Teach Children to Crochet

In this day and age, children spend a lot of time on screens! In fact, it’s hard to prise them away. Unfortunately, too much screen time really isn’t good for them, and we as parents and carers need to try to find alternatives that kids will enjoy. This is where crochet can come in, and why I think it’s a brilliant idea to teach kids to crochet.

Why should children learn crochet

Crochet is fun and creative and can benefit children in so many ways.

No screentime

It is an activity that can be done away from TV and computer games. I find that even homework now is done on the computer, so it really is hard to keep children away from it. Crochet can do that.

Mindfulness

Crochet is a mindful activity, that is, it takes over your whole being. You are forced to concentrate entirely on what your hands are doing and not on the world around you. It is a way to slow down and to truly appreciate the art of crochet. Your focus is completely on the current moment and the current activity and therefore other thoughts are put aside. Crochet has been shown to help reduce anxiety in this very way.

Fine motor skills

Crocheting involves a lot of different actions being carried out simultaneously. Your child will need to hold the hook and the yarn in a way that maintains some kind of tension, although this does come with practice. They will then need to be able to keep hold of everything whilst manipulating the hook to make the stitches.

Maths and English skills

Crochet involves counting stitches, reading patterns, and later calculating sizes from tension swatches, and developing their own designs. Whilst the latter only comes with lots of experience, children will certainly benefit in their maths and English skills right from the very beginning.

And much more!

From developing focus, creating a group of fellow crochet friends, to pursuing creativity and responsibility, crochet can teach children a lot.

What age can a child learn crochet?

There is no set age that a child can start learning crochet. Some will pick it up early on, whilst others will never be interested in it at all unfortunately. That’s not to say we shouldn’t try though. If they are to learn, then it is definitely worth pursuing, even if it can be hard at times.

I’m sure some of you will have heard of Jonah Hands, the crochet genius, who can crochet amazing items at just the age of 5, and set up a business to support his community. That just shows that children can learn crochet at any age.

How to teach children to crochet

You’ll want to use a hook and yarn that are big enough for small hands to hold, but not so big that it’s unwieldy. I use a chunky yarn with a 6mm hook.

Start with learning the chain stitch.

A slipknot is quite difficult for a child to master, so if they can’t manage it, even after trying a few different ways, consider doing the slipknot for them and handing them the hook with the yarn already on it.

1. Show them how you hold the hook and yarn, but explain to them that they might do it differently. They will want to hold the hook in their dominant hand ideally.
2. Ask them to wrap the yarn around the hook.
3. Then get them to pull the lower loop over the yarn they just wrapped.
4. And repeat!
5. They can carry on as long as they want, or until they get bored.
6. Then you can add some googly eyes and make it into a snake! Their first crochet project is complete.

What next?

When they’ve got the hang of the chain stitch, then you can move onto other stitches. If not, carry on and make lots of snakes.

If you’d like to learn more, head over to my YouTube channel, where I have a whole series of crochet for children videos.

I have a Facebook Group called Teach Children to Crochet, where I share patterns, tips, and ideas all about teaching children to crochet. Please do come and join!

Tips for teaching children to crochet

• Take your time. It might take quite a few tries for a child to understand the process.
• Don’t worry if they can’t crochet how an adult might do it. Their fingers are a lot smaller and they don’t have the same dexterity. They do have creativity though, and you will be amazed at how they do it.
• Start small! A chain snake is a great first project.
• It doesn’t matter if it’s not neat. The most important thing is they are enjoying it.
• If they lose interest, maybe they’re not ready yet. Wait a few months and then try again.
• Make it fun!
• Children often won’t listen to their parent or caregiver. If they won’t, consider using my online course specifically for children.