Birthday present for not quite a teen boy

[inthesticks]

Posting on here because the parenting board seems very geared to small children and I thought you parents of teens might have some ideas?
My DS2 is twelve soon and I'm in need of inspiration for his birthday. I want stuff to wrap up, if I can't think of a main present I'll give him an IOU.

As usual he has no idea what he would like.
He has an ipod nano and likes music but there's nothing he particularly wants. For Christmas I got him an ipod docking station.

He reads a lot and I've got him some books.

Not into sport, or clothes or DVDs.

He plays Runescape and xbox but still has Game tokens left from Christmas because he hasn't seen a game he likes.

[exexpat]

DS (11) mainly just wants money these days (which he sometimes spends on t-shirts, music, games etc but often just hoards in his bank account - he's already got plans for a round-the-world trip when he's older), but he did see something like this beanbag in a catalogue and said it looked cool. You couldn't exactly wrap it up, though... Also popular with his friends are Ripstiks. Hope this helps...

[inthesticks]

The chair looks impressive!

If I give him money he would put it in the bank, and while I obviously want to encourage saving it seems a shame not to have a tangible treat for a birthday.
He won't get much from family or friends but whatever he gets from them will be tokens/cash.

[seimum]

My ds is 12 and he doesn't need stuff either. Well, he might want more computer games, but he plays on the computer enough already, so he's not getting more. He also puts all his birthday money in the bank & leaves it.

At Christmas we ended up getting him some books, and then just getting various new clothes that he needed anyway (They do start growing very fast at that age!).

He seemed quite happy with that.

[Vulture]

Why not buy him an experience? Go Karting is popular with my ds's friends who are about the same age. Or you could do that and put some money in a slush fund for him to dip into when he sees something he wants later in the year.

[peanutbutterkid]

Air Rifle.
I wouldn't buy one for my 12yo DS either, but I get that my DS would bite my hand off if I offered... .

[exexpat]

Good idea about experience presents, Vulture - OK, you can't wrap them up, but they won't end up stuffed under the bed either... My DS still talks about Go Ape - I took him there for his last birthday.

[Pineapplechunks]

What about a remote control helicopter or similar? Not one aimed at kids but a more snazzy grown up one?

I may be way off here-I have a 7 year old DD and no sons but know that my DP(at 29 and childish with it) loves his RC helicopter.

[inthesticks]

Thanks for those ideas.
I'll skip the air rifle though I know he would love it
He's done the GO Ape thing but not Go carting, I'll see whether there is one around here.
I had thought of pushing the boat out for a party/treat in lieu of a pressy so maybe he could take friends.
He used to have a Tyco Ric RC helicopter which he loved but it was very fragile and broke. Maybe get a better model.

[nickschick]

What about one of those 'ice' watches,v cool .

Has he got a mobile fone?

[inthesticks]

He has a mobile. never heard of "ice Watches". Will google.
The Go karting is no good as there isn't one within 60 miles of us.

[nickschick]

I have only seen the ice watches in the jewellers my boys havent asked for one ....yet but ive heard a few trendy kids say that what they want.

[Danthe4th]

Anything superdry especially the hoodies or the ipod touch.