Gift for a 10 year old
I'm after ideas for a birthday gift for my 10 year old son. He has an interest in technology, I've tried to teach him a little programing of late, and he is kind of interested. Anyway open to any ideas, not just tech ones.
EDIT: Apparently it needs to be stated clearly that despite my tongue in cheek comment, I don't actually condone the firing of projectiles at small feline animals, be they feral or domestic. It should also be noted that I do not condone the "arming" of minors with the intent of allowing them to commit acts of violence on animals, other persons, or even plants for that matter. From here on out, if asked for gift ideas for a child, I'll simply ask a child what they prefer and relay their answer, unless of course they suggest an item not on an "approved" list.
Fuck 'em all.
Kid with a BB gun is a natural predator.
Fuel & electric motors and electronic kits make good hands-on toys at that age as well, to see things working. Bikes, guns, and other implements of destruction are cool too (one can stay within the bounds of wrecking things that were due for it anyway)
As they say, this is why we can't have nice things...
Today, instead of running around outside getting exercise and learning social interaction, they're all in their rooms on the Internet or game console.
I think an awesome mountain bike or a BB gun is exactly what kids need nowadays.
(For that matter, the cowboy imagery we pose as was stolen from Mexicans, just like the land we call "Texas".)
Dissidents like Chomsky mentioned, "I clearly remember when I was a child the favorite game for young people was 'Cowboys and Indians.' You went to the forest and pretended that there were 'Indians.' It was like going hunting, like hunting animals." Now, who spends almost as much as the rest of the world combined on military, frequently indulges in international attacks against far weaker people, and jails its own population at the world's highest rate?
Should we also go back to teaching the popular racist version of "Eeny meeny"? "Catch a n... by his toe / If he won't work then let him go." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eeny,_meeny,_miny,_moe#Earlier_...)
Who cares about the mountain bike? If I said, "I just got junior a bike and sexual predator kit!" you probably wouldn't even remember the bike, except as bizarre juxtaposition.
The imagery wasn't stolen. Mexico had cowboys (vaqueros) before us. Did they have a patent on what clothes to wear? Cowboys look like cowboys because of the utility of their clothes, not because of some sense of fashion. Try working on a ranch in a suit and top hat.
Did you ever study history? I recommend that rather than regurgitating other people's delusions. Texas was not stolen. The people who lived in Texas revolted and drove out the Mexican soldiers. Texas then became its own Republic. Texas later joined the United States voluntarily.
Perhaps the game of Cowboys and Indians is culturally insensitive. I don't know anyone who hates Indians because of it, or wants to go hunt them or any other humans in real life. The public school I went to did a pretty good job teach us about the plight of the Native Americans. Also, I would venture to guess that game Cowboys and Indians was introduced by the many western shows and movies that were popular in the mid-1900s. Cops and Robbers was immensely more popular even before Cowboys and Indians [0].
The rest of your post is just ridiculous and I have no idea why you brought those things up. What does a "sexual predator kit" have to do with anything?
[0] http://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=cowboys+and+ind...
EDIT: And yes, encouraging kids to shoot at peoples cats is a terrible idea. In all likelihood those cats are a part of some other kids life.
You make out as if the gifts outlined here (e.g. Arduino, Lego Technic, etc) are going to strip him of his childhood. I'd argue they'd improve creativity and give a sense of accomplishment ("hey, I made that!!").
Easily. I have no problem letting my 3 year old play with an iPad, yet there is no way I'd hand her a loaded BB Gun. The worst a irresponsible kid with a laptop can to is try to throw it at someone. An irresponsible kid with a BB Gun can easily cause serious damage to his surroundings.
Edit: Seems it's called 'Lego Technic'. I just remember calling it technical lego as a kid. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lego_Technic
When you've explored the 'standard' makey makey options you can convert it into an arduino board, opening up a whole new world of sensors, electronics and programming. In my opinion, the makey makey is a great way to get into electronics/programming because it's more accessible than just an arduino or a raspberry pi. You can do stuff with it out of the box and there are cool projects for children to do together.
Google translated the Dutch for me!
"159.253.0.110
Note to the owner of the following domain : This domain is not linked to your web hosting package, reseller hosting package or virtual server. You have in your customer panel DNS management enabled for this domain name. Change the DNS records for the IP addresses of your DNS server or move management, and change the name servers to the name servers of your hosting package, reseller hosting package or virtual server."
Look, you don't have to leave off with a gift. The stuff you do together leaves the best memories. Stuff passes away. Good memories, especially after 10 years of age, tend to stick.
Also, I think sports in general are more important in that age than anything else. A healthy body when is growing could be a life changing later, you can train yourself into coding at any age and eventually, master it, but a good body could give you access to other professions that require a fit body. I couldn't apply for air force because of my bad fit, as an example and I think the kid, at his age, still doesn't know what to do, better to teach him something cool as coding when he's about to exit is growing period and know more or less what he wants to do for a living (17-18).
Maybe ask him what he wants
A lot of boys that age like Minecraft and other videogames on xbox or pc. You might get him a small android tablet or else an old smart phone or laptop to play games. A bike or scooter.
http://www.amazon.com/SmartLab-Toys-ReCon-Programmable-Rover...
Seemed interesting to me.
But also get him something he can socialize with - like a rugby ball or cricket bat, whatever for whatever sport you play in your area.
http://www.amazon.com/Code-Language-Computer-Hardware-Softwa...
Relatively cheap and can lead into an interesting hobby (plus you can take them to bits and modify them!)
edit: From play-i => Using a tablet or other mobile device running compatible software, the child will be able to program his or her robot to perform certain actions. The bots are expected to cost under $100
It's one of the best gifts you can ever give it to your child.
Disclaimer: I am the product manager and part owner.
Who would not love to cherish old memories with parents? And the author is also open to all ideas not just the tech ones.
Just because I put up a disclaimer, you knew we are part of this else how would you have known?
If I wouldn't have put the disclaimer then it would have been the shameless plug.
May be it is little early but you can give this a thought.
Gift him a Designer Signature from http://www.signinstyle.com
So that he can start doing it from now before the current signature (if he has any) becomes official at too many places.
Disclaimer: I am the co-founder of Sign in Style.
"I was 10 having as a present a designer signature would have disappointed me greatly."
- with all due respect, it is subjective.
PS: Right now I am really disappointed that my comments are getting negative ratings. Sorry if I have offended the HN community but shameless marketing was never my intention.