S.B.
LOVE perler beads! If you have the set with the clear base (so you can set it on top of patterns) you can find great patterns online. My daughter loves to make things into her favorite characters and being able to set the board on top of the pattern takes away the frustration part.
We do a lot of crafts-beading, sewing, painting, etc.. Beading is a fave. My daughter will sit and make necklaces and bracelets for hours on end. She also enjoys needle work. Now she can't really create anything in particular...but she enjoys running a needle through pieces of felt. I put a hoop on it and let her stitch away using a larger sized needle (not sharp).
Next week we will start stringing popcorn for our Christmas tree. The whole family gets in on that activity...always fun and a great "time killer".
Playdough is usually good for a while. I have noticed that my kiddo does better just playing to play. When she is given those sets...she gets upset and frustrated because they "won't go right".
Puzzles. The Dollar Tree has some great ones for this age.
And my daughter isn't a fan, but my son loves dominoes. Always has. Setting them up and then knocking them down. I picked up Domino Rally on clearance a long while back. It has been a good investment for that kiddo.
And marble mazes are another good one for builders and kids who need to keep their hands busy. Both my five and eight year old love that toy. It's fun to see what they can create.
