8.5 year old is so bored, ideas needed.

sirel

Thu, Mar 22 2018, 9:42 am

She is so bored.

She is bright , she finishes her homework before she gets home from school.
She likes to read but there is a limit to the amount of books I can buy, and she's a member at a library, but I can only get her there twice a week. She usually finishes the books before bedtime.

She's learning how to play the recorder which she enjoys, but it doesn't take up much of her time (about an hour a week)

She likes to help out at home, but there is a limit to what she can do.
I let her bake when I am around to supervise.
She folds laundry sometimes.
She's home alone for a couple of hours every day(DH is working at home and is there for emergencies, but not to entertain)

How does your 8 year old keep himself/herself busy?

lfab

Thu, Mar 22 2018, 9:59 am

Can she take out more books each time you go to the library? Or have her take out harder/longer books so it takes her longer to finish them. If she likes to help out at home you can also have her doing things like sweeping, vacuuming, dusting, spraying and wiping down fronts of cabinets, etc. I would try to avoid having her do too much cleaning type stuff though, she is still only 8.5.
You can also buy her some craft sets. She's at an age where she can do many of those types of things on her own. Coloring, painting, color/paint by number, friendship bracelets, perler beads, stained art/window art, weaving looms, sand art etc. are all good activities for that age.

sirel

Thu, Mar 22 2018, 10:11 am

I don't want her to read more than she does.
She is welcome to read the books we own as much as she likes, but new books make her enter her own world for as long as it takes to finish them, and then she has transition time where she is in a bad mood and can't get along with others.

So the twice a week/2 books each time is enough.

projects are a good idea. I need to find some that are right for her age.
She has a 500 piece puzzle she started and it was a little difficult, maybe I should encourage her to try again.

I don't want her to help too much at home.
I've been overworked as a kid, and don't want to perpetuate it.

momnaturally

Thu, Mar 22 2018, 10:30 am

Any neighbors that could use help ?
Maybe she could be a mother's helper with little kids or homework helper for a kid that has a hard time in school. I don't think you need to worry about overworking her.
As long as she chooses to do something and she is not being put to work then it is healthy.
You may just need to introduce some ideas or push her gently a bit to get started in order for her to experience new things and see if she likes it. After that it's her choice to continue.
If she feels like she is making a difference in a younger kids life and home she will feel great and accomplished. Just make sure it's a suitable home and family.

sirel

Thu, Mar 22 2018, 10:39 am

momnaturally wrote:

The mother's helper is an interesting idea.
I arranged something like that last summer, when Friday afternoons were very long. She went to a friend of mine who has only little kids, to play with them and
I thought it would be a chesed, but the mother did pay her- not much, but she felt good about it.

For some reason, after 3 weeks she wasn't interested anymore.

The truth is, there isn't much for her to do at home. She calls me every day at work, begging for pesach projects to do. But I can't think of any job I can comfortably give her that I trust her with and won't be too overwhelming.

musicmom

Thu, Mar 22 2018, 11:09 am

My 8 year old girl loves coloring. She has a mandala coloring book and prismacolor colored pencils... they are like 21 dollars for 72 pencils on amazon.

She also loves games that she plays with her siblings.

She has Tell me a Story cards which are pictures and you make up a story to them.

She likes to write stories.

There is a magnet game with sticks and balls that she plays with by herself.

She also emails family but you could have your daughter write letters if she doesn't have a computer.

Because of the computer she also takes a typing course..

She has a doll with hair she is practicing learning to braid.

She has projects like making string bracelets, sewing or painting. She did loom potholders and loom weaving by herself.

Things she does but doesn't like: Practicing her instruments :-)

amother

Denim

Thu, Mar 22 2018, 11:18 am

Which topics fascinate her?
Would you be ok for her to watch youtube?
Can you get her a mic or digital recorder, and she can record her songs?
My dd loves to record herself playing the recorder and piano.

momnaturally

Thu, Mar 22 2018, 11:22 am

sirel wrote:

It could be it was a little boring.
Maybe she would do better as a mother's helper in a busier house or with kids not too young. Sometimes even when there are older siblings one of the younger ones can get lost in the shuffle and needs more attention. Also if the mother she is helping is a good personality for her she may enjoy it much more.

flowerpower

Thu, Mar 22 2018, 12:06 pm

Get her 100 piece puzzle. 500 piecss is too much for that age.
They sell 3-D dollhouses. My 8 year old loved putting it together and it her took a while to complete.
If you live near a craft store, take her there one day and let her chose some things.
My daughter loves crossword puzzles etc. they have cute ones for her age
Rina and Dina has cute paper dolls, coloring books, and other activities that are cute
Clingies also has like different rooms in a house with reusable stickers

Stock up on a lot of activities and when she is bored she can chose one from the drawer. Eveb new crayons or markers are exciting.

FranticFrummie

Thu, Mar 22 2018, 12:16 pm

Are there any girls her age in the neighborhood? She could have playtime after school if the other mom is OK with it. Depending on your neighborhood, weather, etc. she could have all kinds of fun adventures with a playmate.

Raising a very intelligent, very social, only child is HARD! Kudos to you for being aware and wanting to help.

studying_torah

Thu, Mar 22 2018, 1:00 pm

Hook rug might be easier that needlepoint for her age, there is also a newish craft paint with diamonds- you use tiny beads to create a picture, aint by number have harder & easier ones, more complex coloring books with gel pens, etc.
Maybe a friend can come over after school once a week to play and have fun together .

Teomima

Thu, Mar 22 2018, 2:09 pm

Reminds me of my daughter!

What about reading children's magazines? Since they're a collection of short articles, she might get less sucked into them than books.

Games are also a great choice. Things she can play with you, like Ticket to Ride, Trivial Pursuit, Cranium, etc, or things she can play solo, like Rush Hour, Set, or if you have a tablet, there are games like digital versions of Ticket to Ride that you can play against the computer.

HeartyAppetite

Thu, Mar 22 2018, 3:00 pm

If she’s learning an instrument have her practice every day. I would play the piano for an hour a day. I also loved writing poetry. I had a poem journal.
She could take craft books out from the library like scrapbooking, origami, and make some of those projects.

Rachel Shira

Thu, Mar 22 2018, 5:43 pm

I agree with the mothers helper idea. I would try again with a different family maybe. I also don’t think reading that much is all that bad - it sounds like she reads both books the day she gets them? I would encourage longer books and/or let her get enough to have something to read every day. Does she have friends nearby? If not, it sounds lonely to have to entertain herself for so many hours, and I would at least let her read which is a very valuable activity.