My son turns 14 soon and he hasn’t given me any gift ideas. He likes to read, so books are one option, but I was hoping for something else as well. I’d like to keep it under $100. He really wants an iphone but I’m not ready to dive into a two year contract on a phone for him yet. He plays soccer but already has a decent soccer ball and good cleats and shin guards.
I was thinking about craft type stuff, maybe models or other building type activities, but not sure what would fit the bill. He does like tinkering. We gave him a “100 in 1” electronic set at one point but it wasn’t used very much. An airsoft gun is an option, as he and his friends will occasionally have a battle with those.
If you have broadband internet, you could get him a MMORG and several months of game time. World of Warcraft will be launching a major expansion sometime this fall, probably in November. City of Heroes/Villians also recently released a major expansion, and there are other games out there as well.
Another option may be one of those MP3 player things. I think kids buy downloads from a site like itunes, and then the machine will store/replay the music. As a bonus for parents, headphones are available.
It may stretch the budget, but how about a trip to a major sporting event–a MLB or NFL game, or even a college football game, if such is reasonably close to where you live?
If you’re anywhere near a coast, you may be able to do a deep sea fishing charter for a half day for two people within your budget, or close to to it.
Tickets for something? My nephews that age are really into music, so that’s always a sure bet with them, but maybe he’s interested in another sort of event.
I don’t know what he wants, but I know what I would have wanted at that age (excluding the porn collection):
Table tennis (ping pong) table - the cheapest full-sized one I see is a bit out of your price range at about $130 (at Sears).
A nice chess set, assuming he plays or wants to learn.
Archery bow. I had one at that age and I still have both my eyes. Not sure how much these cost now. I got my two bows ridiculously cheap on eBay a few years ago.
Rocket kit.
Remote-controlled airplane.
Telescope or binoculars with tripod and star chart.
What are his interests? You seem like you’re steering him towards “juvenile” pursuits, toy guns and craft kits – and that’s cool if that’s what he really enjoys – but he’s at the age where maybe he would like something more “grown up” however he thinks of it and you as mom/dad wouldn’t necessarily “see” that easily. Maybe some “trendy” type clothes, tickets to a band he likes, a trip somewhere with friends, an ipod or other technology doodad… these are just some ideas I’m throwing out.
If he wants an iPhone but you’re worried about paying for service, you might consider an iPod Touch – basically the exact same functionality as far as games/apps but no cell phone component. It can also do internet stuff if you have a wireless router.
He already has an ipod touch. He is looking to get the newer version that just came out, but that is about $300.
When I mentioned crafts, I wasn’t thinking little toy models. I was more thinking along the lines of a radio controlled airplane or helicopter. Something he can build and then use. He has a rocket launching kit which he did use once this summer. We fired off about 5 rockets but he hasn’t shown much interest in that since.
A ping-pong table would be a great idea of we had the room, but unfortunately we don’t. I’m considering upgrading our video system (PS2), but then it would be more of a family gift and not just his.
I’ll checking into the MMORG idea… I don’t really know what that is but I’m sure he’d be interested in on-line gaming.
He really isn’t into watching sports at all. He’d much rather play. If I could figure out how to do it, I’d get him something like a day of rock climbing or some other outdoor experience.
Personally, I’d skip any kind of video game or electronics that encourage a kid to sit on his ass for hours in a dark room by himself.
I’d give gifts that encourage him to have fun outdoors and with others. How about something like paintball gun and a gift certificate for a some paintball time at the local field?
I have a 13-year-old son and I will attest he loved kayaking last summer. He also likes his point-and-shoot camera he got last Christmas and always seems happy when I get him groovy shoes. (I can’t help it. I buy everyone cool shoes.) He also loves his iPod Touch, but I see that’s covered. You could throw in a headset with a mic and get him an internet phone number, and he can talk on the iPod at home if you have a wireless router.
We don’t have wireless, so one thought I had was to install that for him at home so he could use his ipod touch through it. But again, that didn’t seem very personal.
Kayaking is an option, as is any other outdoor activity but I’m not sure how to pull it off. I’ll have to check into it more. I think he would really enjoy that kind of thing.
Maybe check around with sporting goods stores. They may offer supervised trips themselves or know of someone who does.
Most paintball fields back in the day were able to accomodate walk up business. For a flat fee, you get equipment rental, a fairly small amount of ammo, gun and safety mask. You can, and probably would wish to, purchase extra ammo. You might call one to see what kind of deals they offer, determine start times, etc.
Maybe look for something you could do together. As I reflect back on childhood, I don’t remember the things my dad gave me nearly as much as I remember the time he spent with me. Fishing, hunting, shooting, camping, golf, ball games…whatever activity Dad happened to be into was available to me if I wanted to go. Dad and I had a plan, where we were going to try to throw a hook under every bush in the swamps. As it turns out, there are a helluva lotta bushes in those swamps, and we didn’t try em all…but we made a damn fine run at it, and created memories that will last a lifetime.
Kid’s gotta start sometime and it’s usually adolescence. I started sneaking magazines in junior high around 12 so it’s not completely unusual. I don’t see how it’s bad to get a 14 year old some magazines. Chances are, if he has ever gone online, he’s seen it already
I’ve given a few Leatherman multitools to both males and females, and they’ve always been well-received. Seems to me that 14 is a good age to be given a good serious knife and tool set, assuming that he’s mature enough to be trusted with sharp blades and such. I’m not committed to Leatherman as the brand, as long as it’s a good brand. Now, he’ll probably have to leave this thing at home when he goes to school, but that only increases the coolness factor.
I have a Leatherman micro or mini on my key ring, and I am the envy of just about every male that sees it.
I believe that in most states, it’s illegal for a minor to possess porn. Yes, most of them have at least seen it, and a lot of them have it…but that doesn’t mean that a parent can or should provide it for them.
Anyway, half of the fun of porn is the naughtiness factor.
He already plays soccer. Nothing wrong with playing some video games, too. (I’ll also note that you didn’t have any similar objection to books, which pretty much by definition require you to sit in a room by yourself to use them.) Also, you may note that **Oakminster **suggested an MMO. If you weren’t aware, the first two letters stand for Massively Multiplayer–you’re playing in a game world that contains thousands of other people, and regularly teaming up with them in combinations of anything from two people to forty.
I disagree. It was quite funny.
I think this would be a cool idea. I’ve always loved these. My little brother bought his first one when he was about 14 and wore the hell out of it.
As far as small electronics go, the ones out there now are quite cool, and have plenty of things besides ‘just mindless timewasters’ on them. I’m thinking along the lines of the DS and such; might want to check them out and see what programs each type carries.
I’d even recommend a Kindle or some such, though one still has to download books to it, and I don’t know how much that will run in general. (I personally prefer paperbacks, but again, the coolness factor is…well, kinda cool)