OP here - Thanks for these great ideas!

Anonymous wrote:Print on card stock a mask template and have them decorate their own masks. You will have to cut the masks out and punch holes for string. I'm not sure what string you use. You want that retractable string type used on Halloween masks. I have no idea where you find it or what it's called though.

Do you mean elastic?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with the wood shapes you can buy at AC Moore or Michaels. They cost $.50 or so a piece. Maybe less. Then you can buy the Crayola paint pens or Sharpies (no mess) and they can paint them. You can also buy a roll of magnet tape and VIOLA they have magnets to take home. My kids love them and there are always seasonal shapes. Both my 5 yo and my 9 yo can be entertained for a while with this...

Not OP but need ideas too. Do the Crayola paint pens work on wood? Any sense of how long the paint takes to dry?

They work great on the wood. We have countless of these "beautiful" magnets on our fridge. Maybe a half hour or so to dry. Not long.

Print on card stock a mask template and have them decorate their own masks. You will have to cut the masks out and punch holes for string. I'm not sure what string you use. You want that retractable string type used on Halloween masks. I have no idea where you find it or what it's called though.

I think perler beads could work here. A grown-up needs to iron them, but creating the bead patterns usually takes a while.

Anonymous wrote:I agree with the wood shapes you can buy at AC Moore or Michaels. They cost $.50 or so a piece. Maybe less. Then you can buy the Crayola paint pens or Sharpies (no mess) and they can paint them. You can also buy a roll of magnet tape and VIOLA they have magnets to take home. My kids love them and there are always seasonal shapes. Both my 5 yo and my 9 yo can be entertained for a while with this...

Not OP but need ideas too. Do the Crayola paint pens work on wood? Any sense of how long the paint takes to dry?

I agree with the wood shapes you can buy at AC Moore or Michaels. They cost $.50 or so a piece. Maybe less. Then you can buy the Crayola paint pens or Sharpies (no mess) and they can paint them. You can also buy a roll of magnet tape and VIOLA they have magnets to take home. My kids love them and there are always seasonal shapes. Both my 5 yo and my 9 yo can be entertained for a while with this...

buy $3 tshirts at Michaels a bunch of fabric markers or that puffy paint - they can decorate themselves and everyone loves this

God's eyes - craft sticks and yarn.

Get some of the unfinished wood crafts at Michaels or AC Moore -- frames, keepsake boxes, etc. Frames are as little as $1, the boxes up to $5 or more depending on the size. Then have paint, shells (buy the huge bag of them from the craft store), stick on gems, gitter etc to decorate. If a keepsake box Michaels also has adhesive backed felt sheets you can buy to put in the inside.

make their own play dough

Tie-dye coffee filters. All you need are coffee filters, washable markers, a cup (plastic, ect) of water, and some newspaper to catch the mess and for drying.

1. Hand each kid several coffee filters.
2. Let them color with the markers. They can make beautiful artistic works or scribble.
3. Fold in half. Then fold it again. And again. Until it's a "V" shape.
4. Put the tip of the "V" into a cup of water. Make sure newspaper is under the cups.
5. Watch in amazement as the water does super cool things.
6. Wait until the filter is completely wet.
7. Take the filter out of the water and unfold with amazement and awe.
8. Lay on newspaper to dry.
9. Admire the beauty of a once plain and boring coffee filter.
10. Repeat.

If you have a lot of kids, how about bingo? That could keep them entertained for a while. I know it's not a craft, but worth considering.

Please help! I need an inexpensive craft idea for 7-8 yr olds the kids can do on their own with little adult help. I'll be there to supervise but there's too many kids for me to be able to help each one without it taking all day but I would love to eat up at least 30 mins of the party. I'm desperate for ideas!!!!