Two years ago I was getting back into another craft technique, crocheting. While I was making a winter hat (without pattern) for my 5 year old, she was looking over my shoulder and asked :”Watcha Doin’?” “I’m trying to make you a hat for the snow.” She took some leftover yarn and one of my bigger hooks and started to swirl the yarn over the hook. I asked her what she was making and she didn’t know yet. It took her a few minutes to throw the hook and yarn on the floor and left the room frustrated. How could I introduce her to some easy crochet projects special for kids? Was it too soon?
When is a child ready to crochet?
It was definitely the age for her. Even though I think 5-year olds could definitely start to learn how to crochet. I’m thinking knitting would be a good technique to start with instead of crochet, because the stitches are easier to see and all the stitches are lined up on a big needle.
According to Yarnspirations.com there is not a specific age, because children learn in their own way and at their own pace.
It seems that in Waldorf education, children could start knitting as young as 6 years old and crochet about a year later. Children as young as 9 could start making projects with a pattern.
How to start crocheting with children?
As my youngest daughter was not ready when 5, I didn’t want to force her….but she was watching me. I showed her different stitches and some Youtube video’s of how to make a chain and a single crochet for example. I also showed her that I made mistakes sometimes and get frustrated. Sometimes I find solutions or I have to leave my project alone for a bit. And that’s OK!
1. Different kinds of yarn
I let my daughter play with all kinds of yarn….thick yarn, thin, different colors and soft or scratchy ones. She cut yarn in different pieces and glued them on a piece of paper to make patterns and shapes.
Slowly she got into making other things with yarn like pompoms and friendship bracelets. We made Valentine’s Day Monsters with pompom makers. The friendship bracelets were easy too and she was happy to give them to her friends, because she knows exactly what their favorite colors are!
2. Make a chain
Our 10 year old niece came to visit in December. I was crocheting a mandala with a pattern this time. It was a little difficult for me and I was watching a video about it and counting stitches. She was interested and wanted to learn. I thought:” Uh oh, there we go again!” But she seemed to be ready to do it, also because she quickly had an idea what she was going to make.
I started to show her a slip knot. Kids love to practice this one, because it is almost magic. When you pull the knot, it magically disappears!
Then we started to make a chain without a hook and use the fingers instead, which is easier, because kids feel the yarn and hold on to the yarn when puling through the loop. With a hook, the yarn can slide off the hook more easily.
After that it was time to do the real thing and pick up the hook. Our youngest is still in this phase and made necklaces for almost all of her stuffed animals, color matching of course!! She loved to learn about the last part of finishing off the necklace by cutting the string and pulling the end of the string through the loop and pull it tight!
The girls in the video below have a fun project with chains as well! Check it out!
3. Single crochet
Our niece was quickly ready for the next step: the single crochet. Even though making a single crochet stitch in the chain is pretty tough. She wanted to make a winter hat and chose the color pink in a soft yarn. We measured the chain around her head and added about 5 stitches more. Then I helped her with the first row, because it is not always easy to hold your work and find the right stitches. The 2nd row is easier, because it is easier to find the 2 loops (V-shape) where the stitch is made.
4. Easy Crochet Projects
Winter hat
Our niece made this cute pink hat, with a little help from me.
She measured the chain around her head and added 5 more stitches. She only made single crochet stitches because it was her first project (and a big project for her first), but she did it!
She crochet a big rectangle and kept measuring it on her head. At the end, I showed her how to connect the short ends of the rectangle with a slip stitch. I helped her weaving yarn through the top of her hat and tightened that. Then we flipped the hat inside out. My daughter showed her how to make a cute pompom with her pompom makers. They are so much easier to work with for kids!
Then my niece wanted a little scalloped edge at the end, which I made. In the meantime she made 2 strings to tighten it for under her chin. One chain string was too skinny, so she added 2 rows of single crochet stitches.
Water bottle cozy
Our niece came back last summer and for her birthday I gave her glitter hooks and glitter ombre yarn, so she could make projects at home. On one of our Pinteresting groups (sign up for our newsletter so you’ll get monthly Pinterest Party Projects into your email box) we started a crochet A Long and she saw several women starting to crochet with me. She picked up a hook and yarn and made a water bottle cozy for her new water bottle.
She made a rectangle and measured it on her water bottle. In the end her rectangle was a little small and I gave her an idea to crochet a little loop to add a cute button. Then she also added a longer loop for a handle, so she could pull her hand through it and hold the bottle like that. Unfortunately I didn’t get a picture of the final project. I’ll ask if she can make one and send it to me.
Fingerless gloves
I thought this was a brilliant idea. Not only she thought of a practical, cozy thing to make, but there was a special request:
She said, she loved all the colors and she was wondering how to mix and match the colors. I showed her 2 ways how to change colors after 3 rows of 1 color. Don’t finish the last stitch of your row. You still have 2 loops on the hook. Pull through the new color and chain 1 or 2, depending on the stitch you’re going to make in the next row.
Another way of mixing colors was, USING 2 different colors at the same time! So instead of crocheting with one strain of yarn, use 2. Here is what she made:
She made one for my daughter also. It was so sweet. They wanted to wear them the whole day, even though it was about 90 degrees outside!
Hair band with flower
With this project I showed my niece the double crochet stitch. Her eyes and mouth opened wide and said:
” Why didn’t you show me this one earlier? These are so much bigger and I could’ve made my winter hat so much quicker!!”
Oh, woops! I showed her the half double crochet also, so she had several stitches to choose from. The flower was a little too difficult for now, but I bet she’d like to know how next time she comes:)
Infinity Scarf
For children who want to work on a longer project, this scarf would be a great project. Especially when they can use yarn that has different colors, like this one.
I don’t have a specific pattern, but I choose the amount of chain stitches like 50 or so mixed the different stitches I knew. This gives it also some variety. Use the slipstitch to connect the ends of the scarf when the desired length has been reached.
In the end, I was surprised what these kids come up with by themselves to use crochet projects in their daily lives. It was so inspiring and fun how they’re developing and which questions come out of the goals they set for themselves. Then it is the time to teach them. They’ll remember better, they’ll have fun and will learn more easily.
Thank you so much for all your support!
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Hello everyone,
Welcome to my Crafty Dutch Girl blog! Grab a cup of “koffie” and browse through fun blog posts about our Dutch family expat life in the USA, Dutch history, Dutch recipes, Dutch things to do in the USA and all kinds of crafts and activities. Don’t forget to connect with me for new ideas! “Groetjes en tot ziens”.