What do your 7-8 year old girls play with/what are they into?

[Plinketyplonks]

Trying to reduce screen time this summer. My 7 year old used to play loads in her room making tea parties/sleepovers with play food/kitchen stuff for her soft toys. She hasn’t played like that for a while. She has Sylvanian families but no interest and was given Barbie’s as birthday presents but no interest at all. We do marble run and snap circuits with her.

She likes arts and crafts and big hits the past six months were a potions kit and a lip balm kit but the latter needed supervision. We’ve also done a lot of tie dye but again needs supervision.

Just wondering if I’m missing any great toys for this age?

I think at this age most children are starting to need and want to play without so much adult supervision and interaction. It's a normal developmental stage. Fine if you have a child who still does want hand-holding through everything (and all children want this sometimes, especially if they're having a tired/poorly day), but it's actually important to find things they can enjoy doing independently, when that's what they're starting to want to do.

She loves these tie dye and other kits but they do need supervision, unless I want a giant mess. Yesterday she painted a huge cardboard box to make a taxi and today has been doing cute kitten drawing videos from watching YouTube, the only time she’s allowed on YouTube really.

I guess what I miss is the deep, imaginary play that kept her occupied for quite some time. It was lovely to see. But if she’s grown out of that it’s absolutely fine!

She goes outside several times a day to bounce on the trampoline.

I think you're worrying too much, I'm sure she will come back to imaginary play . Unfortunately they grow up too quickly, one minute they are into imaginary play the next minute you turn around and they are 11 and off to senior school 😭