What's a great half term project for an 11 year old?

[IThinkThereforeIPaint]

He has a 2 week half term, and for 4 days of that will basically be at home while we work.

He might try and see friends after they are done with school, but there aren't any holiday clubs.

He likes Lego, computer games and coding, sometimes building stuff, Warhammer, science, history, maths.

I'd quite like him to focus on something rather than just reading and playing computer games, although a bit of that is fine. Also concerned he won't be out and about much.

Y6 or y7?

Year 7

What does he want to do?

Our 13 yo wants to practise her music, read books, draw, bake a bread and relax. We think it's fine. Time off doesn't need to be a project.

Let him be bored! He doesn’t need a project, poor kid. He needs to decompress. Let him watch 8 hours of a series or favourite films or lie around in bed, take a nap, potter, stare at his phone. Especially after the first half term of secondary school, he would really benefit from doing nothing.

As he likes coding what about giving him a microbit or one of those mini robot kits that use microbit? I think DD’s was about £15. Lots on the BBC microbit website on what to do with it. He could also log what he does, take photos as he goes eg first thing (as far as I remember) is make it light up.

Why does he need a project? Why does every spare hour need to be filled with something 'productive?' Let the kid just be. Take a break. Hang with friends.

Because his friends are at school and he'll spend 10hrs a day playing computer games if we don't encourage him to do something else?

Does he know how to play chess? He could learn if not. Or maybe the basics of a new language?

Yeah he likes chess, and is doing two languages at school

Are you me? Was thinking exactly the same about my 11 year old! Mine has to actually finish a book.

I've found my teens really need time in the holidays to just do nothing. Mine sleep more than I expected, take long baths, and then have spent less time on a screen that I thought they would. When it's unlimited I find they get bored quite quickly and get stuck into a hobby of their choice. If I try and interrupt and get them to change from a screen to a hobby it all goes wrong. They have to be left to get bored and come up with their own ideas. It's a much needed counterbalance to how micromanaged they are at school. I do always get the things in they ask for in advance though hobby-wise so they can just get stuck straight into it while I'm working, for mine that's usually books, craft supplies, sewing supplies and ingredients to cook all sorts of things. My eldest usually cooks dinner for us in the holidays which is a welcome change after work, if he's enjoyed food tech at all he may enjoy that.

Can he cook? That would be a great life skill to get him started on if not. Perhaps buy a couple of kids friendly recipe books and ask him to choose the menu/be in charge of dinner every day? Bonus points if he does the shopping too (obviously you pay for it, but it'd be great for him to learn about how the price of similar products varies, about use by dates etc.).

He's supposed to learn/practice playing chess by himself? What an amazingly fun way to spend his SCHOOL HOLIDAY. Good lord.

@IThinkThereforeIPaint put some time limits on the gaming but other than that just let him be. He can watch a film, read, do Lego, draw or whatever. If you could choose how you spent your time off, would you like your DH to set you "projects" to ensure your productivity? I definitely wouldn't.

Frankly if you want him doing lots of activities, book some time off and spend some days with him. If that's not an option, let him relax.

so this is just four days of two whole weeks you want to fill?! So what if he plays video games all day. It's four days... not four months!

Honestly I'd let him game and be bored for 4 days. Then do stuff the other days with him. I he has just started Year 7 he probably needs to decompress for a bit.

Otherwise, I have a 16 year old DS who isn't into much other than the cinema and he really enjoys going out an picking up litter with me. I bought him a litter picker upperer thing and we go to our local park and beach on a Sunday morning ad just chat while we pick things up.

I like the cooking idea, he has got into that a bit recently

I'm someone myself that likes to have plans and goals I guess, probably more than most. I can see that he also likes achieving stuff and feeling proud of himself so I'm trying to help that along rather than force him into unwelcome tasks.

I probably will say he has to organise and tidy his room. That won't be particularly welcome!

I'd focus on encouraging his independence.

I think planning, shopping for and cooking dinner is a great one.

Can he confidently take a bus/train somewhere? If not, a great excuse to get out of the house.

Can he use the washing machine?

Maybe give him a budget for a day out at the weekend and get him to plan where you'll go. You can add in things he needs to include/avoid to make it more of a challenge.

Decorate for Halloween?

Help an elderly neighbour with something?

Wash the car?

I'd definitely try and make it something away from computers and Lego if possible, leave that for leisure time!

Hi, You may try exploring or letting him explore some of the science projects on this site: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/science-projects/sixth-grade
or glance at them and print out the instructions for him to follow.
Good luck!

With those interests, a build-and-document project works well: he designs something in Lego, writes his own building instructions and photographs each stage - by the end he has made a proper instruction book. Scratch is free and great for a coding goal like a small game about a history topic he likes. A stop-motion film with Lego figures and a phone is another one that happily eats days. Story, sets, then frame by frame. And painting a Warhammer squad properly, washes and basing, is a genuinely absorbing multi-day project on its own.