Five Star Gift Ideas

If your son is passionate about software programming, there are plenty of meaningful and personal gift ideas that can enhance his skills and show support for his interests. Here are some suggestions:

1. Programming Books: Look for popular and influential programming books tailored to his skill level or specific programming languages of interest. Consider titles such as "Clean Code" by Robert C. Martin or "The Pragmatic Programmer" by Andrew Hunt and David Thomas.

2. Online Programming Courses: Support his learning journey by gifting him an online programming course or a subscription to a popular e-learning platform like Udemy or Coursera. This will allow him to explore new programming languages or deepen his knowledge in his areas of interest.

3. Programming Tools: Consider purchasing high-quality coding accessories, such as a mechanical keyboard or an ergonomic mouse, to enhance his coding experience and make it more comfortable.

4. Coding Challenges and Puzzles: Encourage his problem-solving skills and critical thinking with coding challenges and puzzles. Look for puzzle books or online platforms like Project Euler and CodeSignal that offer a variety of coding challenges to keep him engaged.

5. Programming Gadgets: Surprise him with tech gadgets specifically designed with programmers in mind. For example, an LED keyboard that changes colors based on coding syntax or a programmable microcontroller like Arduino can inspire him to experiment with hardware programming.

6. Coding Subscription Boxes: Subscription boxes like Bitsbox or Coding Crate can offer a fun and interactive way for your son to explore new coding projects and concepts every month. These boxes usually include coding challenges, toys, and educational materials.

7. Hackable Gadgets: If your son enjoys tinkering and building things, consider giving him a hackable gadget like Raspberry Pi or Arduino. These small computers can be programmed and used to create a variety of innovative projects, helping him apply his programming skills to the physical world.

8. Personalized Coding Gear: Find online shops that allow you to create customized coding-themed T-shirts, mugs, or laptop stickers. You could print his favorite programming joke or a code snippet he's proud of.

9. Coding-related Subscriptions: Surprise him with a subscription to coding-related magazines like Wired or Make: Magazine. These magazines often feature articles and projects related to software programming and technology.

10. Coding Conferences or Workshops: Consider gifting him a ticket to a coding conference or workshop where he can network with professionals, attend informative sessions, and get inspired by industry leaders.

Remember, the most important aspect is showing your support for his passion. Whatever gift you choose, make sure it aligns with his specific preferences and encourages his growth and development as a software programmer.

Or you can get him a star map with an important date you share.

Madeline Moran Weiler says about Under Lucky Stars star maps:

“The map was absolutely beautiful! My grandson was thrilled with it (it was a Christmas gift) and has already asked me if I would consider getting another one for him as a graduation gift in a couple of years.”