Stuff to do - 8 year old

[ImHavingAnOldFriendForDinner]

Struggling with my nearly 8 year old this year.

She isn't massively into playing with toys unless she has a friend over (brother 5.5 years older) but she is good at sitting and doing stuff by herself or with me, for instance she spent hours over the weekend playing with Hama Beads with and without me.

So just wondering if anyone has any recommendations for things (arts/craft or whatever) that I can get her that she can sit and do rather than toys?

Thanks!

Tie dye kit
Baking stuff

My dd is similar and I’m struggling too!

Recently she’s liked fast drying clay, knitting, bath bomb making and a how to draw anything book

Decopatch www.crafts4kids.co.uk/crafts-for-kids/decoupage-decopatch or sequin art pictures sequinart.com/ are both very popular with that age group

I used to love Fimo at that age (clay you can bake)

How about hand sewing kit or her first sewing machine?

Aqua beads
Knitting Nancy
Actual knitting
Weaving
Sand art
Scratch off pictures
Mosaic sticker book
Cross stitch (if you can Hama bead from a pattern you can follow a x-stitch pattern)

But the longest running hit here is always Shrinkles & sharpies!

Spirograph
Aquarellum
Lego dot bracelets
Lite Brite
Crayola light up tracing pad
Loom bands

Lego
Paint by numbers
Fimo
Jewellery making
Friendship bracelets
Mosaic art

Last Christmas I bought my then-8yo DD this scarf painting kit. It’s very similar to a paint by numbers thing and was a massive hit.

A filled sewing box and a children's sewing book. I got this for my 8th birthday and was one of my favourite presents, my daughter will be getting the same for her 8th birthday!
Lego. Or lego technic which is more engineering but with a few sets she can create all sorts.

Thanks so much there are so many ideas here, I've got the day off today and have two electricians here so I'm going to hide out in the bedroom and go through this list to do some Christmas shopping! Love the idea of sewing, I'm rubbish at it but my mil is just down the road!

Paper chains? You can make a house look like a fabulous Christmas explosion with paper chains 😁

@shreddednips

Paper chains? You can make a house look like a fabulous Christmas explosion with paper chains 😁

Oh don't she loves a paper chain and makes them for every occasion!! 😒

😆 I have one like that - we've diverted her onto paper bunting as each triangle needs decorating separately it slows her down!

DD who also always loved crafty, “doing” gifts got this flower kit around that age which she loved.

Also sewing kits and art supplies.

This scrapbooking kit is great value imo and something we’ve given as a gift many times to cousins and friends, always well received.

If she likes doing rather than playing would she enjoy Lego?

Might be nice to get her something she could keep using. So yes, a sewing box with basic kit she can add to over the years? Or first cross stitch kit and embroidery hoop? Or French knitting set?

Some of the craft kits can be a bit short lived, but this age might be right for starting on a lasting hobby...