Submitted by Lisa Shepard Stewart
Generations ago, it was not only common but required that children learned the art of sewing and knitting. Clothes were made from hand; hats and mittens were crafted in living rooms not factories. While your child will rarely need to create his or her own wardrobe from a bolt of fabric and a spool of thread, there are real benefits to investing the time and resources to teaching your child the trick of the handwork art.
Besides the obvious benefit of being able to sew on a wayward button, hem a new pair of pants, or even craft a new baby gift, handwork provides your children with a creative way to: Develop and mature their finger dexterity and fine motor skills; Find and build their self-confidence; Learn copious amounts of patience (Have you ever tried to trace a pattern!?); have a social creative outlet for meeting and gathering with friends.
You’re on board: your child should learn how to sew. But, how? Do they even offer sewing classes for kids? Of course! And you have a few viable options when it comes to expanding your child’s knowledge of sewing (one of which is very close to home!)
And, the tactile nature of sewing helps strength a child’s hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. Other notable benefits include: Providing children a vehicle for personal and creative expression. It is a productive way for kids to use personal time and create independent work; Improved hand-eye coordination. If you’re keen to enhance your motor skills, sewing does just that; especially hand-eye-coordination; Brain Growth. Sewing requires creativity, which improves the brain’s ability to grow new brain cells.
Sewing encourages mindfulness and reduces stress and anxiety. The meditative action of sewing encourages positivity and feelings of relaxation. Being forced to concentrate on one particular task enables you to become immersed in a situation and truly unwind.
Kids who may be struggling in other areas of the school curriculum find expressive outlets through art. It’s a way to uncover their abilities and talents that may not otherwise be seen. Art paves way creativity and is a special means of communicating ideas, solutions and feelings in a way other than written or verbal.
(above) Young beginner.
(above) Kids patchwork pillow.
(above) Drwastring back pack.
