Kids grow up so fast. It seems like just yesterday that your little one was content jumping in their Jolly Jumper or spending hours playing with blocks. Now they're in the middle of childhood — all grown up (or at least they think so).
At this stage in their development, kids begin to assert their independence. Their attention span increases and their worldview broadens beyond themselves.
On the emotional front, things get a little more complicated. They start to worry more about what people think and take more pride in their accomplishments.
To help them through this period, playtime needs to be more than just entertainment. They need playtime that stimulates them to explore ideas, gain confidence, and learn their strengths.
That’s where arts and crafts come in.
Use Arts and Crafts to Stimulate Your Child’s Development
What better way to help your child grow and develop than through fun art projects that help them achieve developmental milestones?
Find crafts that motivate your child to be all that they can be. Along with the usual pipe cleaners, paper, and other art supplies, consider adding craft kits to your child’s crafting tools.
Why craft kits? Well, as your child goes through middle childhood, they need assurance of their autonomy and they need to feel in control.
Craft kits help your children take charge. They can set up craft time independently and clean up on their own. They need minimal supervision and have full control of the project outcome.
If you’re wondering where to get craft supplies for your middle-stage kid, visit Purple Ladybug for a selection of kids’ craft sets for your not-so-grown-up princes and princesses.
Below you'll find some of the best craft kits for kids in the 6 to 8 age group.
The Best Craft Kits for Kids 6 to 8 Years Old
Stickers
For middle-stage children, crafting is not just about playing. It's about creating masterpieces that they can show off to their friends.
As children navigate making new friends and forging relationships on a whole new level, they need to feel confident. An art set that's easy to use will give your kid all the assurance they need to express their artistic side.
Try these unique sticker sets to get your child’s creative juices flowing.
Puffy Sticker Kits
Source: Amazon | Purple Ladybug 3D Puffy Stickers
Puffy sticker sheets are popular with kids of all ages. Middle-stage kids will especially love their versatility.
Your child can use their pre-cut puffy stickers to decorate their books or make posters for their room. Stickers are great for training the fingers to improve pincer grip and fine motor skills like finger dexterity.
6 to 8-year-olds like to assert their independence, but they're still very vulnerable and need your attention. While you may be getting fewer cuddles and kisses than you were just a few years ago, they still appreciate spending time with you.
With a puffy sticker craft kit, you can create memories together in a scrapbook — the perfect opportunity to bond.
Color-In Kits
Source: Amazon | Purple Ladybug Tumbler for Girls Craft Kit
Coloring is fun and Purple Ladybug has many color-in products that all come with vibrant markers for hours of coloring enjoyment. A color-in art kit helps kids develop:
- Fine motor skills
- Creativity
- Out of the box thinking
- Critical analysis
Try these color-in tumblers for girls from Purple Ladybug. They come with coloring markers in 10 vibrant colors — enough to stimulate an easily bored 6 to 8-year-old mind.
The pre-printed tumbler liner sheets are filled with some of kids' favorite themes — nature, mermaids, unicorns, food, and so much more.
Kids will love coloring in the tumbler liners to create a fully customized tumbler. There are three different designs included in each tumbler craft kit!
This kit is perfect for your 6 to 8-year-old daughter. It will occupy your little ray of sunshine for hours, and she'll be so proud of her work of art.
Piggy Bank Sticker Art Set
Decorate Your Own Unicorn Piggy bank
Money management is an important life skill. Start your child young; teach them the fundamentals of saving in middle childhood.
Your middle-stage child will love this unicorn craft kit. They can design it and express themselves in whatever way they choose.
Once they’re done, they can start saving their allowance in the process, they’ll catch on to skills like:
- Hand-eye coordination
- Patience
- Fine motor skills
- Savings
Color-In Puzzle Craft Art Kits
Source: Amazon | Purple Ladybug Jigsaw Puzzles
Puzzles teach kids important problem-solving skills that they need at this critical age. Puzzles help develop skills like:
- Spatial awareness
- Patience
- Cognitive thinking
- Memory
Color-in puzzles open up your child’s potential to the full creative process. They get to color the puzzle in any way they want and then separate the pieces and put them back together. They will explore colors and expand their free-thinking.
Get color-in puzzles for your kids and give them the opportunity to practice their problem-solving skills. It will help them learn how to solve conflicts in the playground and manage their emotions better.
Puzzles also help your kid hone their geometry skills and boost their confidence.
Wax Craft Kits
Source: Amazon | Purple Ladybug Wax Craft Sticks
Crafting with wax sticks gives kids a creative freeway to explore their imaginations. They can bend, twist and manipulate it however they want. It's great for all ages, but particularly for the 6 to 8 age group.
According to Piaget’s development theory (one of the foundational theories upon which modern educational methods are based), children between the ages of 6 and 8 fall under the preoperational development stage.
At this critical stage of development, experimenting and making their own discoveries about the world is essential.
Wax sticks help kids explore their creativity. With just a colorful pack of sticks, children can create a jungle or replicate the solar system.
As children work with their fingers to manipulate the sticks, they develop hand and shoulder strength. These skills are the foundational phase for handwriting.
Kids also develop an understanding of texture, which allows them to learn more about their environment.
Aside from that, children master math skills as they play. Skills like sorting, shapes, and geometry all come together through manipulating wax.
Wax sticks are mess-free, making them a favorite of parents too!
What's more, kids can undo and redo their crafts as many times as they wish. Wax craft sticks, therefore, provide a crucial lesson in making mistakes and trying again. This is an important skill to carry through life.
While free play helps develop creativity, sometimes they need a little nudge in the right direction. Offer your kids some help with easy-to-follow wax craft project ideas. They’ll have lots of fun projects to try out, and it will provide a good lesson in following instructions.
Scratch Art Kits
Multicolored Scratch Paper Art
There is no right or wrong way to do scratch art. This freedom gives your child total control to determine the outcome of the project, which is an excellent way to foster creativity.
They can play around with different scratch paper and tools to come up with a design they love.
Removing controls and restrictions helps kids trust in their own thinking abilities. Nothing is more important to this age group than knowing they can trust themselves to make the right decision.
Scratch art is a powerful tool for encouraging self-confidence and emotional stability. This is particularly important for middle-stage children as they begin to think about the future and try to figure out where they fit.
Aid Your Child’s Development With Craft Kits for Kids
Watching your child meet developmental milestones is one of the best parts of parenthood. Use arts and crafts to help your children hit all the milestones.
The 6 to 8-year age range is a critical stage for children, which sets the foundation for their future. According to the CDC, middle childhood is a critical time when children need to build their confidence in every part of their life.
Head on over to Purple Ladybug to purchase kids’ art and craft supplies. Your kids will love the quality time they get to spend being creative with you.
More importantly, they'll tick all the developmental boxes in a fun and wholesome way. While you're at it, take a look at all the amazing FREE printables they can use as coloring pages.
With ready-made kits, you don't need to worry too much about prep time, tissue paper, or googly eyes scattered all over the floor. They’ll need very little supervision, too. Enjoy every moment of watching your 6 to 8-year-old blossom with fun arts and crafts.
