I'd like Some Fun off Track Ideas for a 5Th Grade Girl

Is Girl Scouts a possibility? I know it sounds kind of nerdy and old fashioned, but a neighbor of mine started a troop for 5 year olds and it was really great. They are modern, do tons of fun activities, and some of their biggest focuses are on self-esteem and being active and that girls ROCK! If there isn't a troop, how about starting one.

I take my boys to the local recreation center. They have programs that include swimming,ice skating, field trips,crafts etc...they love it they feed them a good lunch and great snacks.

I have found that setting electronics limits on my 4th and 5th grader help them come up with their own interesting things to do. My kids are limited to 1 hour of electronics a day (it use to be 30 minutes), on weekends they can watch A movie and play their nintendo DS or computer games for 30 minutes. Sometimes I allow them an extra 15 minutes of electronic time if they do complete 20 minutes on our treadmill or some other physical activity. Occasionally I do get a whine but usually they come up with things to do - art activities, poem writing, board games, journaling, playing on the trampoline, kicking the soccer ball, playing with their gerbils or dog, they write plays and act them out, the list goes on and on......
Hope this helps - Good luck -
Tam

Hi T.,

I feel the same way! It is National Turn Off TV month and our family is taking this challenge. To fill that time we are playing games. I have some great game ideas from my home based business. My kids range from 2 to 12 and they love games. All the kids want to come over to our house to play these games! Fun for adults too! Call me or visit my website www.teresabevens.simplyfun.com. T.

Try seeing if you can get her and her friends involved in some volunteering somewhere, or making a quilt for a hospital nursery, or those loom hats for Humanitarian Aid or something that will help them to feel good about themselves as well as getting them active DOING something. Maybe they could form a kind of club and go out into their neighborhoods knocking doors volunteering their services to their neighbors tending kids, helping with spring cleaning or yard work or just visiting shut ins. Maybe they could make and take cookies to people who are feeling down, just for no reason. This might be a good time to help them learn that serving and helping other people can be a very fun and rewarding thing to invest their time in. Good Luck with them.

bookadventure.com
This is a great website to encourage reading. After setting up a personal account, your daughter can choose the types of books she likes to read and the grade level and the website will give you a list of books that match. You can take the list to the library and choose books to read. Then after she has read the book, she can return to the website to take a comprehension quiz. I love this website for off-track because it has games for the kids too. You also can set up a parent account to check and see what your child has been doing. Your child will also earn points for reading books that she can redeem for items from the store.

This is a completly free service that buisnesses donate items to the website store. So the cost to parents truly is 0!

T.,
Is she interested in any activities, maybe some less common ones like dance, ice skating or gymnastics. They can be a little spendy but most offer once a week lessons. She is almost the right age to start getting involved in a junior high youth group. Is there a pottery class offered in your town or local college. Maybe a local gym offers a swim pass for youth. Could you help her create a signature dish or two that she could be responsible for preparing once a week or every other week? We use the t.v. as a privledge after school. Homework and small chores have to be done first and usually I ask my daughter to get at least 1/2 hour of reading in. You may want to use time with friends as a privledge if they are helping cause the problem. Are there activities you can do together like sewing, scrapbooking or afterschool exercise like walking? I don't have a 5th grader yet but I do know that age can be difficult, I hope you get some good ideas from this website. Best Wishes, K. from MT

Organize a bake sale for a favorite charity.
Volunteer at the food bank.
Dog walking business.
Car wash for school fundraiser.
Clean up trash in a local park or creek, safely ofcourse.
Clothes drive for indian reservation.

Classic skating is always good. You can take them to the beauty college to get hair, nails, etc done for minimal price. Have them do some service in the neighborhood. Girls like to cook, let them bake some cookies and take them to their friends and neighbors. Give them some crafts to do. Now that it's a little warmer, let them plant your flowers.

I hate the tv too so I love the old fashioned games. Check out some of my family games at www.melanieschramm.simplyfun.com
They are great for all ages. They will play for hours too.

How about crafts. Kids love crafts. Or treasure hunts. You might have to make it up and they have to hunt and make them do things when they find a clue that will keep them busy.
Oh, I know, chores! Kids need chores! (wish mine would do that so that is why I threw that in there.)
good luck

Take her to the zoo, living aquarium, museum of natural history or fine arts museum. These are all fun places where she may learn something and even find an area of interest.
Go to the park
Ride bikes, roller skate, scooter.

Go to the library and let her pick out books she's interested in (instead of what you/teachers think she should read).

Why don't you have her cook something? I dont have girls but I've kept my boys busy making cookies or baking something. Also, keeps the house warm. Work on a scap book with your pictures.

If having friends around causes a problem with her listening to you, then maybe set a limit on how long or how many days her friends can be over in a week. If they're really not a problem, maybe just set the time limits on the computer or TV or specify how many shows/movies they can watch in a day. I know ADULTS that set a timer when they get on the computer so they can avoid wasting time "surfing" or whatever. As far as suggestions for activities, girls that age love to go to the mall last I heard. A really fun mall idea is to set up a scavenger hunt for them. Depending on how many friends she has or how many people go at one time, maybe pair them up or split them into two groups to follow the "clues." This one requires a little preparation beforehand, but it can be done. How it works: take a half hour or so before the girls start the hunt to deliver the clues to certain stores (to the cashier or clerk). The girls can be eating at the foodcourt or something during this time. Start at one store (write the clues as you go because some clerks may not want to do it for you) give the clerk a piece of paper with an item that they are supposed to purchase there written on it (something very cheap - $1.00 or less if possible). Instruct the clerk that some girls will come and ask if they have a clue, and when they do, give them the paper and help them find the item if necessary. Do this at a few different stores (as many or few as you want). If you want, you could give the clerk something to give to the girls (a pencil, hair clip, etc.) so they don't have to spend any money. When you're done planting the clues, go back and tell the girls how many clues you left and maybe give them some clues or direction about what stores they're in. Let them go gather them up, and whichever team gets back first wins. If there are more than one team, you can leave two clues/items, or just instruct the cashier/clerk how many teams will be coming. Anyway. You can sort out whatever details you want, but that's the general idea. Most girls that age love this type of activity. It's fun and mentally stimulating and it keeps them away from the TV and computer all at the same time. If you don't want to put that much work into something, there are plenty of great ideas and resources listed by the other posters so far. Good luck.

Go to familyfun.com - there you'll find arts&crafts, recipes, etc. Look for the activities by age (9-12) and there should be a lot of ideas there. Good luck! It's a tough age - in between being a "kid" and a "teenager" - hopefully this site will give you some great ideas for her and for her friends.

Track off time can be long... maybe have her make a list of things she'd like to do as well. Then she will buy into the activities more. Maybe she could even look at that website with you...choose together.

You could design a calendar together of what you'll do each day and she can decorate it or whatever. That way there is structure and predictability too. There does not have to be something every single day - but things to look forward to for sure!

She could help make dinner some night - go shopping for the food, pick the recipes, etc.

Perhaps a sleepover sometime in the middle would also be fun. She could plan what the girls will do, what they'll eat, etc.

Have fun - it's time with her that you'll never get back (as crazy as it can make you!)

Kids usually also behave much better when there are things to do... that may also help you survive track off! :)

The nursing home that my mother was in is always looking for a group to make Lap Blankets or Aphgans for the residents laps when they are sitting in their wheelchairs or chairs. You can cut two pieces of fleece, and tie them like a quilt so they are extra warm. You can cut one piece, using scrap booking scissors to make the edge look cute.

If you have a Crisis Center in your area you can call and ask if they need any volunteer work done, like cleaning, babysitting or cooking. The Crisis Center in our town is always looking for help from anyone, because they also help women who may be single but have had surgery and need help with a meal, housework or babysitting.

They could rake an elderly neighbors yard.

Plus, many cities that use the track system for their schools schedule will have 'day camps'. Our local high school cheerleaders put on a four day 'day camp' for girls of all ages. The cheer team teaches them some cheers, spirit, and leadership skills. The tennis team has a tennis day camp. The girls basketball team has a basketball day camp.

These are just a few ideas that I had. Good luck with finding them some constructive, fun and educational things to do.

I feel for you T.. Sounds like it's time to make some real changes. Believe it or not, your are the parent and she is the daughter. Set some new rules or guidlines in your home regarding the tv and computer time. My daughter is young but we have already set a guidline that will continue in our home as she grows. She is allowed to watch 2 hours of movies a day. Usually we break it up into morning or afternoon. I have noticed on days that get is glued to the tube she is much more defiant. She also loves to play outside, which lifts her spirits. Does she engage in any sports or extra curricular activites. Or maybe just spending some quality time with you reconnecting would be great. This is such a pinnacle age, things start to change. If you aren't the major influence in her life, trust me someone else will. I personally got this this age and my mom didn't know quite what to do with me. So, she just backed off. I think that was a fatal mistake, by the time I was 15 I was drinking, having sex, smoking pot. I needed my mom to be a mom, and she chose to be my friend. To this day I struggle with anger issues with her because she didn't love me enough to be a good mom. It's easier to just be their friend, but that's not what they really want. Her philosephy was to let me learn from my own experiences. That's just stupid. Only trouble insued. Encourage her to get into something she is passionate about and jump in with her. Could be an awesome life changing experience. Turn off the tv and computer and get plugged into each other.
God Bless,

make them play outside and garden

Hi T.,
I have a 5th grader too. Awesome age. My daughter is really into active things like playing outside. She and her friends love to put a blanket on the lawn and giggle and run around and throw frisbees and balls. We also go to the local recreation center to go swimming (indoor pool). We have also gone to the skating rink and bowling. Even if the kids don't know how to skate or bowl give it a shot. Tell them they are going to have a new experience. You may be surprised at how much laughing and silliness will occur!!!! And you know what, even 5th graders can still have fun making fun things with legos and playdo. It almost becomes more fun at this age because they can actually make complex things that they can show off. Also, go buy the game Apples to Apples it is hilarious. My whole family and all of my daughter's friends love it.