Birthday Idea for my 7 year old son need help

[Dirtbag]

So my son really likes putting stuff together. Hes a lego freak. Does puzzles. Pretty smart kid unlike his dad. Hes on youtube watching videos all the time and I want to help him on his way to maybe being an engineer or something like that. I was thinking for his birthday to get him a RC race car or truck. But one we can build together and work on and he can tinker with on his own time. I dont want to break the bank as i figure he will love this and it will be car 1. I dont care if its gas powered or electric i just want something cool and fun i can start him on and he can go nuts. But being able to build and fix and upgrade is what i want so he will appreciate it and learn.....

Anyone have any ideas?

 

[King295]

The Traxxas and Team Associated short course trucks are pretty damn durable and fairly inexpensive to fix when it breaks.

 

[rvrrun]

The only problem with that, is the kits are sans radio, servos, rx, battery and charger. It's cheaper to buy an rtr. You can get a kit, then tell him to build it and wait until xmas for the other stuff, but I'd be chomping at the bit to drive it as soon as I was done building.

Some of the Tamiya kits are not too expensive.

 

[OldSchoolBoats]

Erector Set. The new ones are killer. Won't break the bank either.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

 

[fmo24]

Not sure if they are still available but I got a visible V-8. It was clear plastic block with all the internals different colors. Even spark plugs lit up on correct cycle.

 

[Flyinbowtie]

Both my boys were into RC, but winter isn't fun. I will ask if you can't find one but Cindy actually found them both Erector Sets when they were kids (long time ago) I know that they both still have them, and they are rat holed for their own sons. On rainy or snowy days those things are great in front of the woodstove. The visible V-8 was still around last time I looked. Boys had those too.
It helped them when I grabbed a couple of Briggs and Stratton Engines that were wore out and let them take them apart, then put them back together.

https://www.amazon.com/Meccano-Erector-Multimodel-15-Model-pieces
/dp/B000A10Z4U

Unfortunaltey the V8 is carbed, but it would be good to learn how those work too. He will get the EFI thing down the road...
https://www.amazon.com/Revell-85-8883-Visible-Plastic-12-Inch/dp/B00004YUXS

 

[4Waters]

Way cheaper to get an RTR (ready to run) then you could take it totally apart or partially apart (I'd recommend partially) by disassembling the suspension control arms etc... and maybe even the steering. has said previously Traxxas and Team Associated or pretty indestructible, I'd look into the 4x4's as they are a little easier to drive.

 

[RiverDave]

Way cheaper to get an RTR (ready to run) then you could take it totally apart or partially apart (I'd recommend partially) by disassembling the suspension control arms etc... and maybe even the steering. has said previously Traxxas and Team Associated or pretty indestructible, I'd look into the 4x4's as they are a little easier to drive.

RTR is the death of this country..

RD

 

[rivermobster]

I vote for model rockets...

You'll both have a blast with that! No pun intended of course.

 

[Rondog4405]

I remember back in the day for me... Unwrapping a team associated rc car was like unwrapping gold! No better gift in my eyes as a kid! Until i got older and dirt bikes came into the picture.

 

[Cole Trickle]

7 is a pretty young to build a rc car. They are pretty complex. I would say they are above most people’s pay grade unless you are good with that kind of stuff.

Figure $500 for a quality rtr with batteries and a charger.

Great age to get them involved and interested. My kid loves rc and we have been doing it together for a while now.

 

[Riley1]

My son turned 7 yesterday. He got a traxxas Slash for his birthday. 2wd base model and he is loving it.

 

[KENDOG689]

Amazon has a few good deals on r/c trucks and truggies.I bought one last year $100 shipped and rtr.Have had great luck with it.

 

[4Waters]

You might look at Tamiya, I believe they are still kits. I built my Grasshopper when I was 8 or 9.

 

[Flying_Lavey]

I vote for model rockets...

You'll both have a blast with that! No pun intended of course.

Definitey think that's more fun for the dad's. The worst part is chasing the rockets, but that's what the kid is for. Lol

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[Bpracing1127]

If you do an rc car LOF and I go regularly to the track and plan to start racing we both do nitro 1/8 scale buggy

 

[KENDOG689]

You might look at Tamiya, I believe they are still kits. I built my Grasshopper when I was 8 or 9.

View attachment 674356

My first build.

 

[srttruck]

Check out these.

http://www.meccano.com/product/p212...-interactive-toy-with-artificial-intelligence

 

[Backlash]

You might look at Tamiya, I believe they are still kits. I built my Grasshopper when I was 8 or 9.

View attachment 674356

Brother you are aging yourself!!

I ALWAYS wanted the Kyosho Vanning! 1986 bitches!

 

[Gelcoater]

I vote for model rockets...

You'll both have a blast with that! No pun intended of course.

 

[LHC Kirby]

I vote for model rockets...

You'll both have a blast with that! No pun intended of course.

Only bad part - depending on where you live, you can only shoot them in certain places here in the OC. Mile square park and I think there is a certain spot in south OC as well..

 

[bowtiejunkie]

I vote for model rockets...

You'll both have a blast with that! No pun intended of course.

Estes rockets were a lot of fun. A 7 yo, may be too young. Building the kids from a pile of parts, stick a Lego man in the cargo bay and hope you could recover the rocket. We'd launch near Apple Valley Airport or Lucerne Valley. Lost a few multi-stage rockets in the sun and vast expanse of desert though. Looking at Estes website, they have this posted for California:

CALIFORNIA
In California one must be at least 14 years of age to purchase model rocket engines through size “D” and must be 18 years of age to purchase larger model rocket engines. Children as young as 12 years of age may receive and use model rocket engines under adult supervision while participating in a bona fide educational program. Permission of the landowner or local fire marshal may be required before launching. Many areas have pre-approved launch sites and times. It is also important to remember that a small number of counties and municipalities in California have ordinances that are more restrictive than state laws and regulations. Due to the sheer volume we are unable to track local ordinances.

 

[Dirtbag]

Yeah if i launched rockets in Yorba Linda id be going to jail quick

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

My son turned 7 yesterday. He got a traxxas Slash for his birthday. 2wd base model and he is loving it.

Do this. Buy a RTR kit. It will break, and you 2 can fix it and tinker with it together.

 

[Bpracing1127]

Do this. Buy a RTR kit. It will break, and you 2 can fix it and tinker with it together.

I second this idea, he can even come with LOF and myself to practice at the track. We go to the yard in Orange too

 

[Constant840]

Does no one just build the good old AMT models any more?

 

[25Elmn8r]

Yeah if i launched rockets in Yorba Linda id be going to jail quick

Blake and I used to launch rockets all the time at Jean Woodard Park. Never had an issue. Probably a lot of change since then though.

I vote for the Traxxas Slash. Super durable and parts a plenty. Good times ahead if you go that route. Oh, and you might as well pick one up for yourself too. You're going to do it eventually, so might as well get it at the same time.

 

[River Lynchmob]

7 is a pretty young to build a rc car. They are pretty complex. I would say they are above most people’s pay grade unless you are good with that kind of stuff.

Figure $500 for a quality rtr with batteries and a charger.

Great age to get them involved and interested. My kid loves rc and we have been doing it together for a while now.

I was about 7 when I got one. My dad did most of the building but I was there for the entire thing. It was very cool. I think the car is still around somewhere too. Had a Ferrari 308 body on it.

 

[Backlash]

Does no one just build the good old AMT models any more?

I think they still do. We went into Hobby Lobby for some random item a few weeks ago, and they had an entire row of old school model car kits. I was surprised!

 

[ka0tyk]

If he likes legos, get him into lego mind storm. Once he gets a basic kit start looking into a mind storm team. They all work together to accomplish a goal and compete against other teams. Its a pretty amazing event and *GREAT* thing to get a young child into. It teaches basic programming as well to make the robots do things. It might not look like much at first but each competition is given a task. I judged one where it was assisting the elderly. So you had to design a robot that did various things like push in a chair, lift an object onto a shelf, follow a line on the mat using a sensor. Then using the sensor find the green chair and move it, etc... each task gets points and time. Some kids design a robot and a program that does it all in one shot, some kids design robots with attachments for each task, etc. Its great to see young minds in action and their creativity. It also translates well into large robotics competitions later on in life.

https://www.lego.com/en-us/mindstorms

https://www.firstinspires.org/robotics/fll

you can also use mindstorm to do some other amazing things... ie:

 

[Cole Trickle]

Does no one just build the good old AMT models any more?

Hated them as a kid and still do...lol

So much work and the glue/paint is tedious and never came out as good as I would want. At the end of the day they sit there and collect dust. RC atleast is interactive

Get a slash where parts are cheap and readily available and upgrade as you go.

https://www.horizonhobby.com/1-10-slash-2wd-rtr--courtney-force-edition-tra580341t3

This will be good for a while and than you can add a brushless motor program as the kid grows.

 

[Dirtbag]

If he likes legos, get him into lego mind storm. Once he gets a basic kit start looking into a mind storm team. They all work together to accomplish a goal and compete against other teams. Its a pretty amazing event and *GREAT* thing to get a young child into. It teaches basic programming as well to make the robots do things. It might not look like much at first but each competition is given a task. I judged one where it was assisting the elderly. So you had to design a robot that did various things like push in a chair, lift an object onto a shelf, follow a line on the mat using a sensor. Then using the sensor find the green chair and move it, etc... each task gets points and time. Some kids design a robot and a program that does it all in one shot, some kids design robots with attachments for each task, etc. Its great to see young minds in action and their creativity. It also translates well into large robotics competitions later on in life.

https://www.lego.com/en-us/mindstorms

https://www.firstinspires.org/robotics/fll

you can also use mindstorm to do some other amazing things... ie:

this is realllllly awesome!

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

What the hell just get him one of these.
2.75 HP, and 7 lbs.. what could go wrong?

 

[Gelcoater]

Hated them as a kid and still do...lol

So much work and the glue/paint is tedious and never came out as good as I would want. At the end of the day they sit there and collect dust. RC atleast is interactive

Get a slash where parts are cheap and readily available and upgrade as you go.

https://www.horizonhobby.com/1-10-slash-2wd-rtr--courtney-force-edition-tra580341t3

This will be good for a while and than you can add a brushless motor program as the kid grows.

You were doing it wrong

Our models only lasted until around July when fire cracker season hit

 

[Cole Trickle]

You were doing it wrong

Our models only lasted until around July when fire cracker season hit

I never got half way through before my ADD kicked in and I abandoned the project...lol

Back when you grew up there was no such thing as TV and electricity so Models would have been pretty Boss to blow up with gun powder

 

[Gelcoater]

I never got half way through before my ADD kicked in and I abandoned the project...lol

Back when you grew up there was no such thing as TV and electricity so Models would have been pretty Boss to blow up with gun powder

Lol.
Dick.

 

[Bpracing1127]

View attachment 674539 View attachment 674538
What the hell just get him one of these.
2.75 HP, and 7 lbs.. what could go wrong?

Don’t lie you know it’s only 2 1/2 hp lol. It would be amazing to keep up with you in a 10 year old car lol

 

[Yellowboat]

Not a car but goto flitetest.com.

 

[Sleek-Jet]

If he likes legos, get him into lego mind storm. Once he gets a basic kit start looking into a mind storm team. They all work together to accomplish a goal and compete against other teams. Its a pretty amazing event and *GREAT* thing to get a young child into. It teaches basic programming as well to make the robots do things. It might not look like much at first but each competition is given a task. I judged one where it was assisting the elderly. So you had to design a robot that did various things like push in a chair, lift an object onto a shelf, follow a line on the mat using a sensor. Then using the sensor find the green chair and move it, etc... each task gets points and time. Some kids design a robot and a program that does it all in one shot, some kids design robots with attachments for each task, etc. Its great to see young minds in action and their creativity. It also translates well into large robotics competitions later on in life.

https://www.lego.com/en-us/mindstorms

https://www.firstinspires.org/robotics/fll

you can also use mindstorm to do some other amazing things... ie:

Those kits are a really cool way to expose kids to PLCs and machine language... which is, and will be, a huge skill when they get into the work force.

 

[Motor Boater]

My son is the same way, loves to build things, take things apart to see how they work. He wants us to start doing wood working projects etc. my wife just got him signed up on something called Tinker Crate. They send you a new project every month. We will see how it works out.

On a side note our Home Depot has a building project for kids the first Saturday of every month. My boys love it and it’s free. Usually a small little bird house or something small they can build and take home

 

[Rajobigguy]

I'm a big fan of the erector set idea.
https://www.amazon.com/Erector-Mult...541438&sr=1-23&keywords=erector+sets+for+kids

 

[SHEP]

What about building an engine?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...beb-4819111bef9a&pf_rd_r=3QDB956WWMP678WFF7SH

 

[Dirtbag]

My son is the same way, loves to build things, take things apart to see how they work. He wants us to start doing wood working projects etc. my wife just got him signed up on something called Tinker Crate. They send you a new project every month. We will see how it works out.

On a side note our Home Depot has a building project for kids the first Saturday of every month. My boys love it and it’s free. Usually a small little bird house or something small they can build and take home

I just ordered him the monthly tinker crate.....that is exactly what he needs....im either getting him a drone or the car too.....i really like the car idea but i may have a hookup on a drone that i just cannot pass up.....he loves watching drones cant imagine what hed think flying one.

 

[mash on it]

77 Dodge Power Wagon

Dan'l

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

I just ordered him the monthly tinker crate.....that is exactly what he needs....im either getting him a drone or the car too.....i really like the car idea but i may have a hookup on a drone that i just cannot pass up.....he loves watching drones cant imagine what hed think flying one.

Just remember, there are only 2 kinds of drones.

Those that have crashed, and those that are gonna crash.

 

[JDub24]

Ruger 10/22. He will keep it for life and then past it on to his kids someday.