Me and a lady from church are making 1 for another lady at church whose husband died. They loved to go to Hawaii to visit their sons and he had several Hawaiian shirts. We have cut pineapple shapes out of them and are appliquing them onto white fabric then sashing them in the same print as the pineapple. We are going to use some denim shirts of his for the pieced backing. We are going to use parts with pockets so she can add momentos if she'd like. I would say first ask what they'd like...if they have no idea or it's too hard for them right now then perhaps you can find some applique patterns of things boys like. Also maybe some of his pictures.
Diannia