Five Star Gift Ideas

If your son has a passion for coding and computer programming, there are plenty of gift ideas that can not only nurture his interest but also enhance his skills. Here are a few suggestions that he might find meaningful and inspiring:

1. Coding Books: Books focused on coding and computer programming can be excellent gifts, providing your son with valuable resources to expand his knowledge. Look for books that cover various programming languages, algorithms, or specific areas like game development or web design. Consider titles like "Cracking the Coding Interview" by Gayle Laakmann McDowell or "Python Crash Course" by Eric Matthes.

2. Online Learning Subscription: An online learning subscription can give your son access to a wide range of coding courses and tutorials from experts around the world. Platforms like Udemy, Coursera, or Codecademy offer comprehensive programming courses across different levels of expertise. This gift can help him explore new programming languages or specialize in a particular area like artificial intelligence or data science.

3. Raspberry Pi: The Raspberry Pi is a small, affordable computer that encourages experimentation and learning. It's an excellent gift for aspiring programmers to explore hardware programming, build small projects, and learn about the Internet of Things (IoT). With endless possibilities for creativity and problem-solving, the Raspberry Pi is a fantastic tool to further develop his coding skills.

4. Coding Gadgets: There are various coding gadgets available that can make coding more fun and interactive. For example, programmable robots like Sphero Bolt or LEGO Mindstorms EV3 allow your son to learn coding principles while controlling and customizing the behavior of these robots. These gadgets combine coding with hands-on experimentation, making the learning experience more engaging.

5. Coding Challenges and Puzzles: Challenge your son's problem-solving skills and creativity with coding puzzles and challenges. Gifts like "Coding Games in Scratch" by Jon Woodcock or a Rubik's Cube-like coding game like Code Master can foster critical thinking, logic, and coding skills while providing hours of entertainment.

6. Coding Tools and Software: Consider gifting your son software tools designed for coding, such as integrated development environments (IDEs) like Visual Studio Code or PyCharm. These tools can enhance his coding experience with features like code suggestions, debugging, and efficient code editing. Additionally, you can explore subscription plans for cloud-based tools like GitHub or Azure, which provide advanced coding and collaboration capabilities.

7. Coding Merchandise: Show your support for your son's passion by gifting him coding-themed merchandise. T-shirts, hoodies, and accessories with coding jokes or coding-related graphics let him proudly display his love for programming. You can find a wide variety of coding-related merchandise on websites like ThinkGeek or Redbubble.

Remember, the most important thing is to show your son that you support and appreciate his interest in coding and computer programming. By considering these gift ideas, you can both inspire and encourage his passion while providing him with practical tools to further his skills.

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.”