If your children find a craft hobby they can pursue independently, then they’ve discovered something they can really own. It’s a vital part of their self-development, equipping them with planning, practicality and persistence practice that will serve them well later in life.
Crafting can get complicated quickly, and often uses dangerous tools – knives, scissors, needles and more. If you don’t want to have to be alert for injuries constantly you need to find crafts they can work on safely, and this is where we’re here to help.
Papercrafts
Many papercrafts are safe for children to experiment with without direct supervision: paper weaving, for example, simply uses a larger piece of paper as a loom with pre-cut paper strips. Sitting with your kids to help them get set up gives you time to show your interest in their hobby, while you handle the dangerous cutting tools needed to set them up for an afternoon’s crafting session.
French Knitting
Knitting, crochet and other craft skills need a high degree of focus and hand-eye coordination that younger children may not have or be able to sustain. If they’ve got interested in these crafts – perhaps by watching you – spool or ‘French’ knitting, using a knitter or ‘doll’ is a way for them to develop their skills, get a feel for the materials and feel involved until they’re ready to start learning adult crafts.
While French knitting isn’t a very flexible craft – it only produces a tube of fabric – children can use it to create basic projects, and learn how their skills and effort can turn raw materials in textiles!
Shopping for Tools and Materials
One way to help your children get interested in a craft is to take them shopping to the craft store and help them pick out materials. This is a way for them to guide the process and find their own inspiration so they feel more ownership over their hobby. Hobbies are a way for children to choose how they use their own time, and vital for their self development, so it’s important they get to choose what they work on, rather than have it presented to them as a fait accompli.
As an alternative you could order a monthly craft box for kids and discover the contents with them when it arrives! This gives you the chance to help them plan how they’re going to use the materials in the box, and when they’re going to pursue their new projects, helping them to really own their hobby!
