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DH is an electrician, so our house is full of tools! (I mean FULL!) and DS15mon LOVES to imitate daddy and play with his tools (he already tries to use the screwdrivers, and properly!). DS does have plastic tools but those just aren't as much fun as daddy's!!!

I'd like to get DS something to substitute DHs because they are (a) dirty and (b) heavy. However, they have to be realistic or DS is not going to be fooled! An electric drill would be GREAT as he's always after that too!

Any suggestions?

I have thought of buying him a 'ladies set' of tools (lighter, and could be just for DS) but generally tools aren't really built for kids & are a little dangerous :S.

I'd also love to find him something that was as much fun as the computer, but I don't think that is going to happen! . (WOW! I push the big blue button & mommy yells at me...)

I second MON's suggestion of take-apart toys. My DS got a take-apart airplane when he was quite young, and he said, "This is the best toy ever!"

I couldn't find the exact toy, but similar to the toys on this site it came with a battery-operated drill:

Take Apart Toys

WHOA! Perfect!!

Yeah I'm not big on letting him play with Daddy's tools unless I'm right beside him, but he still manages to find them all over the house!

He's got both a very baby set & a toddler set of tools & neither were very interesting to him, but I think these guys might just do the trick! Thanks for the suggestion guys!

Well my Christmas shopping list is one person shorter .

You may want to wait til he's a little older but woodcraft.com sells a My First Project tool bag with kid sized "real" tools. I got it for DS when he was 5 & he still LOVES it 2 yrs later. 2 screwdrivers, tape measure, level, really nice sturdy bag. It was clearanced when I bought it 2 yrs ago & still shows that price now. He has taken it to grandma's to show, helps me w/house stuff and used it when his Scout troop built bird houses.

Anyway, just wanted to share because it is such a great product! (no, not a rep, just really impressed w/the quality & price!)

There are also kid sized real tool sets sold at Toys-R-Us. They are for kids older than yours, but if he is monitored and he NEEDS them to be real... They also have more realistic plastic toys (like screw guns for instance). There are also wooden tool sets with screws and hammers and such. You could probably find them online or at an educational toy store.

Home Depot and Lowes have kids project days on saturdays. And it's Free. hope you have one near you.

These are pretty well attended where I live. Mr W and I go down to HD to get supplies for our remodelling tasks and he just loves watching the kids with their parents.