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Ask Slashdot: What's The Best Geeky Gift For Children?

Posted by EditorDavid on from the explosions-optional dept.

Everyone's suggesting gifts to teach the next generation of geeks about science, technology, engineering, and math. Slashdot reader theodp writes: In "My Guide to Holiday Gifts," Melinda Gates presents "a STEM gift guide" [which] pales by comparison to Amazon's "STEM picks". Back in 2009, Slashdot discussed science gifts for kids. So, how about a 2016 update?
I've always wanted to ask what geeky gifts Slashdot's readers remember from when they were kids. (And what geeky gifts do you still bitterly wish some enlightened person would've given you?) But more importantly, what modern-day tech toys can best encourage the budding young geeks of today? Leave your best answers in the comments. What's the best geeky gift for children?

6 of 204 comments (clear)

  1. Oblig xkcd by whoever57 · · Score: 1, Insightful

    One of the books by Randall Munroe?

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    The real "Libtards" are the Libertarians!
    1. Re:Oblig xkcd by thegarbz · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I stopped reading xkcd when he decided to use his comic as a platform for political advocacy.

      Yeah god forbid a cartoonist uses politics for inspiration for his work. What will the world come to.

      Also, I think whatever humor value it provided in the past is vastly outweighed by all the mouthbreathers who are compelled to post "obligatory" xkcd links on any given subject.

      So what you're saying is you have no sense of humour and you're an asshole who looks down on people for finding something funny written by a guy who doesn't sit in the same square of the political compass as you. We here at Slashdot would like to thankyou for your inspirational and informative view of books you've never read which will be enjoyed by people who you will never understand.

      But maybe I have this all wrong. Maybe you don't find it funny because you don't understand the topics enough to see the humour in them. Fortunately Randall Munroe has a good book that would suit you well:

      Obligatory XKCD

  2. Lego by mark-t · · Score: 4, Insightful

    suitable for all children from age 3 to 123

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    File under 'M' for 'Manic ranting'
  3. Not all gifts for geeks are techy... by Khyber · · Score: 4, Insightful

    What about for the geology geek/rock hound/pebble pup? They'd love for you to get them some opals, or fire agates, or celestite, or maybe some lapis, or perhaps a massive Moroccan trilobite.

    Not all geeky children gifts need to be technology-based. You aren't going to get a rockhound geek encouraged to get out and learn more by giving them a calculator.

    Slashdot's playing a really stupid exclusionary game by basically denying geekdom to massive subsets of science with this Ask Slashdot thread, especially since the originally-referenced thread practically was meant for Geologists.

    WhipSlash, you and everyone else should know better than this. What a goddamned shame.

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    Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
  4. Two more: Tumbler. Detector. by tgibson · · Score: 3, Insightful

    A rock tumbler requires patience but has an awesome payoff.

    A metal detector has a sense of adventure, finding bits of jewelry and coins at a playground or park.

  5. How geeky? by Opportunist · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Geeky like me? Get him an assortment of tools and all the cardboard, construction paper, popsickle sticks and rubber bands you can find. Hell, if I hadn't run out of that earlier I would still be in the basement building my own toys!

    Then I turned 30 and my dad said I'm too old ... other story.

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    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.