The past summer vacation didn’t go as smoothly as previous years. Because, wow, your (almost) 8-year-old boy sure knows how to complain. ‘Boredom’ was pretty much the main theme of his holiday experience. Even at a campsite with a swimming pool, many peers, playgrounds, and an animation team. Anyway, your kid is almost 8 years old and is eagerly looking forward to the presents he’ll receive on his birthday. What a lucky boy, right? At least, if you know what gift to buy and it makes him happy.
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Developmental stage of an 8-year-old boy
How can I mislead my parents/teacher/friend/etc. to get what I want? It’s a somewhat grown-up way of describing exactly what’s going on in the mind of an 8-year-old boy. Consequences that might result from their misleading actions don’t seem to concern them. At least, maybe they do, but they just don’t consider them at the moment. In other words: an 8-year-old boy will do whatever it takes to get what he wants. That lies may be involved doesn’t bother them. It complicates life for bystanders, but also for the boy himself. ‘Why?’ you might ask yourself over and over.
Anyway, it’s something familiar to eight-year-old little monsters. Fortunately, it’s one of the few significant negative aspects at this age. An 8-year-old boy, for instance, becomes increasingly interested in learning and discovering. They can express themselves, including their feelings, better and collaborate more effectively. Respect is a nice aspect to focus on, to enhance the boy’s empathetic ability. Further, we’d say: enjoy this age. The boy isn’t yet a teenager but can already have fun conversations with adults. Don’t forget, though, that the boy is still developing in all areas.
An 8-year-old boy might be quite independent, but he still needs structure and guidance. A good example of this is screen time. He probably thinks that gaming for hours is perfectly normal, but you as parents have a different view. Any conflict will indicate that you’re probably right. Oh, and that screen time is likely used to figure things out with friends. Note, friends, because no, your son absolutely doesn’t want to think about girls right now.
Dont’s (types of gifts you shouldn’t buy for an 8-year-old boy)
There are many gifts you can buy for an 8-year-old boy, but there are also a few gifts you’d better not buy. For example, avoid toy weapons. This can encourage aggressive behavior that’s not yet well-regulated in a boy this age. Also, it’s not advisable to buy lots of candy and similar items. He’ll want to eat it all too quickly, and since it’s ‘his’ gift, it’s harder to control. In other words: buy something that the boy will benefit from in the long term and that contributes to a good mood.
What is an appropriate budget for this age?
The little one will already be happy with a literally big gift, even if it’s less expensive than something else. Take the following amounts as an indication and buy a desired gift accordingly.
- Parents/guardians: £50.00 to …
Often, you’ll see that parents are the ones who buy the most expensive gift. The child looks forward to this the most because he now understands that this is usually the case. - Close family members (uncles, aunts, grandparents): £10.00 to £25.00
An uncle you only see at birthdays will probably set a lower budget than grandparents the child sees every week. - Neighbors/acquaintances: £10.00
For a tenner, you can probably buy a nice gift that the boy will be just as excited about. - Friends: £5.00
A cool birthday party isn’t complete without presents.
Additional tips
Yes, we know, you’re already very curious about the top 20 gifts for an 8-year-old boy, but we’d still like to give you a few more tips. For example, agree with the guests that you give no more than one gift each. If the boy gets 20 gifts, it reduces the value of each gift. With half as many gifts, the boy will be much more aware of what he has actually received and will appreciate it more. Moreover, cheap gifts are usually a false economy and the boy won’t enjoy them for as long.
1. Construction toy sets
A construction toy set can, of course, consist of all sorts of things. Think of a set to build your own dinosaur or a kit to build the car of your dreams. In that sense, a construction toy set is taken quite literally. You can also look at something like K’nex. And yes, there are indeed a number of construction sets of this, but once inside, you’ll see that the eight-year-old has also made a lot of other creations. Additionally, it’s good for a boy this age to work on his fine motor skills. He’s much less likely to enjoy ‘crafting’ than girls of his age, right?
2. Lego
LEGO Hamburger Truck, LEGO Harry Potter, LEGO Technic, LEGO City… We could go on and on listing the different LEGO sets available. In fact, even within larger lines like LEGO City, you’ll find much more than just a measly set. We’d recommend basing a LEGO set on his own hobbies and interests. Maybe he even has an idea about what he wants. Because you know what it is with an eight-year-old, he’s very aware that he’ll get a gift for his birthday. So why not let him create a specific (online) wish list, indicating exactly what he’d like to have.
3. Marble run
Playing with marbles! A classic game that is still popular at certain times. Be aware that something like playing with marbles is very trend-sensitive. And it’s even about local trends unless it was featured on a kids’ news program, and suddenly all the kids at school want to play with marbles. Anyway, it’s something you don’t buy as a ‘permanent play option.’ Moreover, we’d only buy it if it’s actually ‘in’ to play with marbles; otherwise, he probably won’t know what to do with it. Or it’s ‘stupid’ to play with marbles, and you’re even worse off. All things that absolutely don’t sound like they should be your problem.
4. Laser tag
An afternoon of laser tag with friends can cost their parents a lot of money. If a boy of this age likes it so much that he wants to do it every week, you might consider buying a laser tag set. That way, he can play the game whenever he wants, although you should keep in mind that the set probably doesn’t include eight guns. Inviting the whole neighborhood for a laser tag party isn’t really feasible. But you have to start somewhere, and in our opinion, a laser tag set is a great start. The boy will be eternally grateful and never ask for anything else again (okay, that last part isn’t true, but one can hope).
5. Robots
A boy interested in technology, science, and programming? How about a robot! Nowadays, there are several robots on the market suitable for children his age. Think of programmable robots, construction robots, or interactive robots that can even move and/or talk. These robots will help develop problem-solving skills and spatial awareness. Consider it an educational gift that will undoubtedly earn him some popularity with his friends. Because, how cool is it to say you got a robot for your birthday.
6. Football gear
Maybe it’s a bit stereotypical to say that every eight-year-old boy loves football, but it’s more common than you think. So, if you’re aware of this somewhat generic hobby, we’d say: get football gear. This includes not only the football itself but also goals, cones, and such. This way, he can play with his friends and be entertained for an entire afternoon. That’s different from him asking for extra screen time after 15 minutes of ‘being bored.’ Or something like that. We’ve been through this phase with our own kids but might have forgotten how it went. Well, you get the point, right? Get those football kits and let him have fun!
7. Kids’ microscope
A kids’ microscope is a fantastic gift for the curious and inquisitive eight-year-old. He can discover the whole world around him with this microscope. How does a leaf look up close? What happens when you look at a bug up close? Or is the structure of food really so intricate? With a microscope, an eight-year-old can find answers to such questions. It saves a lot of difficult questions for parents or other adults and gives the child the autonomy to investigate himself. Much more fun than looking at pictures on Google, right? Perhaps he can use his analytical and observation skills in school. Imagine if he discovers a passion for microscopic life and even studies it later?
8. Remote-controlled cars
Controlling and steering your own vehicle? We’d know what we’d choose! For a car that you place on the ground and move back and forth, the young man might be getting too old. But a car that you can control yourself, giving him a sense of autonomy and responsibility, is indeed a good idea. It stimulates his creativity by dealing with different situations ‘in traffic’ and he can just enjoy speeding around. Maybe he saw it with his favorite YouTubers and asked for it himself. Be careful though, as this guy went to an empty lot. We don’t know if that happens to be near the eight-year-old, but we’d limit him to the backyard for the first few times.
9. Skateboard
With a skateboard, you can do much more than just stand on it and move. You can perform tricks like ollies, kickflips, grind on rails, and curbs. You could also choose to just cruise around and slalom between obstacles. In other words, an eight-year-old boy will definitely enjoy a board like this. He’ll need to learn first, but once he gets the hang of it, he can move from A to B and have the best time at the skate park. Make sure he always goes out with the necessary protection. This includes a helmet, knee and wrist guards, and maybe even elbow guards. You don’t want to know how many kids break something while proper protection could have easily prevented it.
10. Kite
A day out at the beach? Take a kite with you! And no, it’s not boring, because it’s harder than you think. Moreover, kiting will be much more interesting for an eight-year-old than having to walk behind his parents all the time. Once he gets the hang of it, he can also use the kite to perform various tricks. Think of loopings or making the kite dance in the air. We’d also recommend choosing a kite with a cool design. Or one with lots of colors, that works too. And another tip, if you’re smart, give his sister (or brother) one later so they can do the activity together.
