Help! (Please)
I need some ideas for awesome birthday presents for my nephews. They're in NZ so either needs to be not too big or be available mail order in NZ.
7 year old likes making things & programming them to do things. Methodical & follows instructions.
5 year old likes running around like crazy and fire trucks (although I think he's probably fire trucked out at the moment).
I want to find them something different / exciting / not made of plastic and disposable 2 days after their birthday.
Cheers!
Stunt kites
Box of matches for the young one
Dr remus chemistry set for the old one
Posting stuff to NZ at the moment is a bit hit and miss in terms of how long it takes to arrive. If you can find something in-country, I would go that route.
Whether 5 or 105, no boy has been disappointed at receiving a torch.
Tamiya RC kit to make with dad. Probably a lunchie
Lego. Will be in stock over there and adaptable to particular interests.
Need guns/lightsabres/catapults/anything they can hurt each other with or damage parents property, they'll be delighted
NB didn't read the plastic bit but my boys are still playing with Lego that was bought for MY uncle George 50years ago
For the 7 year old:
Lego (the obvious choice to be honest)
RC car although I'd go Traxxas just for not having to build it.
Something Minecraft or Pokemon themed
The Hilo Books (google will help you)
For the 5 year old:
Also Lego but make it easy to build.
Maybe Paw Patrol - as you're an uncle this could be acceptable but he's heading towards upper age limit.
Maybe PJ Masks - again this is a bit more uncertain but probably still okay age.
Walkie talkies.
The Dangerous Book for Boys.
Got one of the nephews this aged 9, but they arent the type that are the outdoorsy type, but they did report is was an interesting read all the same. I think it was more my sister and her over protectiveness prevented them from following many of the projects.
Easy to send in the post and not too heavy or large.
It would allow you to engage for updates on how they are getting on with the projects.
Rc car/rock crawler
Drone
Nerf guns
Go kart
If my lad was anything to go by at that age... Also works for 41 year old kids😏
Coke & hookers?
I'd go with stunt kites too (if they have the space to fly them), I still enjoy flying the ones I have (when there is wind).
Or lockpicks. It's a life skill.
Kites is a good shout. For the older one some sort of robotics/coding type thing sounds good. This is a bit spendy but looks good
Ozobot, little ping pong ball sized robot you program by drawing coloured lines it follows.
https://www.mightyape.co.nz/ is a bit like Amazon in NZ, they stock loads of toys and the like, lets you browse by age group. Posting stuff from the UK costs a fortune and takes ages.
My daughter is 6 next week and I was thinking of getting her a Botley:
https://www.learningresources.co.uk/botley-the-coding-robot
Bit concerned about the reviews........
Stunt kites
SOFT stunt kites. HQ are excellent entry: https://www.kiteworld.co.uk/acatalog/HQ-Comet-Stunt-Foils.html . Also the symphony is nicer quality and even 4ft is very good.
Avoid anything RC. In our house these seemed to be basically disposible items.
Thanks all.
Kite purchased and on its way. As a Kitesurfer I really should have thought of that 🙄
Found a NZ ship so it’s going direct with a couple bits of Lego & Technic.
The den kits look cool and an RC car of some kind is one for the future when they can get something a bit better that will be repairable and not just disposable - they’ve had a couple already but they don’t last long unless you get something a bit better.
NB didn’t read the plastic bit but my boys are still playing with Lego that was bought for MY uncle George 50years ago
Lego is acceptable use of plastic as it lasts. I was more meaning plastic tat toys that get played with once or twice and go in the bin.
He has one of the coding Lego kits, I think he’s quite enjoying it. Maybe an upgrade to that at some point if he’s still in to it.
Saw this vid the other day. Not sure what the gun laws are in NZ, but if he was in Texas like this 5yr old, make a great first gun prezzie 😆 Its a gun review channel.
Pen knife, bought our daughter one for her 6th along with a turbo lighter, my wife was mortified even more so when daughter came back into the house after some stick whittling with blood dripping from her hand. Character building and she learnt something.
I'll save the setting fire to the play house for another thread.