# What to get a 7 year old boy for his birthday?



## FoxintheSnow (May 11, 2004)

Doesnt need to be "crunchy" preferably something he wouldnt have a million of and Ive heard he hates crafts. I know he's got dozens of webkinz. I got him legos last year and he wasnt thrilled.


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## LynnS6 (Mar 30, 2005)

Board games have been a big hit - at 7, he's ready for some more 'grown up' kinds of games (Cranium Cadoo would be my first suggestion, followed by Labyrinth, Sorry, Monopoly).

Oh, or my favorite "non-game" game: Catapult Game

Science kits.

Stomp Rocket.

Remote Control Helicopter/Air Hogs Plane.


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## ma2five (Sep 16, 2008)

Hi,
How about the latest super hero DVD, if he likes Nascar you could find out who his fav driver is to get him something along that line, or a model car to build. Is he outdoorsy? maybe fishing tackle or a rod?
Hope this helps,
Ma2five


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## 4evermom (Feb 3, 2005)

My 7 yo was happy to get an r/c tank that shoots foam things and an r/c helicopter thing (actually the ufo looking styrofoam disk). The flying r/cs don't seem to have a long life span, though. He does not like arts and crafts or sports or books, as gifts (though he was thrilled to get a Calvin and Hobbes book). He loves gadgets and is currently enjoying having a stop watch and starting to use a compass (which is attached to a flashlight). He'd like walkie talkies that really worked (not cheap toy ones). He wishes he had binoculars. He enjoyed his stomp rocket but has had one for a few years so it's not that interesting anymore.


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## spruce (Dec 11, 2004)

Pocket knife. (this is the age when all of our kids get a pocket knife)

Rubik's Cube (sp?)

Books...Narnia, Harry Potter, etc.

Knight figures, coloring books, catapult/trebuchets, "The Dangerous Book for Boys."

Super incredible paper airplane books...and fold a few yourself to give to him! The Harrier in the Dangerous Book is awesome!

Klutz book of flip books.

Klutz book of knot tying or lanyard skills, and some rope or string or whatever.

Geode kits and a rock hammer to break them.

Mad Libs.

Watercolor for the Artistically Undiscovered (Klutz)

Tintin books.

/can you tell I have one who just turned 7?

(When you mentioned no Legos, I thought I'd have no ideas,







).

Have to second the Calvin n Hobbes suggestion, but CH does bring up some painful stuff...Calvin says a lot of scary stuff like, "I wish I were dead," and so forth.

love, penelope


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## bits and bobs (Apr 7, 2008)

Audio CDs-my almost 7 year old adores these.

Bionicles

Compass

Pedometer


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## guestmama9904 (Jul 6, 2002)

subbing. my son's 7th birthday is in two weeks. so far i got him the papo pirate bucaneer fort, two pirate guys by papo, and a grab bag of cowboy and indian figures, and a waldorf chapter book called "The 7 Year Old Wonder Book", similar story style to the original Grimmes fairy tales which he loves. DS also loves all the books by Kate Dicamillo and loves CS Lewis books on cd.

he isnt big on board games but does love to draw, any other suggestions? he does love lego and wants the indiana jones lego castle thing but i'm kinda feeling overwhelmed by the expense and short lived nature of these lego sets. it seems like though kids love them they are very expensive and often only get put together an dthen kids are done.


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## muse (Apr 17, 2002)

subbing...got till december to think about my ds, but already on the list (which WILL be narrowed down!):

- compass
- pocket knife
- marble run
- dangerous book for boys
- 7 year wonder book
- story CD's (charlottes web is a huge favorite)
- new bike bell
- magic tricks/book
- yet more lego

a great gift he got last year from a friend was a headlamp; for reading under the covers at night ; )

and another great one for a 7 yr old is juggling sticks.


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## guestmama9904 (Jul 6, 2002)

also i boughtds this awesome crossbow he wanted.
http://www.wondermentshop.com/istar....6&id=W70!FANTA


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## frog (Jun 1, 2005)

I think a shirt tie-dyed in his favorite colors would be hella cool. PM me and I'll hook you up.


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## musikat (Oct 30, 2002)

Cool thread! I love that crossbow, but it scares me a little, too.









My future 7 year old (in Jan) wants nothing BUT Legos, Star Wars figures and super hero figures.
I am getting some different ideas from this thread, though.









My son does enjoy games, so I would second that. I, personally, would not get someone else's child a pocket knife, though, without clearing it first.

If the kid is into Star Wars, light sabers are big hits around here.

Good luck!


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## mamazee (Jan 5, 2003)

Spy Gear is really popular around my neighborhood lately.


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## mamababamba (Jan 26, 2005)

ds loved his balance board and rc snap circuits kit he got...he loves all the snap circuits so far but has yet to really get into legos...games games games....water works, ruckus, mille bornes, labrynth...


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## spruce (Dec 11, 2004)

This thread has great ideas. My 7yo loves his Legos, and K'Nex. We don't allow Bionicles (I think they're too scary and all about fighting, which I don't really like...) but we subbed to boys to the Brickmaster Club, and the first set that came was Bionicle.









My 7 yo also just began using his own bow (with real practice arrows), which his sister gifted to him for his Bday. He's really enjoying it, and we're looking to set up a target range with about four hay bales. (You can buy wet or damaged hay pretty cheap if you ask around).

Other stuff that never goes out of style: pogo sticks, roller blades, marble runs, and audio CDs. We love the Jim Weiss ones.

I just bought The 7 Year Wonder Book, and it's incredible! And I got him The Hobbit on audio CD, because he finished reading the book by himself.









love, p


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## guestmama9904 (Jul 6, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *spruce* 
This thread has great ideas. My 7yo loves his Legos, and K'Nex. We don't allow Bionicles (I think they're too scary and all about fighting, which I don't really like...) but we subbed to boys to the Brickmaster Club, and the first set that came was Bionicle.









My 7 yo also just began using his own bow (with real practice arrows), which his sister gifted to him for his Bday. He's really enjoying it, and we're looking to set up a target range with about four hay bales. (You can buy wet or damaged hay pretty cheap if you ask around).

Other stuff that never goes out of style: pogo sticks, roller blades, marble runs, and audio CDs. We love the Jim Weiss ones.

I just bought The 7 Year Wonder Book, and it's incredible! And I got him The Hobbit on audio CD, because he finished reading the book by himself.









love, p

explain the real bow and arrow thing to me cause DSS age 6 says he wants to learn. where do you find a real bow/arrow for kids and how do you teach them to use it?


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## zaphodsmommy (Oct 13, 2005)

I'll second all the great ideas on flashlights, binoculars, pocket knives, and I'll also add in tool sets (you can buy child size metal tools at dollar stores - hammer, pliers, screwdrivers, etc.). My seven year old and all his friends just thrill to that stuff (so 'grown up').


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## spruce (Dec 11, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *zaphodsmommy* 
I'll second all the great ideas on flashlights, binoculars, pocket knives, and I'll also add in tool sets (you can buy child size metal tools at dollar stores - hammer, pliers, screwdrivers, etc.). My seven year old and all his friends just thrill to that stuff (so 'grown up').

My now 7yo had the MOST fun learning to use a hammer when he was very small. We gave him a piece of firewood, a hammer, and huge nails, and he nailed them in, pulled them out, made patterns, etc. We changed out the wood when it was too full of holes.









I also found a wristwatch compass (it's not a watch, but it is worn like one) online the other day for a very cheap price. I think every 7yo needs to know how to find their way around without a GPS, yk? We're using The Dangerous Book for Boys as sort of a starting place for a lot of our stuff this year, and he's having a TON of fun (and so is his 4yo brother) learning about lines of longitude and latitude, how ships sail by the stars, how the first ships' chronometers were build, and how to figure out a compass (more difficult, as we're in Alaska).

If my boy were about to turn 7 again, and the person buying him a gift was going to go all out, I would tell them that this is my personal 7yo boy kit wishlist:

Dangerous BOok for Boys

Rope, climbing grade, with carabiners

Knots book by Klutz

Compass

First aid kit, including fire strikers (vaseline, cotton balls, flint)

Swiss Army knife

Poncho liner (an Army blanket that is silky soft, but super warm, and comes with ties attached so you can turn it into a tent, etc).

Big, waterproof backpack.

Nature sketchbook and charcoal pencils

Waterproof playing cards (for playing in the rain, or so they don't get ruined if you get caught crossing the Rubicon







).

Headlamp (with batteries).

Wool socks.








love, penelope


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## spruce (Dec 11, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *arismama!* 
explain the real bow and arrow thing to me cause DSS age 6 says he wants to learn. where do you find a real bow/arrow for kids and how do you teach them to use it?


Okay, my 7yo is using a simple recurve bow for now.

Something similar HERE: http://www.3riversarchery.com/Produc...=94&p=0&i=2375

I use a compound bow. Recurves are cheaper and easier for small people to master, and require a tiny bit more concentration, IMHO.

Buy him GOOD arrows. No use trying to shoot straight if you have crap for arrows. Teach him to fletch his own, as well, so that he knows when his arrows are off and when his aim is off.

Get him an arm guard, he's going to need one!

A lot of this can be bought second hand, in excellent condition, for a much cheaper price.

Setting up a target area is super important. If you live where there is space, you want about four hay bales, stacked together. (Two on two). You want to mark the area around it as a target zone, and make sure the first thing your son learns is that he's responsible for EVERYTHING down range of him. If there is no space for that, contact your local hunting or fish and game society, they'll have indoor or outdoor practice ranges you can use for a very, very minimal fee (and kids are often free).

This site: http://www.bows.net/
has a lot of useful links, and info on figuring draw length, dominant eye, etc.

Good luck, have fun! Try buying yourself a second hand bow, and see if you like it.







I love bow shooting. I still dream of the day I'll get my moose, but until then, target practice is all fun! (And if you do get yourself a bow, get a leather breast protection plate, nothing as awful as having your nipple snapped by the bow string!)

love, penelope


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## lovemyfamily6 (Dec 27, 2006)

Our oldest is turning 7 a week from Saturday. Here is what we got him. One of his brothers got him "Go Fish" the card game. One of his other brothers got him a Bionicle. Dh and I got him Horton Hears a Who, Guess Who (the game), Clue Jr, a Leapster game, and a new Magic Treehouse book.

His wish list for my sister in law that asked is:

Barnes and Noble gift card
Hullabaloo
Bionicles


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