Craft activity for 6 yo girl

[niccig]

I need to buy a present for our 6 yo god-daughter. She's getting into craft/art activities. She's not at the level of doing her own friendship bracelets etc, so I need something simpler. Her grandmother is giving her some tool that you can knit with - I can't remember the name, but I had one as a child - nails at the top and you wrap the wool around and around. So, I'm looking for something like that.

I'm getting her a spiral graph stencil kit for her birthday. I need a craft activity for Christmas.

Any ideas?

Thanks. With a 4 yo boy, I have no clue.

[brittone2]

Potholder loom? I have one (found 2nd hand NIB) put away for DS. He's almost 5 and I"m not sure if he could do it yet, but I think the box says 6 and above.

[egoldber]

How about a bead bracelet kit? Sarah loves those and she likes to give away the stuff she makes so it isn't cluttering up my house.... ;)

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/190-2343996-4645556?asin=B000X5SHZC&afid=yahoossplp&lnm=B000X5SHZC|Melissa_Doug_Bead_Set_Bundle&ref=tgt_adv_XSMG1060

[caleymama]

I second the rec for a potholder loom. DD has one and my Mom is getting her some cotton loops (http://www.hearthsong.com/hearthsong/product.do?section_id=3&bc=1005&pgc=198&sv=2410&cmvalue=HS%7C3%7CCRAFTS%20%20ACTIVITIES%20DEPARTME NTS%7C2573%7CCOLLECTION%7C2410%7C2410-P1) for it for Christmas (it came with poly ones that aren't as nice - Grandma wants some new potholders!).

Also, DD (recently 6) expressed interest in making friendship bracelets after seeing them on her friends. I was skeptical but wanted to encourage her interest so we picked up the Klutz Friendship Bracelet book (http://www.klutz.com/catalog/product/2109). I am impressed with it - easy to follow along to and the attached "clipboard" is a nice bonus. We've only tried the basic designs, but she "gets" it pretty well although she needs some help initially.

My Mom is giving DD the Knot a Hat 'N Scarf kit (http://gifts.barnesandnoble.com/Toys-games/Knot-A-Hat-N-Scarf/e/9781400672431/) for Christmas too. There is a Knot a Quilt kit (http://www.hearthsong.com/hearthsong/product.do?section_id=0&bc=1005&pgc=9068&cmvalue=HS%7C0%7CNormal%20Search%20Result%7CP1), but we thought the Hat 'N Scarf kit would appeal to DD more.

ETA: I think this (http://www.hearthsong.com/hearthsong/product.do?section_id=0&bc=1005&pgc=201&cmvalue=HS%7C0%7CNormal%20Search%20Result%7CP1) is similar to the knitting thing you mentioned. I had one with the nails at the top when I was little too.

One more thought - DD2 received this "Color a Funbrella" (http://www.fatbraintoys.com/toy_companies/alex/color_a_funbrella.cfm) kit for her 4th birthday last week. We haven't done it yet, but my 6yo DD and my 6yo nephew realllllly wanted to do it themselves.

[egoldber]

Just a warning on those knot kits. There is a LOT of knotting. Maybe the scarf wouldn't be so bad, but Sarah got the quilt as a birthday gift and we returned it. It was just too.much.knotting. And the fabric they give you to tie the knots with isn't very long. *I* had a really hard time making the knots.

[MacMacMoo]

Neighbor's kid was six when I taught her to cross stitch. She had watched me do it a couple times and wanted to learn. so I bought her some plastic canvas, tapestry needle and some yarn. Found simple two to three color pattern on thed web or in my books for her to stitch.

http://www.craftdesigns4you.com/learntostitchpc.htm

They also make circle knitting looms. http://www.joann.com/joann/search/search_results.jsp?CATID=cat1110&keywords=loom&catPath=All%2BProducts%252F%252F%252F%252FUserSear ch%253Dloom&page=page1

and there's always just browing the kids crafts:
http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog.jsp?CATID=cat3232

[egoldber]

Oh, I just thought. For the holidays this year I am giving Sarah a "homemade" craft kit. We're reading the Little House series right now as a read aloud and she want's to do the stuff that Laura and Mary are doing. :)

I am going through my old supplies and making her a pretty basket filled with yarn, kid sized knitting needles, a kids knitting book (that I already own but she doesn't remember seeing me use because I haven't opened it in several years), and some embroidery supplies. Embroidery is very simple if you just draw a simple design on fabric, let them choose colors and basically "color" the design in with embroidery thread.

[caleymama]

Just a warning on those knot kits. There is a LOT of knotting. Maybe the scarf wouldn't be so bad, but Sarah got the quilt as a birthday gift and we returned it. It was just too.much.knotting. And the fabric they give you to tie the knots with isn't very long. *I* had a really hard time making the knots.

That's exactly why we thought the scarf would be a better choice. When I said we thought it would appeal to DD more, what I really meant was that we thought she'd (we'd) actually do it! Just looking at the quilt kit picture makes me tired!

Good to know about the fabric length. Hopefully it won't be too bad.

[Twoboos]

One more thought - DD2 received this "Color a Funbrella" (http://www.fatbraintoys.com/toy_companies/alex/color_a_funbrella.cfm) kit for her 4th birthday last week. We haven't done it yet, but my 6yo DD and my 6yo nephew realllllly wanted to do it themselves.

DD1 got this last year for her 4th bday. She loved it, and I think would still like it at 5/6.

[brittone2]

I second the rec for a potholder loom. DD has one and my Mom is getting her some cotton loops (http://www.hearthsong.com/hearthsong/product.do?section_id=3&bc=1005&pgc=198&sv=2410&cmvalue=HS%7C3%7CCRAFTS%20%20ACTIVITIES%20DEPARTME NTS%7C2573%7CCOLLECTION%7C2410%7C2410-P1) for it for Christmas (it came with poly ones that aren't as nice - Grandma wants some new potholders!).



I think even Michaels carries the cotton loops now. I picked some up for DS a few months back. I don't like the poly loops either ;)

Someone mentioned cross stitch. I just hooked DS up with a piece of burlap, an embroidery hoop, plastic child needles (from Michaels), and some embroidery floss. I got the idea from Soulemama's blog :) Anyway, he really enjoyed learning to stitch with it. Once he got the hang of it he was figuring out how to do Xs etc. on his own.

[niccig]

Thanks for all the great suggestions. I'll also keep these in mind for DS in a year or two. He's still not quite ready for some of these activities.

[shishamo]

My daughter absolutely loves arts/crafts, and she loves Melty Beads (http://perlerbeads.com) this is super fun.

[MamaKath]

I love the kits from Faber-Castell makes Creativity for Kids kits; they are fantastic kits and have AWESOME customer service.
http://www.faber-castell.us/14786/Welcome/index_ebene3.aspx

Plastic canvas might work well at that age. Beaded bracelets are always a hit. Art supplies have been a huge hit at recent parties we have been too. Potholders are great, but the child may need a helper to finish them off.
Michaels and AC Moore have a ton of craft kits.Target has quite a few kits as well.