The knitting fork creates a lanyard of interwoven loops, just like the knitting created with a tower or two needles. You will create loops around the tines of the knitting fork and then “jump” the lower loops over the upper loops. The set-up of the yarn is the trickiest part, just as casting onto needles the first time can be challenging.
Perhaps you are a little tense thinking of yet more toys for your child and you to maintain and tidy. Maybe you are just looking for more ways to spend some precious free time with your child. The following ideas are all about one of the best gifts for any loved one- the gift of time.
With the gift giving season fast approaching, parents can struggle to find ways to include their children in more of the giving side of holiday time. We all love the surprise and joy of a child receiving a gift, but it can be hard to make the equation less lopsided. If gift giving is part of your holiday tradition, finding meaningful ways to include children can be tricky. I remember a school store that opened just before winter break when … Read More...
Halloween can be one of the most fun festivals of the year, but it often presents challenges to parents trying to foster a meaningful relationship with holidays. Add to that the current traditions that include so much candy and a sense of being “owed” treats and a family might want to sleep through October 31. There are ways, however, to bring meaning to Halloween. It shares qualities with traditions across many cultures that can inspire you to bring your own … Read More...
“Fine motor skills” refers to the small movements we do with our hands; they are the combined efforts of our thumbs and fingers as well as the coordination of the hands with one another. You might even think of the ability engendered by the term “fine motor skill” to be one of our most human traits, facilitated by our very mobile digits and our bipedalism. Children begin developing these skills very early; we’ve all seen ultrasound images of babies sucking … Read More...
Woodworking pleases many children. They can clearly see that their activity can lead to a change in their environment whether they are pounding nails, whittling shavings or sanding an edge to a luster. Still, it can be hard as an adult to see exactly how to safely bring this activity to your children, especially if you have limited experience with these skills.
You can actually begin woodworking through very small steps by introducing one skill and one tool at a … Read More...
Perhaps you have noticed with your children that as they pass into the early stages of puberty (the so-called tween phase) they lose some of the contentment that accompanies middle childhood. Our children were more likely to be “bored” or to flit disconsolately from one once-favored activity to another, unable to really settle down. In this stage, children begin to seek work that they can see has meaning and purpose; they’ve passed the joy found in imitating adult work and … Read More...
Using bleeding tissue paper, you can create beautiful, tie-dyed eggs for Easter. When wet, the ink from the tissue paper is transferred to the eggshell. Warning: it will also be transferred to fingertips!
First, hard-boil the eggs. Cut or rip small squares of tissue paper in your desired color palette. Grab a paint brush, a glass of water and some paper towels—you’ll want to protect the table as the ink can stain. Place a square of tissue onto your egg … Read More...
Create stunning stained glass windows to display in your home or to give as gifts. This is a craft that adults and kids aged six and up will love to do year after year. You’ll need the Rose Windows Book and Art Tissue Paper for this project. As the book progresses from simple flowers and stars to intricate gothic rosettes, the designs become more complicated, and the results even more beautiful.
Materials:
Rose Windows Book
heavy cardstock in a neutral … Read More...
