Christmas is coming... what should I get my 11+ year old?

[mitasol]

There are many great books on the Internet Archive. This one covers chemistry experiments, setting up a lab and even making an alcohol burner from an ink bottle. https://archive.org/details/GoldenBookO ... xperiments" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[southbucks3]

They are pretty expensive for what they are.
How about looking online for ideas of experiments and collecting a box of bits to add to 'found around the home items' or buy a book of ideas that uses stuff that is easily bought from diy stores/ chemist.
Do take care not to stray into inappropriate sites

There are lots of school supplies sites that sell direct to public on internet now to get test tubes etc if you want to make it look more 'scientific'.

Thanks a lot KB. Shall do. Given recent events, I've been too scared to look up recipes for chemical reactions online, or source things like Ammonia or Borax or whatever from the internet, for fear of having the Anti Terrorism Squad come knocking at my door.

The book is a good place to start. Thanks again

Our local butcher crashed the internet use in our information centre when I briefly worked there a few years ago. Transpired he was looking up gun powder experiments to do with his scout group and there were behind the scenes links that the council network was designed to instantly block, this forced a local network crash and a lengthy report.
When I popped in to see him and explain he was mortified.

[Tinkers]

They are pretty expensive for what they are.
How about looking online for ideas of experiments and collecting a box of bits to add to 'found around the home items' or buy a book of ideas that uses stuff that is easily bought from diy stores/ chemist.
Do take care not to stray into inappropriate sites

There are lots of school supplies sites that sell direct to public on internet now to get test tubes etc if you want to make it look more 'scientific'.

Thanks a lot KB. Shall do. Given recent events, I've been too scared to look up recipes for chemical reactions online, or source things like Ammonia or Borax or whatever from the internet, for fear of having the Anti Terrorism Squad come knocking at my door.

The book is a good place to start. Thanks again

Don't worry too much about buying stuff online and the a to terror squad. I've bought sulphur and potassium nitrate online (to make sparklers with) and no one has ever been to my house. Several recipes for sparklers on line btw.

[berks_mum]

Once we were talking about Christmas and presents and DCs thought getting too many presents(from grandparents, uncles, aunts) is not good. It is much more work to tidy up and some times the joy is very short lived. I asked them about an experience instead of object as a present. It took a while for them to understand what exactly I meant by experience. Giving examples helped.
Some of them are -
1) Annual pass to Chessington, Thorpe park and Alton Towers.
2) Annual membership for Tate museum.
3) Annual subscription for national geography magazines.
4) Trip to Legoland for younger children.
5) Theatre trips.
6) Trip to planetorium.
7) Some other day trips.

Last x'mas me,my brothers, sisters, SILs, BILs decided to do a get together with our families and instead of getting presents for the DCs we decided to write a small book for the DCs. Fortunately, we have people from all continents in our relations so it was more interesting to write stories in different languages have it put together in ring binders with one story dedicated to each child. DCs found it really good to have a book dedicated to them.

[JamesDean]

DD sponsors a chimp called Kiki at Monkey World in Dorset. We renew it annually for her birthday and she gets a photo, a quarterly magazine and free entry to the park

JD

[berks_mum]

JamesDean, that is a very good idea. Haven't thought about sponsoring animals. My DCs would love it.
A friend in Asia celebrates her B'day with the local elderly home and x'mas with the local orphanage. I thought it is so kind of her.

[Peridot]

For a family Christmas present from all of us to all of us a couple of years ago we went to the Harry Potter film studios near Watford which I would heartily recommend.

Great ideas from berks_mum for alternative day out presents. Can I also add that if you want to get a day pass or Merlin pass for Alton Towers, Chessington, Legoland etc you can use the Tesco Clubcard vouchers instead of real money.

Sister-in-law has sponsored animals at Marwell Zoo for presents before. And we've several times been to London Zoo between Christmas and New Year as a family present. I don't know if they still do it but when we went they had lovely seasonal activities like making christmas crackers with nuts in and giving them to the monkeys in the monkey walk-through to demolish (they tried very hard to relieve me of my camera too!).

[Elibet]

Thanks, some brilliant ideas, I'm off to make a list!

[ginx]

Dd2 wants a tablet, looking to spend only about £50, any recommendations?

[Peridot]

Dd2 wants a tablet, looking to spend only about £50, any recommendations?

I have a feeling the Tesco Hudl is supposed to be good. DH and DS were discussing it. No idea on cost though.

Or, can you buy them second hand? I have a second-hand iphone, and although the children turn their noses up at it because it's not state of the art, I love it and it does everything I need.