It is that time of year again when uncle Cranberry has to pick a present for his mate’s young lad.

And I have no clue.

Again.

He is turning 6, and the budget is around £40 and it should be educational – what can you suggest ?

( Roll on 10 years time when I can get him a couple of bottles of cider and an 18 year old girl )

Lego

Lego.

Lego

Oh and before anyone ( else ) says Lego – he has buckets of the stuff, but it might still be my fallback.

Power kite.

Book vouchers are always good for my 7yr old….
From experience I can say if you really hate your mate buy the kid a harmonica!

A kindle would be also a good idea (and you’d be a really cool uuncle Cranberry) if they like reading … (They should be in Yr 2 ?? )

New is just slightly above your budget but you can pick used ones up at C-EX etc. well within budget.

pocket microsope and book about what to look at with it.
that works indoors and out doors

and a decent kite

Child 1 just turned seven last week. He got the usual Lego which he loves to build but then it soon becomes an expensive addition to the massive unsorted box full.
He liked the binoculars and book about birds that he might see. Favourite present was a pair of binatone walkie talkies that his friend got him. Now him and child 2 (5yrs) run round the house chatting to each other! I think they were about £20 and in theory have a 5km range.
Great grandma very kindly got him a disgustingly loud electric bike horn thingy with 25 different sounds! 😯 sometimes i think she doesn’t like us.

and a decent kite

There are some amazing kites now (huge sails 2M+)…but the really cool ones the parents might hate you as they take a lot of untangling… but they are really cool if you have somewhere to use them…. only issue as a birthday present is it might be forgotten until summer holidays… You can claim educational if you bring in a learning about weather and clouds!

6 yr old manages this 3m, one and it’s hard to see as much fun for <£20….

pocket microscope and book about what to look at with it.

Yep you can get some pretty decent USB microscopes as well … my 7yr old loves looking at different bugs under it…

We’ve sold millions of these.

Thanks for all the suggestions so far – have sent the suggestion of a microscope to his dad…

… who deserves a nice, NOISY toy for nicking my chocolate eclaires in 2008.

A kite might be an idea, we are near the beach, but might possibly add to dad stress.

*goes off to google usb microscope*

*returns*
Wow, they look flippin brilliant!

http://www.brightminds.co.uk/rocket-science/p1869

plenty more on that website

My son (7) spends hours building electronics with one of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/John-Adams-Hot-Wires-Electronics/dp/B0006SK3WG

It’s briliant. He can make fans, helicopters, light circuits, lie detectors, speakers, radios etc etc.

Thanks for all the suggestions so far – have sent the suggestion of a microscope to his dad…

… who deserves a nice, NOISY toy for nicking my chocolate eclaires in 2008.

A kite might be an idea, we are near the beach, but might possibly add to dad stress.

We got the USB microscope at Maplin…. it’s good for all sorts of creepy crawly’s…..

The kite is really awesome but it does cause some parent stress! (All the strings get tangled easily when packed away and untangling them on a windy beach is PITA) …

Once you do unravel/untangle it and get it up though he spends hours … (or until he needs a pee break) then the stress is making sure he doesn’t dive bomb anyone. 😀 … I don’t mind as I can’t “sit on a beach”… in fact I love having a go….

All in all though I reckon it delivers as much fun as <£20 can!

I have images of being the uncle that caused little Jan to fly away if I get him a kite.

😳

Perhaps the knife would come in handy.

Audiobooks go down really well with my lot.

But they already have too much Lego and too many knives!

All the strings get tangled easily when packed away and untangling them on a windy beach is PITA

Get a string winder (or improvise one), and get into the habit of always winding / unwinding the same way.

Aerobee! Perfect age for one and you lots of change to buy UNO and something else.

2nd vote for Brightminds website though.

I m going to suggest a Kelly Le Brock circa 1985. Might be a couple of years before he gets to play with it properly but I am sure he will thank you.

Didn’t read the $40 limit. Sorry.

Get him a Ray Gun, I had one when I was six, pulling the trigger made it light up and sparks shot out of the end, it was brilliant :D. Added bonus his parents will ask you to never buy him another present, win win.

One of those poppies from the Tower of London?

Get a string winder (or improvise one), and get into the habit of always winding / unwinding the same way.

Yep but its the strings that all meet up that hold the sails in….
On a >£100 one they would be made of something that doesn’t tangle easily…but this is a <£20 copy…

I have images of being the uncle that caused little Jan to fly away if I get him a kite.

Strings will snap WAY WAY before that on a £20 version!

Perhaps the knife would come in handy.

My kid is always asking for one… just like he wanted a propelling pencil… got him a pencil with instructions its only for home and a week later it’s been sneaked into school and lost/stolen…

I deffo wouldn’t want to be the parent with the kid taking a knife to school! (In reality he uses knives at home but …)

i would second the hot wires kit, my 7 year old loves it but it does need an adult to help with the harder circuits.

A junior ISA account and a tablet for him to see his money grow. 😉

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/savings/child-savings-tax-free

nerf gun and a brazillion extra darts

It is funny you should say that ….

Talking to dad away from mum – the young gentleman would mostly like a Nerf gun.

Frankly, the chance to buy Nerf guns seems the best reason for having a child.

Thanks for all your help and suggestions, I’m off to the shops.

Quite possibly to buy 2 Nerf guns 🙂

a hire bike and day out proper riding with cool uncle.

Buy a toolbox and fill it with knex.

Hex-Bugs ? My 6 year old nephew loves them 🙂