Sewing is a basic skill that comes in handy when, for instance, you need to sew on a button that just came off your blouse or fix a ripped jacket. It is thus a good activity to teach your kids as they will use the skill for a lifetime. Below, we have highlighted how you can do just that.
1.Get what you need
You may have identified that your little one has been watching you for quite a while as you do your sewing and have thus concluded that they would like to sew as well. When you ask them about it, they seem excited and enthusiastic about the whole idea. So, where do you begin? The first step is to get the necessary items needed for sewing. These include fabric, yarn, needles, scissors and so much more. You can even invest in a sewing machine for kids, which they can use to try out their projects.
2.Begin with small projects
Once you have all the necessary equipment, then you can begin the lessons. At this stage, it is not advisable to teach them using the machine but begin with other basics first. Show them how to hand stitch and work on small projects such as doing simple patterns on fabrics. From this, once you assess their progress you can gradually head on to more complex tasks and allow them to eventually use the sewing machine.
3.Make sure they practice
Learning a new skill such as cooking, playing a certain sport or pottery can be difficult. The same happens even when teaching your kids to sew. To make the whole process easier for them, encourage them to keep on practicing. Give them small tasks frequently to ensure that it gets easier and easier for them and they can eventually become experts at it. Every time they complete a task successfully, their confidence grows a bit more. This self-belief allows them to even take on more challenging tasks and boosts their progress to a large extent.
4.Safety first
Sewing requires the use of a lot of sharp objects such as needles and scissors. It is important therefore to explain to them the dangers of such objects and what they can do to take care of themselves. Have a set of rules in play while sewing with regards to safety and always ensure that they are supervised when sewing. This will help alleviate any form of accident and will ensure that your kids are safe.
5.Allow them to have fun with it
Learning a new skill can be quite discouraging and dreary if a person does not enjoy it. Children have a short attention span, and often need to be entertained. As such, keep your lessons short and sweet. Allow them to experiment with bright colors, fabrics and different patterns, but keep the lessons short and sweet. This will make them feel that the project is their own, and will thus put a lot of effort into it. The class should not be too serious and with a lot of pressure, but let there be a fun, easy vibe to it to make everything enjoyable.
