Play for Older Kids: Top Toys and Play Ideas for 7+ Year Olds
Images courtesy of Kelly @mumz.world | October 17, 2022
Your seven-year-old is entering the middle childhood phase. This is an exciting stage in a child's development, where they are becoming more independent and gaining a better understanding of themselves in the world. Their improved cognitive and social skills contribute to play that is more sophisticated, self-directed and in line with their unique interests.
As they form more meaningful friendships, children will likely seek out opportunities to socialise through play - further developing important skills such as cooperation, communication and collaboration. Many children will also enjoy the opportunity to play alone. Art and craft activities, building, dressing up and role play are just some of the activities that school-aged children might enjoy. As they become more physically competent, they may also seek out more challenging, 'risky' activities.
For this blog post, we collaborated with Kelly (@mumz.world) and her two daughters who have shared the toys and activities that inspire them to continually exercise their imaginations, explore their creativity and learn through their play. Whether you're searching for a special gift or a new activity to introduce to your child, we hope that this guide offers some inspiration!
Arts and Crafts
Art is one of those activities that evolves with your child, from infancy into adulthood - as their fine motor skills develop and they become more creative. There are so many different techniques and activities to explore. At Oskar's Wooden Ark, we believe in providing young artists with beautiful, quality products that ignite creativity, develop artistic skills, stimulate the senses and provide long-lasting enjoyment.
Building and Stacking
An open-ended play form that can be a fun-filled activity or team-bonding challenge for the whole family! Building Blocks don't have to be reserved for younger children; older children can practice balance and precision while exploring complex shapes and structures.
Flatlay Creations
Exploring Shapes
Collaborative Building
Stacking and Balancing Challenges
DIY Ball Runs
Building a ball run is a task of trial-and-error that takes time, precision and patience. Through this playful process, children learn about fundamental physics as they attempt to construct a path for the ball to run along. As their skills develop, your child may feel more confident about creating more complex ball runs by incorporating different elements and obstacles.
Stuck for ideas? Check out our Ball Run Guide on our Instagram page - a collection of ball runs that you can replicate using Oskar's Wooden Ark products. Alternatively, you can check out The Ultimate Ball Run Play Guide (linked below) - a helpful blog post dedicated to all things ball run-related.
Dressing Up and Pretend Play
Dressing up is an activity that never ages! Even adults enjoy taking the time to source or create elaborate costumes for holidays and parties. For a child, even a simple tutu, a hat or a play silk fashioned into a cape is enough to stimulate their imagination and inspire hours of pretend play. As children grow older, they naturally become more observant of their surroundings. You may notice your child playing out real-world scenarios or ideas they've come across at school or on television.
Learning Through Play
As your child approaches middle school, they begin to transition from a free-play form of learning to a more deliberate form of learning which can be introduced in the way of a fun activity. This allows your child to explore new ideas and concepts in a relaxed and enjoyable way.
Loose Parts Play
Tinkering with loose parts in the form of Grapat Wooden Toys, elements of nature or recycled goods (e.g. bottle caps) can be a relaxing and playful way for your child to practice mindfulness and nurture their creative side. From forming flatlays and mandalas to incorporating them into pretend play, or using them to understand mathematical concepts; loose parts are an open-ended wonder.
Be sure to check out our 20 Printable Play Mats for Grapat Loose Parts - Free Download.
Puzzle Play
Puzzles quite literally come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, just like those who play with them. Puzzles are a treasured pastime for many of us adults but are also enjoyed by children of all ages. One can spend hours being content with the task of putting a puzzle together, with the bonus that it is a great way to exercise the mind and develop problem-solving skills.
Small World and Imaginative Play
A small world play scene not only provides hours of fun for a child but is also a realm they can escape to and explore at their own pace.
Spinning Tops
Available in many colours, sizes and types, Mader Spinning Tops are a collector's dream and they provide tremendous fun for the whole family! With six difficulty levels, many older children are at the stage where they possess the patience, dexterity and desire to develop their skills and appreciate the beauty and charm of Mader's entrancing products.
Wobbel
If you're familiar with the Wobbel Original and Wobbel 360, then you would already know that they are designed to grow with your child from infancy. Older children can create a cosy reading book or chill-out zone by fitting the Wobbel Original with the accompanying pillow and deck. For active play, it can be used for some vigorous step-ups or a relaxing session of Wobbel Yoga. As for the Wobbel 360, children can find their centre of gravity and zen by practising their balancing skills.