What do 9 year old girls do/like?

[RebeccaRedhat]

Hello,

I'm looking for some info really about what 9 year old girls are into? Having lots of struggles with my youngest, so I'm trying to find some ideas of what other 9 year olds like to do, and how they spend their time. It's such a difficult age and I really want to get this right. What extra curricular activities do they enjoy? How often do they see friends outside of school, and do they have friends not from school?

Thanks in advance xx

I live next door to a 9 year old girl who is mad about gymnastics. She’s often in the garden on the trampoline or practicing yoga roller blade along our cul de sac. I often bump into her (and her parents) walking the dog or on a bike.

My 9yo granddaughter loves to roller blade, go to the park, bike, crafts such as painting, crocheting, etc. She came to live with me about 6 months ago and I find she's very active, had about a max 30 minute attention span if she's entert herself. I do require 30 minutes of reading daily which we do at bedtime. We're also putting together a daily chart of basic chores such as make her bed, pickup clothes, brush teeth, etc.

My 10yo and her friends are all having a bit of a crochet phase at the moment. She also likes reading, drawing, colouring, sewing, dancing, watching TV.

My DD is into dance, gymnastics, drama and cheerleading outside school. Some other friends do football, netball and athletics. She hangs out with my neighbour’s daughter who is the year above at school.

I’m finding lots of friendship dramas with DD in her class at the moment so having friends from outside activities helps.

At risk of sounding out the obvious, how about asking her directly? Maybe say something like, 'I'd really like to spend time with you, and I want to know what kind of stuff you like and want to do. Is there anything you'd like to do together?' If you're worried about her just saying something like, 'go to Hollywood', you could have a list of activities you can afford to do and that are feasible (ice skating, knitting, swimming, etc) and ask her to choose from that.

Mine is obsessed with her Kindle right now!
We got it for Christmas after she’d read every book in her bedroom and she’s always got her nose in it!

Barbies, kindle, journaling, her Yoto box, chatting away to friends, watching tv, riding her bike, ice skating, shopping, walking (we do about 6-7 miles) all sorts!

Extra curricular: swimming, Brownies, tennis, badminton, squash, acoustic guitar and Spanish lessons.

Otherwise she loves slime, rollerblading, riding her bike, drawing and reading.

My 9yo is pretty active, she likes swimming, cycling, gymnastics, bouldering, yoga, bowling. Still plays a lot, particularly Lego, loves a good toy shop. Likes to read and listen to audiobooks on her Yoto, likes playing games on her iPad, drawing, writing. Likes baking and making bubble tea, not particularly into fashion or makeup yet.

She’s made a couple of friends through extra curricular activities and it’s been good for her to have some friends who are outside her school group, so I’m happy to make sure she can keep doing that. I think as long as they have enough downtime to get a bit of a break at the weekend, it’s good to encourage them to have hobbies.

Clay beads. lego. roller skating. brownies. times table rockstars

Mine would have a play date every night but we limit one ot two a week

At that age one of mine was really into her football.

The other really enjoyed anything to do with cubs - fire lighting, camping, kayaking, etc.

They both had friends from activities who were different from school friends in part. We didn't arrange many times when friends came to play, as they were busy with Church, music, sport, swimming, and Scouts.

Minecraft, Lego, roller skating, Pokémon, crystal art, top trumps, puzzles. after school clubs include swimming, gymnastics, art, brownies…

Reading, art & craft, Barbies, Lego, Wicked, Disney, YouTube, Roblox, making jewellery, dancing, drama & singing, Brownies, make up and making me a cup of tea 😆 Pretty much the usual young girl stuff!

Swimming, Brownies, netball, the dog, making friendship bracelets, sleepovers, baking, her friends.

Thanks for all the comments.

My daughter seems to be pretty much the same. But nearly all the girls in her class seem so much older. They don't play barbies, or schools or slime or colouring. It's all posing for selfies, make up, fashion, handbags and face time etc.

She seems to really be struggling to fit in anywhere, mainly because she is acting her age. Makes me so sad.

How refreshing to see all these posts describing 9 year olds enjoying the sort of activities children should be!
Not into make up/fashion/skincare/ overdosing on screen time!
It's sad that alot of the girls your DD is around are like that though OP :(
Don't buy into it though...she sounds much more authentic and characterful- encourage her to stay young as long as you can because I've seen in my job that once they grow up there's no going back 😣

at 9 my DD was into Cubs, football and all things Marvel

where we live kids still go out to play so she saw her friends after school most days.

Gymnastics, Dance, Football, Art & Crafts, Reading, Shopping for cute things, clothes and is becoming interested in makeup and skincare. She also likes writing in her diary and planning (her party, gifts she will buy/make for her friends and family, her daily routine etc). She still plays with her dolls a little.

@YesItsMe44
Hats off to you. You sound like a wonderful person.

The 9yo that I know likes following craft tutorials online, has recently learned to knit, likes writing and illustrating stories, has a pen pal and keeps in touch, likes her swim team, big fan and staunch defender of TS, likes the idea of playing the piano but not the daily practice, likes reading series of books, makes Lego sets, likes to bake, hangs out with a friend at her own house or at the friend's house, loves dolphins, loves the idea of secret clubs, has high ideals, wants to own a dog farm when she grows up, likes to keep her room neat.

Also likes doing her nails.

Mine got into football. It took a while but she has played with her since she was 9 and still does aged 15. It provides fitness, friendship and resilience. Absolutely brilliant. She isn't that good at it but that doesn't matter!

Mine is mostly into sports. Gymnastics, trampoline, tennis, basketball, playing lava monsters, designing home obstacle courses with a friend. She’s lucky that girls at her school are not yet into handbags and skincare, and she is friends with some of the boys who are not into football, but do enjoy other sports.

She also likes board and card games, playing with Playmobil and Lego sets. She enjoys music and audiobooks and likes taking photos. Arranging photos we’ve printed in an album is one of the few crafty things she will sit and do. She writes in her diary from time to time and her ‘My Awesome Year Being 9’ book. The book has given her some fun ideas, like making a time capsule!

Your daughter sounds unlucky with the interests of girls at her school currently being a bit out of step with her own. Does she have some out of school activities where she can make friends with similar interests?

Mine is into dancing, musical theatre, swimming, brownies, bike rides, sleepovers, gymnastics, camping, playing with friends. Still into our generation dolls (likes doing their hair, getting them dressed). Obsessed with listening to books on her yoto. There are some into her class into hair/ make up/ fashion, but not her crowd.