waldorf toys - 7 yr old

[onyxravnos]

so i'm thinking ahead to birthdays / christmas and want to get some good waldorf-ness things for my dsd.... it's easy for me to pick out preschool stuff but i want something a little more challenging for my 1st grader.... something engaging. dolls are a no go... we have silks and baskets and crafty supplies...

what are your 7 year olds favorite things?

[RollerCoasterMama]

That's a great age for science experiment type things...books and kits for kitchen experiments. If you don't live somewhere with major winter (I do, so I usually put this out of my mind for winter gifts)...backyard adventure type things...bug house, binoculars, etc.

Maybe his or her own little cookbook and cooking tools?

Ooh! Magic kit? Do they still make those? My brother had one at that age and LOOOVED it!

More complicated building sets---some of the Quadrilla marble runs and erector-set type things (maybe there's a natural toy version? I haven't got to that state with DS yet so I'm fuzzy).

More complex puzzles and games.

Materials for a project to work on together depending on what interests s/he has.

An experience. One on one time with a parent at a cool big-kid experience like a nice show or ice skating or a sporting event, etc.

ps. Remind me of this when DS is that age and I can't think of anything.

[Melaniee]

Ds was devouring knitting at that age. They started at the beginning of the year and that is all he wanted to do at home. So I would make a knitting basket, with a few small balls of yarn, some needles, small scissors, knitting "needle" for sewing up edges. I would, yourself, create or learn a few very very simple patterns to get her started.

[onyxravnos]

Melaniee - would and i want to... today we sat down together and tried to knit just a bit.... she melted down. i would show her to put the knitting needle in the loop at the pointy end... she would put it on the other end over and over until she just gave up....

so knittings on the back burner for now.. oh well, maybe at x-mas time.

[zoebird]

finger knitting? i did finger knitting at that age (until about age 12 or so, and just started it up again for fun). it is easier (imo), and fun.

[Melaniee]

Are you homeschooling? I just ask b/c if she goes to a Waldorf school they will likely do it in first grade and it will be fun. If not, I'm sure there are some great lessons online you could work with, when you think she's ready. Do you knit? I know my son (and daughter) see me knitting so it's very exciting to them when it's their turn to learn. There was a cute little rhyme they used in class to help the kids remember which way things go. They started with just finger crochet which was basically making slip knots, then they did the knitting motions with their hands. I'm not a teacher but I know the handwork teacher did have all sorts of fun stories and rhymes to go along with the process.

Not that I think you should force her to knit or are obligated that she should enjoy it. Just some suggestions in case you decide to revisit it.

My Ds was very into stuffed animals at that age, and stuffed animal "accessories."