Any craft ideas for an 8 year old?

Question

I want to do some arts and crafts for my son, I got a few ideas from the online search engine, but I thought I'd ask for some suggestions on here as well. I am a Stay at Home mom and I babysit 2 younger children (too young for crafts just yet) but my oldest child is 8, my middle is 4, and my youngest is 18 months. All suggestions will help.

Thank you =)

Answer 1

One of the things I love to do when providing child care for this age group is to use themes, and come up with ideas and activities that circle around them.

Here are a few ideas, if you need more, please feel free to e-mail me directly.

Pirate Theme

Make islands out of salt dough, recipe link follows. Have the child form the salt dough into any shape they want to make the island. Then bake it according to the directions on the recipe. Then paint it using acrylic craft paint (sold at Wal Mart and craft stores). Don't forget to paint an X for buried treasure. We had the kids make palm trees by cutting strips of brown construction paper and wrapping them around pencils to make a spiral, then rolling them tightly, gluing them, and stacking them one on top of the next, gluing or taping them together with Scotch tape. We used green construction paper leaves. Some kids added a cave to their island. Treasure chests can be made out of construction paper or a small box.

The kid also made a milk carton pirate ship (with a twist), we used a Styrofoam bowl for the ship, and added a straw for a mast, and paper sails.

A hook hand was made by bending a chenille stem (any color) into the shape of a hook and then sticking it into the bottom of a Styrofoam cup that had been painted black. Then, the entire "hook" was covered with aluminum foil until it was really thick.

Eye patches were made by cutting the shape out of black felt, and then hole punching the edges and tying a piece of elastic (sold at any craft store or Wal Mart) thru the holes. You could also make one out of construction paper and use string, or out of black fun foam and use cording, string, or elastic.

Vests were made out of paper grocery bags, cut into a vest shape, and then painted with red and white stripes, all though you could also glue on red and white crepe paper strips or red and white construction paper strips. Once the vest is finished, rip along the edges.

Salt dough recipe: http://www.gigglemoose.com/salt_dough_re...

Styrofoam pirate ship:

http://www.dltk-kids.com/crafts/transpor...

How to cut a paper bag vest:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article...

This is just one of many themes that I have used with the age group that you mentioned. Other themes I've used with this age group include dinosaurs, volcanoes, outer space, and many others. Contact me directly if you want more ideas far too many to list here!

Answer 2

Puzzles are neat for 8 year olds.  Walmart has some good learning puzzles.

Answer 3

you can always have him do holiday things like my cousin, i was babysitting him and we used stuff around the house to make a snowman out of a long sock,black marker.cottonballs,a colored sock(as scarf), and little buttons.

Answer 4

go to a craft store like michaels, and purchase a wood car and wheels and assemble using a co2 canister used for bb guns, sold at walmart and other places. When attached you use a nail to puncture the canister and and Bam! you have a jet car.

Homemade Kites are fun.

Art paints, clay, etc are always easy and fun.

paster of paris can be used to pick up impressions of local animal tracks.

cooking. etc.

Answer 5

word searchs or make a board game with him

Answer 6

Try to find some arts and crafts ideas at http://www.activities-for-kids.net/Arts-...

I hope you will find something there.

Answer 7

Here is the # 1 parenting site in my books , it has everything your looking for and more . I recommend it to all parents.

Todays Parent

http://www.todayspaent.com

Here is  a link to crafts also for school age children !

http://www.todaysparent.com/craftsactivi...

Good Luck !

Answer 8

TRY GOING TO FAMILYFUN.COM THEY HAVE ALOT OF GREAT CRAFTS