Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Christmas/Hanukkah/etc presents?

Just got the Keva Contraptions in the mail today. It's a HUGE box, I'm SO excited to give it to DS for his b-day on Thursday

DS 6 (almost7) loves the snap circuits (he's also a lego fanatic). He got the snap circuits about a year ago and still loves pulling them out. It is nice to have an adult work with him from time to time to talk with him why things in series work different from in parallel and how what he is seeing is an example of what he's read about (light energy, movement, vibration causing the noises etc), but he loves to just play and explore them on his own.

This year he's getting a beginner mindstorms set. At 6 he'll need help with it for sure, but he's so interested in robotics that I think it's time to get his feet wet (and ours too)

I also find that Magnatiles is an excellent toy. All three of my kids love it. Ages 3,4,6. It is like 3-D tanagrams with all sorts of fun geometric shapes. Not cheap, but well worth it. http://www.amazon.com/Magna-Tiles-Translucent-Colors-100-pieces/dp/B000CBSNRY/ref=pd_sim_t_2

Also don't forget a chess set. DS loves pulling that out over and over too - if he doesn't know how, no stress chess is a nice way to start.

Geee I wish we could get some of the stuff mentioned in this thread here. I'd LOVE those snap circuits for example... *Sigh*

Aiden (will be 5 then) and Nathan (3 now) are each getting a LeapPad for Christmas. Even though they have the explorers and still use them all the time, I recon it's time for upgrades. lol.

Nathan is also getting his first Duplo set, and a huge pile of his very own stationery and art supplies. (so much of excitement - he is always asking Aiden if he can use his stuff), and perhaps his own chess set and/or an extension pack for his Smartmax set that he got for his birthday (http://www.idealtoy.co.za/?page_id=29&post=29 ). it is magnetic but the pieces are big. dylan cannot even get them in his mouth so he also loves to play with it.

Aiden will get more Fly Guy books, some new stationery (a given) and then I need to find one more thing for him.. I'd love a snap circuit for example, but yeah - nothing like that here unfortunately. I may get him this Camelot JNR 3D wooden challenge puzzler game: http://www.idealtoy.co.za/?page_id=29&post=5

Dylan (11 months at Christmas) is getting a new puzzle (with the little red knob thingys) as all the old ones really are well-worn now, a Leapfrog MY Pal Scout, some new board books and then a noisy toy of some sort.

I am not getting much for DD (3.5 months at Christmas) either. Considering our house is full of toys...

lol - yep, and honestly, most of his gifts will probably be re-wrapped for his 1st bday in January. (hehe)

So, I ordered Ethan the snap circuits - http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-SC-300..._1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322506161&sr=8-1 and a Lego Technics set - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003F80IME/ref=oh_o00_s01_i00_details Both on sale! I also got him a rubik's cube and some pokemon cards and some books. He's going to be so excited about that lego set!

LoL! Hoagies just FB posted an angry cartoon Santa yelling, "Rice cakes?! I guess somebody only wants educational toys this Christmas.""

LoLoL, serves them right!

My son has enjoyed his Snap Circuits. You can get them from Radio Shack, too.

My son got Tomy Gearation two years ago when he was just-turned-three. He still has fun with it and the magnetic board has been great for his letters and numbers. (Lately he likes to use it as a scoreboard whenever we play a game.)

I'm glad to see so many "thumbs-up" on Contraptions. I purchased it for my son just this morning before I saw this thread.

Hubby wanted to get Chaos Tower , but I don't think our son has the dexterity for it yet. Maybe next year.