Any really great toys for 6 - 8?

[mommahhh]

When we do playdates, it has usually been a meet-up somewhere. But lately I have had a few at home. I have heard several times that there isn't anything to do. Admittedly, I keep a fairly streamlined toy selection here. I just can't do clutter. And I don't love plastic/noise. My DD (7) generally plays with stuffed animals (she always has loved them) or art at home. She does a ton of imaginative play, dress up, plays with Zhu Zhu pets, colours, etc. when she's alone. For some reason, these things don't seem to translate well for playdates.

The other kids all have big play rooms with an unbelievable amount of toys scattered about. I have no room for that (and at this point it would cost me a fortune to stock! lol).

I would like to get her more things that would interest 6 - 8 year olds for group play. Any ideas? Or just tell me....what does your kid always play with?

[MPsSweetie]

My kids play with legos a lot. Lots of dress up.
But, IMO, when other kids come over or we go over, they usually just end up running around outside like hyenas, lol.

[4evermom]

Legos, crafts...

Usually a nerf gun war happens. Might not happen so much with girls. Kids like to play spy (ds has spy gear) or have sword fights (might just use sticks in the yard).

[Daffodil]

Popular activities here include catching insects outside and playing board games.

[One_Girl]

Dress up, baby dolls, barbies, crafts, going to the park, doctor stuff, tea party/restraunt stuff have all been big hits with my dd's friends. They do sometimes hit a boredom stage that has to be worked through though.

[harrietsmama]

MY kids are actually 8 & 10 but they've been playing with the wood scraps from building our deck like crazy!!! Think blocks toddlers get, but bigger sizes. They don't have a ton, but they play with them for soooo many scenarios. Also, we discovered play silks late. They love them even at this age. And dress up is still really favored, play doh!!! We still love play doh!

[mangogirll]

My seven year old, enjoys playing cooking and restaurant type games, but for that you would have to buy childrens pots and pans, and plates, and toy vegetables etc.. and this works for play dates really well, as they can all cook different dishes, or take turns being chef and waitress, and customer.

Another fun things is making magic potions with old cheap cosmetics, I let my daughter play with those sample shampoos, and give her old spices to mix in.
You can give them anything old that you don't really need any more that is not toxic of course.

Perhaps a magicians kit, with tricks to learn and do.

My daughter also really likes Polly Pocket dolls, with those silicon clothes.

[cowboyjunki]

The pp reminded me of a great website.........

http://www.sparklebox.co.uk/

You can go there and print off all sorts of dramatic play things, like menus for playing restaurant, signs for setting up a garden shop, and all sorts of other fun things.  Go to the role playing section.  It's from the UK, so the prices are usually in pounds, but that's not a big deal to me.  That might be something fun to set up for a playdate that wouldn't cost anything except for paper and ink. 

[mamadelbosque]

What about unit blocks? 

http://www.barclaywoods.com/ 

[sleet76]

Playdates with my 7-yo girl tend to go off and giggle while drawing, setting up blocks and using it as a base for imaginative play with little toy animal figurines (or a rat maze for out pet rats--they are also popular, but not a usual "toy" to recommend ) .  They ride bikes, stomp in the woods behind our house, play "police and jail" if there are more kids--capturing each other and imprisoning them and then jailbreaking--lots of screeching and running, hide and seek, doing crafts like Pixos, those little open cylinders that you put on pegs and then iron to stick them together, playing Pokemon (she only has one other friend who plays, though). They often wander around aimlessly trying out different activities until one clicks.  Good luck!

[pianojazzgirl]

Hmmm... what does dd play with during playdates?

I guess most often it's either doing crafts (drawing, cutting, gluing, etc), or playing make-believe (including making forts, dressing up, putting on face paint, etc).

Less often it's board games or playing with Playmobil or My Little Pony.

I'd say your best bet (if the kids are complaining about being bored) is to set them up with a craft (you can get a ton of craft supplies at the $ store!) or pull out a board game or Lego (for some reason my dd's not into Lego, but I think the majority of kids that age are).