I am looking for a gift idea for a gifted young man turning 20. He needs a hobby. I would appreciate any help you can give me. I've not always had all of the right answers as a parent of a gifted child/adult, so I'm coming to you for help.
What else can you say about him? How is he gifted - math? Language(s)?
Hobbies are great things but typically not something you can pick for someone...
That said, one thing that leaps to mind is a digital camera because almost everyone loves taking and looking at pictures (if he doesn't already have one) and the price range has gotten pretty low for decent quick shots. Photography is a fun hobby even if you don't have time/inclination to go very technical or very artsy-fartsy. It has become even more accessible than ever in my opinion and is a fantastic creative and intellectual outlet even for those pressed for time and/or cash.
I agree with chris - hard to give someone a hobby. But I have given gifts of "letterboxing kits" in the past that people have enjoyed. Letterboxing is the old-fashioned version of geocaching.
If he likes hiking in interesting places outdoors, solving clues, writing clues, crafty stuff (you get to make your own stamp), he might like letterboxing.
I usually include carving tools, some rubber material for carving stamps, a nice notebook for "stamp collecting," a box to keep it all in, and the Letterboxer's companion book. The link below provides much more info.
http://www.letterboxing.org/GettingStarted/
Trial membership to a martial arts studio. The training of body and mind together appeals to many.
Some people don't like to give gift cards, but I find children and young adults really like that.
Example: A gift card to a local book store and one for a coffe shop in a neat mug.
A gift card for a hobby shop, then he can pick a hobby that catches his eye.
I like the trial membership idea, Cathy.
Also, golf, archery, pilates, etc.
Young adult suggestions:
1. Paste Magazine subscription (if he likes music--it comes with CD every month of all different artists and sometimes a DVD of short films)
2. The Week Magazine subscription (I love this magazine)
3. Latham's Quarterly (for the intellectual--very good reading)
4. The Sun magazine for creative writers/appreciative readers
5. Harpers Magazine
6. Make Magazine for those who like to tinker/invent
7. VEX Robotics kit (a little costly--maybe $150) but might get him interested in robotics because they're so cool and have a blog & quite a community
8. I don't know if the young man has any interest in mentoring kids but I imagine a 20-yr old gifted person as an ideal coach to inspire kids...specifically volunteering to do a Math Club at a middle school or Future Problem Solving Program (FPSP) club, or Book Club afterschool or on weekends, or Destination Imagination or Science Olympiad--all these cool possibilities that teachers have no time to do but benefit kids so much.
9. Tickets to community theater production?
10. Membership to the local museum (either art or science or whatever's nearby that matches his interests)--at our museums, members get invited to open houses with receptions, lectures, and other cool perks that could make it a hobby (especially if he is interested enough to become a docent, or take a pottery wheel class, or other adult education type class.
11. Our adult center has about a hundred classes for people over 18. They have bridge & competitions/clubs, billiards & competitions, jewelry making, foreign languages, BALLROOM DANCING! (how cool is that?!), all kinds of art classes, shop, line dancing, etc. Maybe paying tuition and offering to be his partner (or finding a willing surrogate partner)...
Just some ideas.
You can give lifetime membership of library.
and Some sports stuff so that he can use to develop their hobby.
And you can gifts cell phones, and Ipode, Music player because these stuffs are very much famous in people .