Would you like your child to enjoy your creative hobby too? In this article, I’ll show you how to combine your yarn addiction with quality time spent with your child. Through creating together, you can not only share experiences but also help develop skills through the joy of crafting as a team.
As a yarn-loving mom, I often find myself thinking about how to combine the pleasant with the useful. I started exploring ways to involve my older child in my hobby and help them fall in love with the art of yarn crafting. It was important to find a creative activity that we could both enjoy and connect through. Of course, my little boy is still too young to hold a crochet hook—and he might not even be interested in this later. But I discovered a few ways to include even younger kids in the yarn craze. In this article, I’ll share some ideas on how yarn can bring you closer together.
Photo: Own (Rebeka Novák-Szabó ev)
Why is it good to involve the child in the hobby?
Whether it’s your own child, a younger sibling, or a close relative’s child, involving them in a bit of creative crafting is always a good idea. If you’ve noticed that the child shows interest in yarn, it’s worth introducing them to this fun and relaxing activity. Children are naturally curious and open to new experiences, so it doesn’t take much effort to spark their interest in your passion for yarn. With the holidays approaching, yarn-based projects—like making decorations together—can be a wonderful way to get into the festive spirit. Not only can these shared creations add to the holiday atmosphere, but the child will also take pride in having created something special together with you.
Creating together with your child isn’t just fun—it also comes with many benefits:
- Strengthening the Parent-Child Bond: A parent who involves their child in their hobby can build a stronger relationship through shared experiences. The joy of creating together has a positive impact on the relationship, fostering trust and deepening the bond. It always results in quality time spent together.
- Boosting Self-Confidence: A creative session spent with a parent not only provides quality time but also strengthens a child’s self-confidence. Over time, they become more open to taking on new tasks and feel motivated to participate in joint projects, further enhancing their self-esteem in a positive and lasting way.
- Developing Creativity: During crafting, allow the child to use their imagination and let their inner artist shine. These moments help nurture their creativity, giving them the opportunity to bring their own ideas to life and develop their artistic potential.
- Improving Fine Motor Skills: Activities like threading yarn or using a (blunt) needle help enhance a child’s manual dexterity. These skills later aid in better pencil and pen grip, contributing to neater drawings and handwriting as they grow.
- Enhancing Concentration: Each crafting session helps improve a child’s ability to concentrate. During these activities, they need to focus on a specific task, and with your guidance, they can gradually learn to maintain their attention on a single activity for longer periods.
- Developing Perseverance: Completing a project helps children stay focused and experience the joy of immersion. When a child sees a project through from start to finish, it boosts their motivation and perseverance. That’s why it's important to begin with simpler creations. As they gain confidence, we can gradually increase the difficulty level and time required for tasks, allowing their perseverance, task awareness, and concentration to continue developing.
- Developing Problem-Solving Skills: Creative activities always enhance problem-solving abilities, as children can see how many different solutions can emerge from the same set of tools. By exploring various perspectives and approaches, even the youngest can learn new things and develop their ability to think critically and creatively.
Of course, the golden rule here is, if the child isn’t interested in the offered activity, there’s no point in forcing it. Not every child is the same, so if they’re not eager to participate, the activity could backfire and the enjoyable time you intended could turn into a nightmare. It’s important to consider the child’s age and abilities when choosing the activity. Always come up with a creative idea that allows them to actively participate and is appropriate for their current skill level. If we set them up with tasks they’re not yet able to complete, it could lead to disappointment and even damage their self-confidence. No one wants that, so always assess what the child is capable of before planning a shared crafting activity.
Pompom making
You can easily and quickly create decorations, animals, and funny figures from colorful yarn. This is a great opportunity for you to use up any leftover yarn. The finished pompoms can be turned into endless variations of decorations and creations. Using them is a fantastic way to develop creativity—let the child create according to their own imagination!
(Image source: The Crafty Blog Stalker)
I-cord making
For this activity, you can purchase a wooden I-cord maker or make your own at home. If you prefer not to, hand knitting is also an option, allowing the child to create yarn creations using their own hands. I-cord making is a great way to develop manual dexterity and concentration. The I-cords you create can be turned into various decorations. When strung onto bent wire, you can create real works of art, such as a Christmas tree, a bouquet of flowers, or different animal figures. The joy and pride from the children are guaranteed!
(Photo: Rebeka Novák-Szabó ev.)
Decoration with yarn
Yarn offers countless possibilities for decoration. Using a needle, you can decorate pre-punched paper, or you can get a fiberboard base that has been pre-punched for lacing. You can even cut out letters or shapes and wrap yarn around them in different ways (this might be more fun for older children).
(Image: twogreydogsdesigns)
Weaving and macrame embroidery
You can discover a new dimension of yarn art. I would recommend this from elementary school age, as it also greatly develops manual dexterity, concentration, and perseverance. These activities require more focus and persistence, and they can take days or even weeks to complete. It provides a great opportunity for children to immerse themselves and relax.
(Image: artbarblog)
Subbing
With older children, we can also try latch work, which is a great opportunity to use up leftover yarn ends. There are countless possibilities for creating: you can decorate a pre-drawn base with specific colors, or let the child use the yarns provided according to their own imagination. From a stitched piece of fabric, you can make a cool little pillow or a rug (depending on the type of yarn used).
(Image: craft.lab.co )
Summary
Crafting together is not only fun but also offers numerous developmental benefits for children. It strengthens the parent-child bond, enhances fine motor skills, creativity, self-confidence, and perseverance, while providing valuable quality time spent together. However, it's important to consider the child's age, abilities, and interests to ensure that the activity truly provides an enjoyable experience. The creative activities using yarn—such as pompom making, I-cord making, or even macramé—offer great alternatives for introducing children to the world of yarn. Crafting together not only brings more color to everyday life but can also create lasting memories for both parents and children. If we see that the child is ready, we can also teach them how to crochet or knit.
