Any tips...

[alpinerabbit]

Or you could make the gingerbread house out of - shock! gingerbread.

Surely there are recipes out there, possibly even kits, with frosting and all.

[solobiker]

Does she like to do crafts? Do you have any old clothes pins she could paint? I have seen people that have made them into snowmen and santas. How about making her own jewlery with beads? These are just some things I have seen my niece do when she was aoubt that age.

[Brandi]

These are all really great idea's! Thank you so much! the good thing is I am totally loaded on craft supplies so i won't need to buy any. tons of craft paper,crayons, marker's,paints etc.. I really like the idea for the ginger bread house i think we will have to do that!

[Grits]

All the craft and cooking ideas are great.

I don't know anything about where you live, but if there happen to be any children's museums or just good museums in general around, my kids liked those when they were 11.

[sundial]

All the kids love to play in my art stuff, so break out big pieces of paper and crayons, markers, pastels, you name it. Also, if you have any fun games, kids can be entertained with that pretty easily.

[tulip]

If you do the gingerbread house from scratch, you can stretch it out at least two days...do the baking one day and then the decorating the next day. You might want to have a kit as backup in case the original one falls apart (it happens).

Baking bread is also good--kneading dough is such a good thing to do when you're stressed, and no doubt she's stressed.

Cookies, too. Different kinds.

Lasagne's also a good thing to make, and so tasty (and easy)

Soup from scratch.

Obviously, I like to cook.

[Tuckervill]

I heard someone today say that you can make the gingerbread house with just cardboard, and decorate it with real candy and frosting. And I think the same lady said that you should not put the roof on the same day you put up the walls.

Karen