plain jane Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 If so, what does she like to do that is mildly educational? What sorts of educational games would she enjoy? Would she make use of a nice Dover coloring book or would it be too babyish now? What about a Klutz book aimed for older girls- the friendship bracelets or the paper fashion one? I'm not looking for reading book recommendations. :) I'm looking for educational items that are not curriculum or games that focus on learning but are fun to play for that age range. Something like Professor Noggins? Help me Hive!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 When my dd13 was 11 yrs. old, she was very into painting Window Art using a Klutz book. She also likes to draw but she isn't an artist really. She has a sketchbook and uses color pencils. She says the friendship bracelets were really hard. She taught herself to do some basic crochet stitches and made some wrist bands, headbands, and a pillow cover. Oh, the Dover coloring books can actually be cool if she likes to color. We had one that had mosaic designs and both of my daughters liked coloring with Prismacolor pencils. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in TX Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 When dd14 was that age, she adored every kind of craft, and every kind of board game! She had some kind of kit that had a wooden board with doll shapes cut out, and a variety of fabric swatches that somehow fit into the cutouts to "dress" the dolls. She had a book of simple beginner's sewing projects with very clear instructions--she inherited my grandma's sewing box and used it to make some of the projects. She loved games like WhoNu, Clue, Life, Scrabble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ma23peas Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Klutz All about Me books...several different ones Mine love the Perplexor books, logic puzzles They love bookstore gift cards One loves magic tricks, cards, balancing thingies Fun set of art pencils, they have oil pencils with vibrant colors HTH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herkey6 Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 My dd11 loves crafts (Klutz included). Her older sister (at that age) received a 'Petal People' craft book made by Klutz, and they both have expanded on that in a big way. She has a large box full of pipe cleaners, small wooded beads, wire, embroidery floss, etc. She is always designing some new fairy or creature. She does have a loom for making beaded bracelets also from Klutz, but it is really difficult to use. Another thing she has become quite interested in is whittling. She wanted a pocket knife for Christmas, and has been carving and whittling ever since! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sukale Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 My dd wants to spend all of her free time learning calligraphy. She got a nice book and pen set for Christmas and she still loves it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyDay Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 My 12 year old enjoys a variety of board games and logic games such as Rush Hour or Blockus. She likes to build LEGO projects and prefers the more complex ones geared for older dc. She makes crochet shawls for her 18" dolls and barbie dolls, does embrodery, and enjoys laying out quilt projects and applique. She has magnetic mosaic tiles and likes to make designs with that. She does still color, but it has to be something detailed and interesting like the Ruth Heller geometric designs. We have bunches of colored pencils and she likes to draw or trace designs and then color or shade them to her liking. We have some logic type puzzle books such as Grid Perplexors and Logic Links that get pulled out occasionally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldskool Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 If so, what does she like to do that is mildly educational? What sorts of educational games would she enjoy? Would she make use of a nice Dover coloring book or would it be too babyish now? What about a Klutz book aimed for older girls- the friendship bracelets or the paper fashion one? I'm not looking for reading book recommendations. :) I'm looking for educational items that are not curriculum or games that focus on learning but are fun to play for that age range. Something like Professor Noggins? Help me Hive!! My dd would still love a Dover coloring book and she is 14. Anything crafty and creative was great at that age. A calligraphy set would also work well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elizabeth in MN Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Nancy Drew computer games - great for learning Logic : D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i.love.lucy Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 My dd is really into fashion design. I found these Project Runway sets on clearance that she loves. She also would like a more grown up coloring book, or those ones that look like stained glass. Or this Tangled type thing. Along with her own set of nice colored pencils. Coloring and designing with Sharpies on fabric or jeans or shoes is really fun too! She's also into simple jewelry making, just beads and yarn even. And crochet. For games, she mostly likes Scrabble and Bananagrams, Chess, Life, Clue, etc. I got her a cheap little card game book and she's teaching herself some card games. I love card games too, so we are learning them and playing together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 My DD isn't into much that is educational but she liked this Klutz book for a while, though she hasn't touched in in about a month. She does beading with nice beads and memory wire. She likes logic puzzles on her Kindle (free). She likes the game King's Court, which is a lot like checkers. It's out of print so you have to find it used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyhomemaker Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 I've been teaching dd to cross stitch. She loves it! Also chess, checkers, jewelry making, cooking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freerange Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 As will as the klutz books, my girls have loved ' Wreck This Journal' by Keri Smith. Learning to draw manga by watching the videos on youtube by Mark Crilley is popular too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in VA Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 My dd12 enjoys making Paper Bead bracelets using this Klutz book/kit. They are somewhat easy and fast and look fairly decent so she doesn't get discouraged from it like some other more difficult crafts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Mine is learning to knit from a homeschooled "big sister" who came over to babysit last week. The Big Sister is an expert knitter (figured out most of it by herself and knows how to but doesn't use a pattern). She gave dd some colorful yarn and two funky knitting needles. Dd renamed her nature bag as her knitting bag and off she went! She also spends a lot of time outside, and makes things for her treehouse. She likes to garden when she's with her grandmother. She makes some very simple jewelry out of beads and cord and wraps things with wire to make pendents. She wouldn't like a coloring book, but does like to draw using art books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sasharowan Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 My dd12: craft stuff, learning crochet and sewing, Professor Layton games on the DS, creating with Legos, creating with scraps of stuff, logic problems in puzzle books, reading, playing board games with the family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coffeemama Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 My Dd11 likes just about everying that has been mentioned so far (all kinds of crafts, Klutz activities, drawing, fashion design kits) plus a new favorite activity is creating short computer animation games & skits using SCRATCH. You can download the software for free. We took an all day workshop on how to use it, but there are so many tutorials on the site, that a motivated child can easily learn it on their own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elfgivas Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 we've had 4 dds go thru that age/stage so far.... the last one is there now. they were all different. (not homeschooled) first one: let me read. and cross stitch. and do logic puzzles. second one: let me watch tv. and sing. (homeschooled) third one: let me draw, dance, paint, hike, knit, sew, play board games, and cook fourth one: let me play..... dress up, designing outfits with paper and pencil/on facebook/on myself, with scrap cloth. and let me bake. this one loves the dover books, too. mostly, we just made things available and watched what happened next.... and watched when they were with other folks and the things they gravitated towards. eg. colored styrofoam balls and pipe cleaners turned into an acid base reaction with citric acid and baking soda on a metal pipe six feet long last night when i left youngest and her dear dad home while i picked up dd#3 from orchestra. ie. you just never know.... ann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HayesW Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 I have both a 12 year old and an 11 year old daughter. They would both love any of the items you described. A nice coloring book, perhaps with some colored pencils. Definitely a Klutz or craft type book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 I think it depends on the kid. My niece is that age and does not like coloring books or craft kits. Yet give her duct tape and she creates some cool things. She is also into bedazzing any thing that is not nailed down. Her birthday list has on it duct tape and a nice new writing journal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisy Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 My 12yo would like... Dover coloring books Drawing books Colored pencils High quality art supplies like watercolor, etc. Puzzles Board games Logic puzzles Books High quality complicated paper dolls Scrapbooking supplies (she adds them to her notebooking pages) Book about making crafts (she isn't a big fan of craft kits though). Cookbook (she loves to cook) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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