[Snowdrift]

Books. A kite. A boardgame (Scrabble, Mastermind, Chinese checkers). For the 8 yr old, stilts.

What do they like to do? If they are into scouting, then something having to do with outdoor stuff--a basic camp cook kit or similar?

[1growingsprout]

BOOKS... possibly go to a christian bookstore and see what they have...

[chanibell]

Have you ever seen those 3-D wooden models you can put together. They are really neat. Dinosaurs and all kinds of things.

[cappuccinosmom]

train whistles, pocket knives, slingshots, simple builder sets? I like a lot of the other ideas ('cept legos, they hurt my feet! )

[BetsyS]

These are good ideas. They definitely give me a good start.

They live on a few acres, so they really like being outside. Last year, we got them a tent and a rechargable lantern together. They loved that present, and it's gotten alot of use this year camping in the backyard (their parents--not really into the outdoors ) I'm just hoping to find something that they like again this year. They are pretty easy to please kids, pretty grateful for what they get, so it won't be too hard.

[rachelagain]

I was at a craft fair and got my boys Marshmallow shooters-- THey are made out of PVC pipe and the guy had painted them different colors- $5 each. They work like an blow gun- but you blow out the marshmallows. :-) My boys are going to love them.
Tool boxes w/ misc. tools- and nails. We used to build forts on our property. Telescope/miroscope set
My boys love Bionicles- just because they can build whatever "robot" they think of.
I also get them the cheap wooden stuff at Michael's craft store and they paint them and give them away as gifts- they like that.
Wood burning kit.
My dad has gotten them stuff from the Army surplus store-- camo jackets, ammo bags (they use it for a book bag and love them!)
And believe it or not-- I taught them how to crotchet a simple stitch and got them their favorite color yarn and that was a big hit too. So they started on making their own blankets.

[PiePie]

books for the 8 y.o.:
john, paul, george, and ben, by l. smith (about the founding fathers -- funny!!)
peter and the shadow thieves (re peter pan)
sherlock holmes and the baker street irregulars: the fall of the amazing zelinda
the lookinglass wars (alice in wonderland)
water street (historical fiction -- brooklyn 125 years ago -- immigrants)
weedflower (historical fiction -- japanese internment)

board games for both:
combo king (like yahtzee)
doodle tales, by cranium
high rise (like dominoes)
ringgz (this is probably the most challenging, the most appropriate for the 13 y.o., and it looks beautiful, all wood, etc.)
sudoku (also challenging)

videos for 8 y.o.:
the greatest game ever played (about tennis, no sex)
wallace & gromit: the curse of the were-rabbit

[Aura_Kitten]

my very first thought was, go to radio shack (or the equivalent in your area) and pick up some cheap circuit boards and odds and ends and then scour thrift shops for electronics books. you should be able to put together a beginner's electronics kit for < $20. but obviously if they're uber christian they won't necessarily go for something that scientific.

[Ruthla]

I'd go for something they can build with or do stuff with. Maybe a "weatherman" kit with a rain gauge, thermometer, barometer, etc? I wouldn't do the marshmallow gun unless you're sure their parents are OK with both guns and marshmallows (I personally wouldn't allow either one in my house, unless the marshmallows were vanillin free!) Home depot sells real tools, sized down for 8-12yos, in a tool chest- and I think Toys R. Us carries that in addition to Home Depot carrying it.

Other ideas would be a small kid-powered printing press with some ink and paper.

I like the idea about getting them various crafts materials for a variety of crafts projects- but I think the tools are far more important than materials since they can probably collect some crafts materials in their own backyard..

[Shenjall]

walkie talkies and lots of batteries to go with it.

[Ellien C]

real compass? maybe canteens or mess kit or cook stove to go with the camping equipment? firestarters?

[4evermom]

Originally Posted by Shenjall

walkie talkies and lots of batteries to go with it.

Make sure to get real ones. The one I got in the toy section didn't work unless you were really close together .

Try googling "cooperative board games" for some interesting ideas other than the usual board games.

I think the wood burning kit is a good idea, too. I picked one up for my ds but am saving it til he is older. They are supposed to be for 12+ and are available at craft stores like Michaels.

[EnviroBecca]

They might like the card game Fluxx Looney Labs. It even has a new "Christian Fluxx" expansion set! Another of their games that's good for kids that age is Treehouse; the pyramids from it can be used to play many other games as well.