He might enjoy an Erector set. Maybe Lincoln logs.

He might enjoy the gliders you can launch with a sturdy rubber band. He can fold the wings back, pull the glider way back on the rubber band, and launch it.

My sister and I spent many hours launching and chasing gliders thru an alfalfa field when we lived in Wyoming.

We also bought and built a CO2 capsule powered midget racer. We stretched a wire across a tennis court. We must not have stretched the wire tight enough because the racer flew maybe 50 feet before the tires returned to the surface of the tennis court.

LEGOS would be good. My friend's kids like them and are of similar age.
Depending on size, he may be ready for a new bike. 8 would be 20" frame size, so maybe bmx or freestyle if he is so inclined and there is a nice bike park close to him. Or a skateboard could be good.
If he likes camping/fishing, I'm sure they make child size kayaks. Be a nice outdoor activity.
I liked model rockets at that age. Get to build and fly them, so twice the fun. Better if you have some open space to work with. He's likely to get plenty of exercise in the "recovery" phase as well. They never just come right back down.
A PC or possibly the parts to build a PC if you think he's up to that. Good learning experience.
What does he read? Sign him up for one of the book a month clubs for children if they have content that runs to his liking. Plus, kids are still happy to get things in the mail.
If he likes RC, maybe a nicer that u & he could assemble together. They aren't ridiculously hard to build and its a nice sense of accomplishment. They are significantly faster than your average box store RC though, so take that into account.
I liked kites around that age, but that is kinda a warm weather activity.
Possibly an acoustic guitar, if he has any interest in learning to play.

Some really good ideas here, thanks all.

cparkid - Sorry, I should have mentioned a budget. probably under $100.00 but it's my grandson so I will probably end up spending more.
I should have also mentioned that he does not live nearby anymore. Dad got orders to Norfolk about 2 years ago so many of the ideas that would be great for us to do together will have to wait a few years.

Rogue - This was my though as well. I will probably go with it as his dad is a nuke EM1 in the Navy so they could work on the projects together..

Dusty - Oh yeah, he is getting that regardless. Thanks.

springer - That Perplexus look cool. I might get one as a stocking stuffer.

I thought about Legos and discounted them for much the same reasons 1967Goat gives but so many of you recommended them I will have to reconsider them. thousands of little parts is just a bonus.

Again, thanks all for the help.

Another bump for Snap Circuits.
My 7yr old LOVES them.

My 5 grandkids, ages 3 to 9, just go crazy over Legos. Guess what’s under our tree for them.

The point of Legos is to build the given design... then take it apart and build something else. It’s not supposed to stay together.

And you can’t have too many, and it s fun to build things with the kids.

Go read the info on Dusty’s suggestion...That sounds great!

There is a European version of the Erector set, check out Eitech - they have a pretty impressive crane set (the Deluxe set if I recall) with motors for lift, rotation, etc.

It could go well with Lionel or G scale trains, toy trucks, cars, figures, etc.

The kit I noted is above your budget, but can sometimes be had used from one of those auction sites.

quote:

Originally posted by SigJacket:
The point of Legos is to build the given design... then take it apart and build something else. It’s not supposed to stay together.

And you can’t have too many, and it s fun to build things with the kids.

This. Mine will mostly fill a 30 gallon trash can and I've sorted the small parts into another container. No sets still together, might have instructions for one or two yet.

Makedo Cardboard Construction

Uvpaqlite

I get my nephew gifts from Mindware and have been pleased with them. I like to get him some fun gifts with educational value.
http://m.mindware.orientaltrad...tr?keyword=Dig+it+up

Does he like music? Perhaps get him a keyboard or guitar and some lessons. Legos are always a good option. That's one of the only toys my 10 year old plays with these days.

For a stocking stuffer, there's some neat and cheap LED-lit microscopes like this:
https://www.amazon.com/KINGMAS...words=led+microscope
I still have the conventional microscope that I received for Christmas when I was about eight. It opened up a whole new world of small stuff for my inquiring mind.

quote:

Originally posted by 1967Goat:
My biggest gripe with legos is, once you build them, you can't really "play" with them. They fall apart. They are made to be built, then put on a shelf. My kids play with their toys. They do get to construct other "things" once they have sufficient pieces, but it kinda makes me sad to spend that kind of money on a Lego kit and not really have anything to show for it once it all comes apart.

My kids have an electronics kit, like the snap kit above. that was a great gift from their grandfather. Anything motor or circuitry related would be very educational.

I bought my 2 boys air rifles for Christmas, but I know you said no firearms due to you not being local.

You're using legos completely wrong, President Business building from instructions & setting them on a shelf is for adults in mommy's basement. Might as well keep them in the box so you don't ruin the value. Watch the lego movie - that's EXACTLY what kids need to be doing.
When I was a kid, I used to buy lego sets just for specific pieces so I could build something else. I had mostly space, pirates & technic - I built a full farm setup from that (captain redbeard running a combine....)
My 8YO nephew does the same. He likes to keep his sets together, but my big-ass box of legos lets him build all kinds of crazy, goofy stuff. My 7yo sister lines up all the lego men I have & decks them out with weapons - not sure if I'm scared or not.
For Christmas, I'm giving him a batman set that I think is cool, but I took the instructions out. He's good enough to build just from the pictures & that will move him towards building other stuff with his parts.

The snap electronics kit is cool, but expensive & I can see them getting bored with it. Legos with motors and/or pneumatics are much more versatile (I still have some from the late 80s that work).

That said, he also got a .22 Henry Golden Boy for his first birthday. I informed my dad that my newborn needs to be treated the same

My good friend got our boys a Red Ryder

DRUM SET !
Punish his parents.

A quality made Pogo Stick. I bought a couple for my daughters several decades ago. Simple toy but a blast for kids.

quote:

My good friend got our boys a Red Ryder

You know what I'm thinking, and what voice I'm thinking it in!