Are you shopping for a special gift for an 8 year old girl? Well, look no further!
Here is my roundup of over 60 of the best gifts for an 8-year-old girl. Each of these toys and gifts are sure to make her day!
| Top Gifts for 8-Year-Old Girls! | Why It's Best | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| GirlZone 10 Hair Chalk Pens | 80 applications, temporary, fun for her and her friends | ♥♥♥♥♥ |
| Choose Friendship My Friendship Bracelet Maker Kit | Make colorful bracelets for fun or gifts | ♥♥♥♥♥ |
| Crayola Inspiration Art Case Coloring Set | Endless art possibilities in a handy case | ♥♥♥♥♥ |
| You Are a Girl Who Can Do Anything | Tell her exactly what she needs to hear at this age | ♥♥♥♥♥ |
| Your Décor Color Your Own Water Bottle Kit | Decorate your water bottle kit, useful and a creative exercise | ♥♥♥♥♥ |
The Best Gift Ideas for 8-Year-Old Girls This Year
Alex Spa Hair Chalk Pens
Cool and crazy hair colors are all the rage and the Alex Spa Deluxe Hair Chalk can satisfy with color without the permanence. Twelve colors that go on easy but wash off with shampoo. The color can be set to last slightly longer with a hair straightener. As a bonus, these pens can also be used for face painting.
Choose Friendship My Friendship Bracelet Maker Kit
All the eight year old girls I know love to make all sorts of crafty things, and theChoose Friendship My Friendship Bracelet Maker Kit will help them do just that. Make several bracelets from the included threads in 10 colors. Store all the thread in the drawer at the bottom of the bracelet anchor board.
This best gift for 8-year-old girls is perfect for birthday party activities or Christmas morning!
If your daughter is into crafting, she might like something from our selection 0f the best craft kits.
Crayola Inspiration Art Case – Pink & Portable
![Crayola Inspiration Art Case Coloring Set - Pink (140ct), Art Set For Kids, Kids Drawing Kit, Art Supplies, Gift for Girls & Boys [Amazon Exclusive]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/510u0cA6m-L._SL500_.jpg)
If your girl enjoys drawing or coloring of any sort, thisPortable Art Studio is the perfect addition to her collection. Great for taking with her to a friend’s house or grandmas, or the car. It has a full set of 64 crayons, 20 pencils, 40 markers, 15 sheets of paper and a sturdy case to carry it all around. You cannot lose with this set!
You Are a Girl Who Can Do Anything: A Very Special Book
If you’re looking to inspire your girl, this book can help you achieve that. The uplifting words in You Are a Girl Who Can Do Anything will help give your girls wings and make her feel like she can accomplish anything! This would be a great inspiration to any girl, especially as they grow up and face pressures at school and among peers.
It also comes in calendar form, which could be a practical gift also.
Just My Style Your Dcor Water Bottle
The Just My Style water bottle kit lets your child decorate her own lightweight aluminum water bottle with colorful designs. The water bottle also comes with a clip to clip onto her backpack, etc.
The design is etched into the metal and can be colored with the included markers and decorated with the included gemstones. This best gift would be a great project during a birthday party or a sleepover, where friends can help decorate it.
Just Between Us: Mother & Daughter: A No-Stress, No-Rules Journal
For a slightly different take on a typical journal, the Just Between Us: Mother & Daughter: A No-Stress, No-Rules Journal is a good way to strengthen your connection with your daughter. In this journal, you both can write things down to each other and pass it back and forth.
Some things are easier written down than said and this is the perfect medium for that. Get to know each other better while helping her practice her writing skills.
Dan&Darci Paint & Plant Flower Growing Kit
Cosmos, zinnias, and marigolds have vibrant colors and lovely scents. Your daughter will love to grow these three flowers in a planter of her own design using the Dan&Darci Paint & Plant Flower Growing Kit. This is a perfect gift for any time of year, because these flowers will even grow indoors in a very sunny window. What better way to teach STEM and bring a little color and nature indoors?
Walkie Talkies for Kids
These Walkie Talkies for Kids could be a great companion for the Nancy Drew book series. Your daughter and her friends could solve their own mysteries with these Walkie Talkies as tools. A generous 3 mile range on this best toy for an 8-year-old should be plenty to accommodate most adventures.
See our list of the best walkie talkies for kids here.
Sleepover Party Mad Libs
Sleepover Party Mad Libs are a hilarious way to spend a sleepover with friends. Fill in the blanks with whatever you and your friends can think of for adjectives, verbs, and nouns and watch hilarity ensue. This best gift for 8-year-old girls would be a great activity for a birthday party.
Dan&Darci Light-up Terrarium Kit for Kids
Get her green thumb going early with the Dan&Darci Light-up Terrarium Kit for Kids. Complete with cute decorations and real growing wheat grass and chia, this glowing terrarium will be a fun way to introduce science concepts to your little girl. But the stickers and bunny will trick her into thinking it’s not an educational activity!
8th Birthday Charm Bracelet
This cute bracelet would be a gift she could treasure and remind her of her special day. Features 5 different charms, including the number “8”. The bracelet itself is silver plated. Bracelet comes in a velvet gift box for easy gifting.
Just My Style Glitter Messenger Bag
This is one of my favorite items to gift to my nieces and acquaintances. Young girls love to personalize items with their own colors and glitter. And it’s a very practical piece, which they can use to carry around personal items or even at school.
This would also be a great activity at a birthday party or a sleepover, where friends can help decorate the bag.
Creativity for Kids Flower Crowns
This set will make 4 flower crowns with colorful paper flowers. Girls of all ages would enjoy this activity that is full of creative input. Everything is included, such as the paper flowers, ribbon, fabric leaves and even glitter for a finishing touch. This is an activity that would be appropriate for a gathering of girls or a solo project.
Little Monsters Beginners Sewing Craft Kit
My kids love to learn new skills such as sewing, and this cute kit will have them sewing little monsters in no time. The kit includes pre-cut shapes with pre-punched holes so all you need to do is assemble them with a little creativity.
Each little monster can be personalized with mixing and matching eyes and mouths. The kit comes with 5 sewing needles so many kids can be working on their little monsters at the same time.
Melissa & Doug Scratch Art Rainbow Mini Notes
Scratch art is so cool! Your girl will love leaving personalized notes in cool rainbow colors on these nifty scratch art notes. I love that this best gift for 8-year-olds will encourage practicing their penmanship as well.
Unicorn 8th Birthday Girl Shirt
The dreaded dab! Help your girl have the coolest shirt in school while celebrating her birth year. This dabbing unicorn gift is sure to be all the rage among her friends. I promise she will feel like a superstar 8 year old!
Garmin Vivofit Jr.
I bet your daughter has asked for a smartwatch at some point and you were like “NO WAY!” This kid’s activity tracker is a great intro smartwatch. It can tell time, track steps and location, and even sleep. The watch, which has a no-charge battery, syncs to a fun app where kids can complete challenges and reach their recommended 60 minutes of movement per day. Kids can even do chores to earn virtual coins that unlock rewards.
Air Hogs Gravitor
Drones aren’t just for the boys! If you want a fun and more artistic way to fly, get the Gravitor. This amazing toy can fly without a remote because it’s completely operated by hand. There are motion and light sensors that respond to hand movements. Once you master how to operate it (check the included guide and YouTube), you can do 30 moves and 9 tricks. Your little girl could even dance with it if she wanted to!
GirlZone Temporary Glitter Tattoos Kit
GirlZone Temporary Glitter Tattoos Kit. File this gift under the “things kids love that parents hate” category. Yes, there is loose glitter involved. But the glitter will stick to the body glue with the fun stencils and it won’t be too bad. It’s non-toxic and lots of fun, so just give in and let her give you a glitter tattoo, too.
Newland Mermaid Swimsuit Set
This unique gift will let her live out the mermaid life of her dreams! This fully submersible swimsuit can get wet from head to tail. The ruffle bikini top and bottom provide decent coverage, too, which is good for the public pool. Just be careful going in the deep end in this getup- mermaids make swimming with a tail look easier than it really is!
Unicorn Bean Bag Chair Cover
Unicorn Bean Bag Chair CoverIf an insane amount of stuffed animals has overtaken your daughter’s room, grab this gift and get her room looking clean again. This soft, velvet bean bag cover holds lots of stuffed animals. So instead of stuffing, the bean bag relies on your daughter’s own soft and squishy stuffed animals to fill it and make it plush. Sure, it’ll be a little lumpy. But she won’t mind and neither will you because it’s cute and it makes her room more tidy.
Melissa & Doug Deluxe Combo Scratch Art Set
If your girl loves scratch art, she might also enjoy this Deluxe Scratch Art set. It comes with 16 boards, 2 stylus tools and several frames to frame her special creations. I would enjoy this set myself, so I’m certain that most girls of any age would enjoy it as well.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Mega Crystal Growing Lab
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Mega Crystal Growing Lab. Science is so much more fun when you can make shiny things! This kit from Nat Geo will grow crystals in 8 different colors. The stand serves as a nightlight and will set the crystals aglow. This set also includes real gemstone and rock specimens along with a STEM learning guide.
Everjoys Soprano Ukelele Beginner Pack
Everjoys Soprano Ukelele Beginner Pack. Eight is the perfect age to start learning an instrument. The ukelele is small and easy to master. This kit has absolutely everything your daughter needs to get going- the ukelele, a carrying strap, a book, a tuner, and even rainbow strings for easy learning. Between this and some YouTube videos, you’ll easily be able to have her strumming along to her favorite songs in no time.
Design-Your-Own Detangler Hairbrush
Design-Your-Own Detangler Hairbrush. This is a well-made brush that is extra fun because your daughter can decorate it herself. It comes with colored pens and 49 gemstone stickers that she can use to spice it up!
The brush itself will work on all levels of straight or curly hair and take the pain out of brushing through tangles.
Focusky Unicorn Night Light
Even if she’s too big and tough to use a night light, your 8-year-old girl will still appreciate this awesome lamp! It’s dimable, so she can use it to sleep with or to light up her room like a lamp. The majestic unicorn can turn 7 different colors and you can use various timer settings to save energy.
Educational Insights Nancy B’s Science Club Microscope
The Educational Insights Nancy B’s Science Club Microscope. Your daughter can channel her inner Marie Curie and analyze cells and organisms to her heart’s content with this awesome microscope. This kit has the 400x microscope, lots of lab tools, and an activity journal to help guide scientific discovery. This award-winning toy for 8-year-olds is a fun way to fuel a love for science or help teach science concepts at home.
Ganowo Sensory Fidget Snake Cube Twist Puzzle
If you’ve never played with the Ganowo Sensory Fidget Snake Cube Twist Puzzle, you should try it! This is a soothing way for your daughter to get out the extra energy while working her brain, too. This one has bright colors and a larger size for building more shapes. You can even twist it to be a phone or tablet stand!
ALEX Spa Glitter Sketch It Nail Pens
Many young girls like to play around with nail polish and what could be better than nail polish that is chock full of glitter! This gift set comes with 5 colors, and multiple tips – one for brushing on the polish and one for precise detail work.
This best gift for 8-year-old girls is sure to be a hit with your birthday girl!
Hover Soccer Ball
Turn any smooth surface (wood, tile, concrete, or short carpet) into a soccer field with these super cool hovering soccer balls. The LED lights allow for playing a quick match at any time of day. The rubber bumpers will keep your furniture and your shins safe. Your daughter or granddaughter will love this indoor activity that will keep them up and moving on even rainy days.
Remote Control Dog Corgi Puppy
If your daughter keeps asking for her own pet, get her this puppy as a companion instead. This RC dog is both cute and smart – it can follow 8 voice commands, respond to touch, and even record sounds. She’ll love dancing and singing along with this cute pup. This pup can even help teach computer and coding concepts through a function that lets your little girl program her own commands into the remote.
Razor A5 LUX Scooter
When walking gets boring, try riding a Razor A5 LUX Scooter! It’s an exercise that’s fun and not too difficult. This Razor scooter has the high quality and craftsmanship that can take a beating and keep going. This version has larger wheels for a smoother ride, plus fun bright-pink graphics. And let’s not forget that it can be adjusted for height and folded for storage.
52 Pairs – Colorful Cute Stud Hypoallergenic Earrings
Most girls have their ears pierced by this age. If they don’t, maybe this will give them the motivation they need to take the plunge! This hypoallergenic earring set is affordable and cute. The sweet designs range from plain studs to sparkly dangling earrings. All of them won’t irritate her skin, so this is a great gift for any girl.
Baketivity Kids Baking DIY Activity Kit
Buying one of the cute apron and chef hat sets is fun, but giving that as a gift for an 8-year-old girl is also giving the gift of work to the parents! This lovely kit has all the things you’ll need to make some fabulous cake pops. The ingredients are pre-measured, the decorations are included, and the instructions are easy to follow. This would be a great kit for a kid to try baking for the first time on their own. Just supervise the oven part and let them learn!
The Children’s Place Girls Denim Jacket
I know that buying clothes for little girls is never the ideal gift. It’s hard to know their style or size. But The Children’s Place Girls Denim Jacket is an absolute staple of any little girl’s closet! It can dress down fancy clothes for a trendy vibe, provide that perfect fall or spring layer, or even go punk rock with the right accessories! Buy it a little big (think a size 10 to 12) and she’ll have it for a couple of years. You really can’t go wrong!
Ballerina Music Jewelry Box
Most girls by age 8 have started to accumulate some big-girl jewelry that they want to keep nice and protected. This jewelry box is a perfect mash-up of little girl sweet and grown-up security. It has a musical element and a special hiding spot up top for her ever-changing favorite piece of jewelry. The pull out compartments and hanging section will keep little earrings from getting lost and necklaces from getting tangled.
Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 Instant Camera
Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 Instant Camera. Since she’s still a bit too young for a phone, give her a unique way to take pictures with this modern Polariod-esque camera. From selfies to pictures of friends to pet portraits, she can capture her favorite moments and turn them into keepsakes. This camera is cute, but it’s still fragile, so handle with caution and buy a case!
Zita Element Rainbow Matching Girls Birthday Outfits
Zita Element Rainbow Matching Girls Birthday Outfits. Are you looking to make her 8th birthday super special? Easily done with this rainbow tutu party outfit that will make her the star of the event! This even comes with an outfit to match for her favorite 18 inch doll.
This comes with the following items: white “happy birthday” t-shirt for girl and doll, rainbow tutu skirt for girl and doll, and rainbow hair clip for girl and doll.
Electronic Piggy Bank
This little piggy bank is a fun and unique place for your girl to store her cash! Besides keeping her money safe, it can be a great tool for playing games like spies or cops and robbers. Grab this gift and throw in an envelope with a few dollars and change and she’ll be thrilled!
Made By Me Make Your Own Jumbo Emoticon Pillow
You’ve no doubt seen the emoji pillows at the stores. Well, now you can make your own! This kit comes with one pillow, different colors fleece for cutting out faces of your choice, and stuffing.
Even better, it doesn’t require any sewing at all! Kids get a sense of accomplishment they can show off to their friends.
Tiny Gold Initial Heart Necklace
When she’s ready to move past the big beaded necklaces of her toddlerhood, this dainty necklace is a perfect gift. It’s 14k gold plated and just the right size and length for a little girl. It’s cute and not too flashy, and she’ll feel proud to wear her initial.
All in One Makeup Kit
Girls at this age love makeup, but it’s hard to find just the right type of makeup. A lot of them are too mature for childish makeup sets, but it’s not time to spend the big bucks on an expensive makeup palette. This makeup palette has everything they need, from eyeshadows to lip colors, for a reasonable price. The pink case is still young and fun without being childish. It’s decently pigmented and perfect for practicing looks they love.
B Me Sequin Unicorn Pillow for Girls
Another crafty pillow option is this reversible double-sided doodle pillow. It features a place to draw and doodle, rainbow sequins, and unicorns. What else could a little girl ask for? 8 fabric markers are included. This is a cozy, comfy, and cute addition to any girl’s bedroom.
Mine! Diary – Sparkly Lock & Keys
Eight year old girls are getting to the age where they might enjoy writing or doodling in a journal, and practicing their writing skills at the same time. And of course a good journal HAS to have a lock on it. This cute journal is lockable with a sparkly pink lock.
This gift for 8-year-old girls has opportunities to doodle, blank pages for writing about anything and prompts for writing as well, such as “My best day ever…”.
LEGO Friends Hair Salon
LEGO Friends Hair Salon. If you thought that Legos were just for boys, think again. Lego has an entire set that’s perfect for girls. This set lets your little girl practice her STEM skills. She’ll also hone her direction-following skills, all while having fun switching out the lego figurines’ hair and adding tiny little accessories. And since it’s made for kids 6 and up, it won’t be overly challenging so she can build it quickly and have fun playing before moving on to more complicated sets.
GraviTrax Marble Run
This marble run will give your daughter’s brain a workout. This gift is great for playing solo or with family and friends. The open-ended design means that it can be used in almost infinite configurations. And if making a maze isn’t fun enough, you can race marbles, complete challenges, and even master marble trick shots. All this while sharpening those needed STEM skills.
Easy Bake Ultimate Oven
Age 8 is a great age to start cooking. The Easy Bake Oven was a rite of passage for many of us girls in the 80s and 90s, and now it’s your daughter’s turn! This oven has come a long way and now uses an actual heating element instead of a lightbulb. All the spoons, oven trays, and a couple of mixes are included in this set.
Klutz Mini Pom-Pom Pets
Klutz Mini Pom-Pom Pets. Girls around this age have an obsession with miniature things, and I’m sure your 8-year-old daughter or granddaughter is no exception! This gift will give her something to do while keeping the obsession alive. From a walrus to an owl to a piggy, let your little girl make whatever animal she would like. This high-quality craft kit from Klutz has everything she needs in a parent-approved craft kit.
Mini Leather Backpack
This Cute Mini Leather Backpack. This cute gift is sure to be the favorite at any birthday party. The cute bow keeps it young and girly, while the mini backpack style is right on trend. Pick from pink, red, blue, or classic ivory or black. It’s just the right size to fit whatever she wants to bring out and about with her – from lipgloss to a stuffed animal to a favorite book. And don’t worry, it’s faux leather, so it’s easy to clean and it’s not a big deal if it gets a little wear and tear!
Fashion Angels Art Set
If you have a budding artist on your hands that is into fashion, check out this fashion sketchbook. This art coloring book will teach them how to trace, outline, color, and decorate their creations. It can be used with pencils, crayons, or even paint.
Next, this sketchbook also includes fun stickers to really pretty up the models after they are clothed. If your girl is into coloring and accessories at all, she would love this fun book for 8-year-old girls.
3D Coloring Puzzle Set
BEARUN 3D Coloring Puzzle Set. This is a gift that’s sure to keep your little girl entertained for hours. Between coloring the pieces and assembling the 5 puzzles, which range from butterflies to the Eiffel Tower, it will keep your kiddo off of a screen for at least a couple of hours. Bonus: they can play with the 3D models once they are assembled, so there’s even more playtime right there!
The Noble Collection Hermione Granger’s Illuminating Wand
The Noble Collection Hermione Granger’s Illuminating Wand. Kids love the Harry Potter, especially the ever sassy and precocious Hermione and her impressive vined wand. Get your girl her own wand so she can try out spells and imagine going to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She will love the 15-inch realistic wand with an intricate design ready to look exactly like the real thing.
The best part of the wand is the tip illuminates to make it seem like real magic. However, this does mean the wand will need two AAA batteries and they aren’t included. Otherwise, this is the perfect toy and it comes ina beautiful box all officially authorized by Warner Bros.
Makey Makey Invention Kit
Want to stop your child’s boredom in its tracks? Look no further than the Makey Makey. This unique STEM toy is fun and easy to use. It has the needed circuitry to make basically anything into a computer component. You can make a banana into a space bar, playdough into a video game controller, and make your stairs into a piano! The options are really and truly endless. Give the gift of invention to your creative little one. You will probably want to play with it, too!
Made By Me Create Your Own Bead Pets
Made By Me Create Your Own Bead Pets. Don’t you love it when things from your own childhood come back into style? You spent countless hours beading your own little friends, and now your daughter can too. This set has all the beads and cord she’ll need to craft 10 different pets that can become keychains.
Singing Machine Bluetooth Karaoke System
Singing Machine Bluetooth Karaoke System. She’s going to sing no matter what, so at least give her a microphone and some backup music to make it sound great! This system can work with CD, CD+graphics, plus it can use USB or Bluetooth. Connect it to the TV and keep a big group entertained during a birthday party or sleepover. Did I mention it has awesome LED rainbow disco lights, too?
Blinger Ultimate Set
You had the Bedazzler, and now you can gift your daughter with a Blinger! Same concept as the Bedazzler, with a different execution. The little jeweled discs load into the Blinger and then you can apply them to different surfaces. They work best on hair, but you can even apply them to thin fabrics. It’s easy to use, so an 8-year-old girl can easily use this by herself. If she blows through the included gems, you can buy lots more in different shapes and colors. You can even buy a case for all of it to go in!
Nancy Drew Starter Set – Books 1-5
Is your girl interested in detective stories? Get her started on the right foot with the Nancy Drew Starter set. A favorite of young girls for the last few decades, this timeless series will get them reading and learning to reason.
Sentosphere Unicorn Pegasus Aquarellum
The product name is a little strange and beautiful, kind of like the watercolor drawings included in this set. This lovely watercolor set from France features “magic” canvasses that show color using the included brush, the non-toxic watercolors, and just a smidge of water. You can use the included paint holder to mix your own colors, and there is a guide included to help your little girl figure out the perfect color. This is a great way to take a step up from the kiddie watercolors and learn to start blending and shadowing using more or less pigment or water.
God and Me! Devotions for Girls
Help your girl deepen her relationship with God as she grows with God and Me! Devotions for Girls Ages 6-9. Age appropriate and full of questions to spur conversations.
A Pebble for Your Pocket: Mindful Stories for Children and Grown-ups
A Pebble for Your Pocket: Mindful Stories for Children and Grown-ups. An alternative to help your child grow in spirituality would be this collection of stories from Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist teacher. Drawing on Buddhist parables and his own life experiences, he shows valuable lessons in mindfulness and life in general.
Great for children from 8 to adults, so it would be great for reading together and learning together.
Gifts for Similar Ages
- Best Toys and Gifts for 7-Year-Old Girls
- Best Toys and Gifts for 9-Year-Old Girls
- Best Toys and Gifts for 10-Year-Old Girls
- Best Toys and Gifts for 11-Year-Old Girls
FAQ’s for Gifts for 8-Year-Old Girls
What to give to the 8 or 9-year old who has everything?
- A custom photobook or calendar featuring photos of your child and his special people/pets.
- A subscription or lesson(s) that will encourage a hobby or interest.
- Supplies or equipment for a hobby or interest.
- A gift certificate to a supplier for a hobby or interest.
- One of his or her (favorite) original art pieces, beautifully framed.
- Or, best of all, yourself:
- Coupon for a movie night (complete with snacks) together.
- Ticket, transportation, and accommodation to a sports, music, or dramatic event.
- A weekend away together.
- Annual membership for the two of you to a favorite museum, gym, etc.
- Coupon for monthly day or evening out (doing anything you’ll both enjoy) with you.”
What kinds of activities can I do with my 8 or 9-year old?
8 and 9-year olds are capable of a lot, often more than we think. They can enjoy all kinds of activities, offered at the right level. Some of the best are those you already have to do. A child might not be so excited about helping you work on the car, can fruit, or rake the yard, but these are excellent bonding, learning, and confidence-building activities if you give your child some appropriate responsibility.
Other ideas? Go for a walk, hike, or jog. Play tennis, pickleball, basketball, or badminton. Throw softball, football or frisbee. Cook dinner. Make fudge. Go to a museum, the park, or the zoo. Plant and maintain a garden.
Build a corn hole game. Build a campfire and roast marshmallows. Read a story together. There’s nothing wrong with reading aloud to your 8 or 9 year old, especially something he or she will enjoy that is above his comfortable reading level.
What kinds of toys do today’s 8 and 9-year olds want?
8 and 9-year-olds are beginning their tween years. They are learning and growing rapidly, capable of more than we think. They still love toys, but their toys should respect and encourage their positive growth
and development – physical, mental, emotional, spiritual. Following are some examples of toys or kinds of toys that are likely to be appreciated by 8 and 9-year-olds.
- Bicycle, skateboard, scooter, EzyRoller, helmet and pads
- Hobby and art supplies: models, scratch art, nail art, craft kits
- Board games, strategy and logic games, and puzzles
- Physical games (bocce, laser tag, frisbee, badminton, spikeball, corn hole, basketball goal and
ball, martial arts kick bag) - Walkie talkies, drone, remote control or robotic toy, metal detector, sports watch
- Soft darts and board, soft dart guns
- Legos and all manner of building toys
- Books in line with the child’s reading interests
What, other than electronic entertainments, can keep my 8 or 9-year-old busy?
Chores, music practice, sports practice, language learning, keyboarding practice, physical activity, reading, board/card games or puzzles, building toys, or creative pursuits. Chores are key. Walk/feed/pet the dog. Set the table. Sweep the floor. Unload the dishwasher. Get the mail. Clean the sinks. Empty the trash.
Every child should have whatever chores he can reasonably handle, given the other things you require of him. Notice what kinds of intellectual and creative engagements your child enjoys (building, inventing, drawing, painting, making music or rhythm, model-making, crafting, even beginning coding) and be sure to provide tools to encourage that activity.”
Should I make my 8 or 9-year old invite the whole class / all girls / all boys to birthday party?
If your 8 or 9 year old is having a birthday party and inviting the majority of girls or boys in the class, probably all should be included. It’s not kind to exclude a minority. If your girl is inviting some boys, or boy some girls from the class, it ought to be all; she or he is too young to invite only special opposite-sex friends or to hang in boy/girl cliques. But, no, he or she does not have to invite them all. It is fine (often probably better) to invite just a few friends – a very clear minority.”
What if my child doesn’t have anyone to invite to his/her birthday party?
If your child doesn’t have a friend, that’s something to work on. But don’t press it just because it’s birthday time. Don’t invite the whole class in hopes of takers, setting your child up for disappointment and embarrassment. Enjoy your child yourself without telegraphing your own disappointment.
At times it can be healthy for a child to pull away from peers and take shelter in his family. If your child seems genuinely distressed not to be able to include friend(s) in her party, maybe she can (with teacher permission) take a small treat to each classmate in celebration of her own birthday. (This should be done humbly, as a free gift, not as a play to buy friends.) Make the birthday a very special day with just family. Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt, Uncle, Mom, Dad – any combination can be a party.
