Help! 12 year old nephew Christmas?

Rushie

Rushie

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Rushie
What can I get a 12 year old boy who is into space and rockets and stuff? I'm thinking model rocket or a good book about space. Anybody with a kid that age have any ideas or got a good product recommendation?
 
Rushie said:
What can I get a 12 year old boy who is into space and rockets and stuff? I'm thinking model rocket or a good book about space. Anybody with a kid that age have any ideas or got a good product recommendation?
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where is he located. if near JSC, KSC or JPL, you might be able to set up a tour.
 
How about a visit and tour of the Johnson Space Center in Houston? Assuming he’s local to you.
 
Thrill ride in an acrobatic airplane.

One of these: P_A3_ASH[1].jpg a refrigerator box or two, and some markers.
 
These are great ideas, thanks!

No he's not near any of those places so getting him a tour is out.
 
Rushie said:
What can I get a 12 year old boy who is into space and rockets and stuff? I'm thinking model rocket or a good book about space. Anybody with a kid that age have any ideas or got a good product recommendation?
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These folks make a whole range of telescopes, including some specifically for kids.

https://www.celestron.com/collections/telescopes


Check out the prices on Amazon. The 21035 is a good option for kids and very reasonably priced imo.

https://www.amazon.com/Celestron-21035-70mm-Travel-Scope/dp/B001TI9Y2M
 
https://www.ebay.com/itm/SYMA-X5HW-...h=item2abd614ac3:g:YEYAAOSwcnZcBQlx:rk:2:pf:0

s-l1600.jpg
 
Half Fast said:
Get him a class 3 medical so Basic Med will always be available to him if he ever wants to fly some day.
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Interesting. What's the lower age limit on a class 3?
 
I'm liking a lot of these ideas. Wish I could afford all of them.
 
asicer said:
Interesting. What's the lower age limit on a class 3?
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Somebody asked this already. I don't remember what the conclusion was but yeah, get your newborn a class 3 so he's good before his teacher gets him on meds.
 
A gift card to Game Stop. If you give him cash, the parents will make him save half of it. 12 year old boys love Game Stop (not so much parents).
 
Is there a good planetarium nearby that you could take him to?
 
I'm trying to think what I liked at that age, but it was so long ago.

At that age I mowed lawns to get a new fishing pole, model airplanes, and Estes rockets.

The balsa/tissue models can be frustrating to build, so I rarely finished them. I made a lot of solid balsa hand launched gliders though.

Estes rockets were always fun, but buying the engines got expensive. Can a 12yo even buy those rocket motors these days?
 
Buy him a biography of Neil Armstrong, a history of the Apollo program, or a similar subject. Don't get a kid's book. There are good books out there that are written in light technical focus, enough to be challenging but not overwhelming.

A subscription to Smithsonian Air & Space magazine would be good. They routinely cover Mars and other space related missions and the developments of the NASA lunar effort.
 
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