Okay. Inexpensive gift for eight-year-old boy?

[Missy Vixen]

I'm a little confused.

I'd like to buy a little gift for my friend's son. They live in Connecticut. His older sister is getting some girly stuff from me (nail polish, probably some earrings.) I don't usually buy stuff for kids, so I need some help here. I'm thinking something from Seattle might be a big hit, since I don't believe the young man's ever been here.

Current ideas:

Sounders (pro soccer team) hat or t-shirt
Candy, dude (it's what I wanted when I was eight)
I have no idea what he likes to read, so that's probably out

I'd like to spend less than $20 on this. (I'd actually like to spend less than $10, but he's not getting a sports team hat for less than $15, I'm thinking...) I didn't ask his mom because she's going to say, "Oh, you don't have to do that."

Hellllp!
Julie

[Midlodemocrat]

1. I think a sports team hat is perfect.

:hi:

[Missy Vixen]

5. The Sounders are pretty big here right now

Plus, is there an eight-year-old on the planet who doesn't play soccer?

:hi:
Julie

[WCGreen]

2. Box up some dirt...

And tell him it came from A-Rods cleats over the last several years.

[Missy Vixen]

4. LMAO!

>And tell him it came from A-Rods cleats over the last several years.

I could always just give him a divorce lawyer's business card... ;-)

Julie

[Deja Q]

35. Or some of the clothing Madonna donated to the local Goodwill boutique/clinic...

[southpaw]

3. Foam Rubber Nunchucks

I just ordered a pair for my 7 year old son. Found them on Amazon for less than $5.00.

He has barely put them down since I gave them to him.

Don't know how you feel about giving him 'weapons' though.

[Missy Vixen]

6. Ooooh!

This is kind of cool, but I am a bit worried that Mr. JulieRB will strip them from me before they even make it to the young man in question... :scared:

Julie

[Goblinmonger]

7. Cardboard rolls from wrapping paper

My 12-year-old has spent the past two days "jousting" everyone in the family with them.

[commander bunnypants]

8. two cans of mushrooms

My daughters favorite toy right now.

:shrug:

CB

[AlCzervik]

9. Legoes.

[BarenakedLady]

10. Pokemon cards?

If he's into that.

Dragons or dinosaurs; that's what my 8 year old is all about.

[ScreamingMeemie]

11. Balsa planes. My son loved/loves them (still, at 9) and they are

really cheap and easy to mail.

[Missy Vixen]

13. Oooh! I never would have thought of this!

Thanks, MrsG! I'm seeing his mom next week in San Francisco, so the planes would be easy to put in my luggage, too.

:hi:!
Julie

[jobycom]

15. Oh, those are always good. nt

[jobycom]

12. I always go with more gender-neutral stuff unless I know the kid or parents.

If I know the kid, I tailor the gift to him/her. Like, if I know he's into a sports team, then a team hat would be perfect. My youngest daughter is into ballet, so when I buy gifts for her ballet friends, ballet stuff is appropriate. Or if I know what the parents like and dislike, I can choose accordingly.

Otherwise I stay neutral. Not all boys are into sports, not all girls into dolls, and not all parents like gifts like that. Some hate it, in fact. I never liked dolls or makeup for my daughters, at least until my youngest got old enough to actually choose stuff like that for herself. My oldest was never into if (I'm sticking with girls there because I don't have any boys), and I never liked the assumption that she was.

If I don't know, I give things like books, games, puzzles, gadgets, or science stuff. Nothing that makes big messes or lots of noise. Lots of purchases from Barnes and Noble and Learning Express. If I know the kid is into something, I go for that, though.

Just my thoughts. Hard to go wrong with a cap, though. Just throwing in other options.

[slinkerwink]

14. A Nerf toy!

[slinkerwink]

17. here's the link to Target list of toys for 8-9 year olds

http://www.target.com/b/ref=sc_iw_r_2_1/602-2863163-4904622?node=235632011

I particularly like the Nerf N-Strike Recon CS-6.

[Whoa_Nelly]

16. Am always able to come up with gift ideas from this site

ts.com/ideas/children

:hi:

[zanne]

26. I don't buy "specific" items for kids.

Either they already have that toy, it doesn't quite fit their age or maturity range, or they just don't like it. It's really subjective, so I just pick generic toys for kids. You can't go wrong with a ball of any type with a kid that age.

[Whoa_Nelly]

29. Like I said

The site gives me "ideas" :hi:

[bif]

18. A slingshot and some M-80s!

[SoxFan]

19. A weird sports team hat

I like the Sounders idea. Everett Aqua Sox or Tacoma Rainiers works well, too.

[zanne]

27. I know you want that for yourself, BlueDog!

Actually, what's even better is an unusual Tshirt from, say, a Louisiana Crawdad Festival. (Oh wait...that's what I want).

[SoxFan]

33. LOL

I actually have an Aqua Sox t-shirt that I bought in Seattle years ago!

Of course I also have caps from the Missoula Osprey, Arkansas Travelers, Round Rock Express, New Orleans Zephyrs, and Louisville Bats...

[PassingFair]

20. Chicken Chucker.

We got one for our nephew when we were visiting...
He LOVED it!

You can get ones that shoot librarians, or business executives
or cows, too.

We brought a bracelet for the niece, and THAT was a BIG mistake,
as they ended up fighting over the chicken chucker.

Next time, TWO chicken chuckers!

[ScreamingMeemie]

22. Leave it to you...

None of those on Saturday, missy.

[PassingFair]

24. I've got different ammo for THAT...

More appropriate, don't you think?

[LeftyMom]

21. based on my 7 yo boy: nerf gun, lego anything

this time of year a cool squirt gun is also a good choice.

[mikeytherat]

23. Stomp Rockets!

http://www.stomprocket.com/

Usually about $15-$20 retail, these things are a blast!

mikey_the_rat

[Arugula Latte]

31. Those things are fun!

:thumbsup:

[mtnester]

25. Bouncyeyeballs, silly string, candy

all good

http://www.incrediblegifts.com/bofley1do.html


Hot wheels radar gun with some hot wheels

[mikita]

28. a wooden yo-yo

good eye-hand coordination practice.

[AwakeAtLast]

34. Cup stackers, too

Some schools are forming teams for this!

[kick-ass-bob]

30. Just don't get an $800 Blackberry for him

with unlimited text and internet - like this woman just did for her 8 year old son's birthday. My wife saw her getting it at the AT&T store...

[Missy Vixen]

32. Thank you, everyone, for all the great suggestions!

Since I am a total sucker for toys, he's getting one of the newer varieties of the Chicken Flinger that involves pickles. It was between that, or the pirates. The woman I spoke with this morning at Magic Mouse Toys in Seattle assures me it rocks!

The young man's mother is getting the Nun Chucks. ;-)

Thank you so much for all the great suggestions, and Passing Fair, my husband is going to be consumed with jealousy. It's a good thing I just got him some monkey slingshot thing... :scared:

Julie

[PassingFair]

36. All the fun....

without the GUN!

Glad you liked them. There is a "chucker" for everyone!

[jberryhill]

37. Carton of Newports

Kids like menthols.

[1]

38. drum set. or a trumpet...

sorry, is the gift the one that the little boy would love?

(drum set. or a trumpet...)

or the gift a parent would love?

(blow bubbles or a scrabble game.)

that is your choice...

[crimsonblue]

39. ipod shuffle

they're cheap plus them kiddies like their musics these days

[LostInAnomie]

40. BB Gun

Best gift a kid could ever get.

[grasswire]

41. Audubon field guide to insects

Seriously. That's my standard gift for boys. It's probably about 15 bucks now. You can throw in a small magnifying glass. Not only will he learn a lot, but he'll LOVE it.

[MonkeyFunk]

42. A Hooker Bond

that matures in 10 years.

[sasquatch]

48. HAHAHAHAHA!! Where were you when I was a child

:rofl:

[Lethe]

43. Pellet gun

and get him the field tip pellets, no gay BB's.

(that shit hurts too, it will embed into your skin as opposed to BB's which will just leave an indentation)

[pokerfan]

44. How about a Starbuck's travel mug?

[sakabatou]

45. Lego

[behave]

46. A stacked babysitter

[FloridaJudy]

47. A potato gun

It's too easy to lose the "chickens" from the flinger. This one never runs out of ammunition, as long as there's a potato or a zucchini in the house.



You can get them at Archie McPhee: http://www.mcphee.com/

[marzipanni]

55. Yay! Archie McPhee! It's based in Seattle, and they have a retail store there.

http://www.archiemcpheeseattle.com/
http://www.mcphee.com/categories/catapults.html
I have been the recipient of rubber elf shoes, and we got a spud gun, and Bibo, and some other fun stuff over the years from their mail order. We are fans.

[Duer 157099]

49. Honestly? Something he's sure to love?

Sorry, but the only absolutely safe answer is: candy.

It's true. Everything else is hit-or-miss -- although any toy will appeal to a kid at first.

[applegrove]

50. Go to the electronics store and see what toys they have for under $20. You could

get a small remote controlled car or something.

[Blue-Jay]

51. How about a toaster cozy?

[dembotoz]

52. funny or team t-shirt

does he collect anything?

[callous taoboy]

53. Ant Farm

[harmonicon]

54. anything sticky