My niece loves the klutz books. The clay animals one is her favorite. I also bought shrinky dinks one year and they were a huge hit even with her non-crafty brothers.

Gotta watch out for those crafty boyz

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, if you bought my crafty 8yo daughter a hot glue gun, she would worship you for eternity.

everyone loves a hot glue gun!!!

i was going to suggest this too. With a hot glue gun, my 8 year old can do crafts for hours. Also get high quality construction paper, those chenille stick things, felt fabric, magic markers...

I've been doing something like this for 5-year-old birthday parties: a craft kit, with stuff they usually have to ask for. For an 8-year-old, it could be a glue gun, maybe a rotary cutter, soft measuring tape, tacks, various sorts of tape, card stock or origami papers, needles and a thread assortment ...

For the 5-year-olds, I do a couple of different kinds of tape, glue, crazy crayon types, bigger kid scissors, some fun paper.

I put it all in a large pencil box. For an older child, maybe a craft tote.

Pp here. TJ Max sometimes has kits also

Wander through Hobby Lobby, Michaels, and Walmart for some ideas. Lots of kits available.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, if you bought my crafty 8yo daughter a hot glue gun, she would worship you for eternity.

everyone loves a hot glue gun!!!

i was going to suggest this too. With a hot glue gun, my 8 year old can do crafts for hours. Also get high quality construction paper, those chenille stick things, felt fabric, magic markers...

Anonymous wrote:OP, if you bought my crafty 8yo daughter a hot glue gun, she would worship you for eternity.

everyone loves a hot glue gun!!!

http://www.unitednow.com/product/17173/window-art.aspx?gclid=CMbqsLCfktACFYRDhgod74sEmA

my girls love window art

OP, if you bought my crafty 8yo daughter a hot glue gun, she would worship you for eternity.

Anonymous wrote:I was uncrafty as a kid and hated art in-school. Just wasn't my thing. My mom used to buy me all kind of differentt crafts and art supplies. I would have much preferred a board game or book. If they aren't interested why force it?

I think OP has boys and she is looking for a gift for someone else's child.

OP- my DD is very into the easy adult coloring books and got a great pencil/painting set that I just saw is for sale at Costco. I also think the ideas you posted would be great.

I was uncrafty as a kid and hated art in-school. Just wasn't my thing. My mom used to buy me all kind of differentt crafts and art supplies. I would have much preferred a board game or book. If they aren't interested why force it?

Perler bead kits are nice

If she has an American girl or similar doll, you can get cute kits that make/decorate accessories for themZ

Hook rug kit
Knitting loom
mosaic stone kit
beading
variety of collage materials
Suncatchers

The last two are really fun and definitely something an 8 year old could handle.

I looked at Amazon and picked out some things I wish my boys would be interested in and filtered out the ones where parents where saying they hated it or it was too hard. Do any of these sound like a winner? Other ideas? I would rather do a kit instead of just random art or craft supplies. I think she already has a lot of those.

Make your own snow globes
Weaving loom (Melissa and Doug)
A "weaving" fleece blanket thing isn't the most attractive thing I have ever seen but it looks like it could be done by an 8 year old girl.

Thanks!