Get Crafty with your Kids

If you love all things crafty, did you know that it’s an excellent hobby for your kids too? Most children love getting their hands dirty, getting stuck in, and being artistic and creative, which you should encourage. Not only is it heaps of fun, but it is excellent for their development too. Here’s how:

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  Fine Motor Coordination

We use fine motor skills and coordination when we draw shapes, write, or cut out patterns. By encouraging your child to draw, colour, cut, paint, sew, knit or do any other crafty activity, they are fine-tuning their intricate motor skills and working to improve their coordination while having fun. For information on Knitting Kits, visit //www.woolcouturecompany.com/collections/knitting-kits

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• Bilateral Coordination

This sounds very scientific, but in fact, it simply means the use of both hands at the same time. All of the actions named above – cutting, painting, drawing, etc.- require simultaneously using both hands. Improving this method of coordination is essential for many other daily activities, such as tying shoelaces, writing, and many other bilateral activities.

• Self-Esteem

Choosing arts and crafts activities that are easily achievable for your child is an important place to start. This is a self-esteem booster, as your child will experience a sense of achievement and pride. Once their self-esteem has been boosted, you should introduce them to slightly more challenging activities. Start with an easy project like a no-sew item and then move to a project that requires a small amount of sewing, for example.

• Patience

When making things at home, they often need to dry before moving on to the next stage if you’ve been using glue. This requires patience from your child and is a great life lesson in self-control and patience. Crafting also provides your child the opportunity to experience disappointment. This might sound mean, but it’s an important lesson to learn. Maybe a project didn’t go to plan, something broke or they’re struggling with an activity. Crafts are a great way to practise flexibility, patience, and planning skills.

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• Bonding

Involving your child in craft activities is the perfect opportunity for you to spend time together and bond more. They will love that time when you work together on something as a team and feel a sense of accomplishment at the finished article. Anyone can get involved – maybe Dad wants to try woodwork, Nan wants to make her own cards, and Mum wants to knit a hat. Getting the whole family involved is a great way for your children to be friendly, learn to work towards a goal, improve physical coordination and express themselves artistically.