Birthday Gift for 9 Year Old Boy.

My son (now 8) got the coolest airplane building kit for Christmas -- he loves it.

Boys are either "into" legos or not. Mine's not and he HATES when he gets Legos as a gift.

Here's what my 8.5 year old like right now:

Magic 8 Ball
Etch A Sketch
A Mario T-shirt.
Sports equipment of any kind.
Baseball-football-hockey trading cards
DS or Wii games or Game Stop gift card

If he likes games:
Battleship
Apples To Apples
Monopoly
Pay Day

I sent my nephew a subscription to Sports Illustrated for Kids and he LOVED it, and couldn't believe that he gets a new one each month. My daughter gets National Geographic for kids and loves it too! Whenever I send a subscription as a gift, I buy one at a store, rip the subscription cards out, wrap the magazine up with a card and send it, then mail a check in with the subscription card and write in the border "gift subscription", usually then I get the renewal notices in the mail the next year.

Skip electronics. Kids this age need to be playing. Get Lego's, kinex, building sets. things that work with their minds and their hands. Toys for playing outside, baseball stuff, skateboard stuff, pool toys if he is into swimming. Airplane stuff. I would skip all ipod, mp3 video game stuff unless specifically asked for a specific movie. I like to keep kids active and moving. they turn into slouchy teenagers soon enough lol

Yup, I agree with others who suggested a gift card. 9 yr old boys have such varied interests that if you dont know what his interests are, your gift might be a dud.

. . . and you definitely don't want to be the Auntie who sends her nephews PANTS! All those moms of Wimpy Kid readers will understand that one.

If you feel like a gift card or cash is out of the question, then I would suggest a Lego set (or how about a Lego Gift Card). Go with something along the lines of Lego City, Lego Creator, Lego Alien Conquest etc rather than one of the movie-themed sets.

Lego sets seem like a pretty safe bet to me. They can be pricey depending on how big you get them, but I've never met a boy yet who wasn't into them.

Webkinz and nerf guns is what I think of first.

How about passes (or a year membership, depending on your budget) to his local zoo, children's museum, or bounce house? Assuming you could pay for that online or via telephone, you could then make a birthday card with a picture of that "item" on the inside, wrap the card in gift wrap and send it.

My son will be 9 soon and he loves Backugan and Bey Blades. Him and his sister have them as well as their friends so they all play together. Why don't you ask his mom what the latest thing is that he's into? Then you will for sure get something he will love. Good luck.

I think most kids this age are into electronics, cash, or gift cards. Can you do something like that? The iPod Touch is super cool, but a lot of money. Not sure if you spend that much on nephews - I know I don't. But my daughter got one and loves it. She is 8...it was also her only gift from us. I think you'd be safe with money though - as un-fun as that can be to give!

my son just turned 8 & he loves all things remote-controlled- especially a plane or helicopter!

spy watch! like this http://www.walmart.com/ip/Spy-Net-Video-Watch/14699226

magic 8 ball (not a 'big' gift but good as 'filler')

magic set!

Gift card- seems impersonal, but even my 3 year old loves them! He likes to go shopping and use "his card" to buy something! He "gets it" too- we saw my SIL yesterday and he thanked her for the Legos!

Books - Diary of a Wimpy Kid, 39 Clues, Beverly Cleary - Tales of a 4th grade nothing... etc.

Legos
Harry Potter
Cars (the movie)
Bakugans
Bayeblades

If he has an iPod, and iTunes gift card is great.

Also, game stop gift cards are a big YES around here.

Kids love gift card. Either Toys R Us, Game stop or Barnes and Noble, or a clothing store at the mall maybe?