My 7 yr old son is fascinated with "making things" we have made, with my assistance, a pillow, some stuffies, and other misc items. He is in no way coordinated to sew a project on his own (he has mild dyslexia, and issues with place order. I'm also hoping some fine motor projects will help with his handwriting), but I am looking for something he might be able to do with minimal assistance from mommy. He spent a very happy 45 minutes yesterday sewing on buttons, but that novelty is going to wear off quick.
I was thinking maybe plastic canvas? I vaguely remember working on kits when I was a kid. Does anyone have a source for kits/patterns that are boy friendly? It doesn't have to scream Yoshi or Optimus Prime, but all the stuff I've seen is way pink and flowery, or involves purses and doll clothes. I'd even go for something like baby blocks, since he has a baby brother, and a baby cousin arriving later this summer.
What are some other projects you think might work for a crafty but uncoordinated little boy? I have a knifty knitter, but hats in 100 degree heat...ugh. I have never tried spool knitting, but it's pretty much the same thing right? I am not good enough at traditional knitting to teach him, and I don't know how to crochet. Somewhere I have a latch hook rug kit, if I find that we may give that a try. I'm a little stumped though, and maybe you guys have some fresh ideas? Thanks!
I was thinking maybe plastic canvas? I vaguely remember working on kits when I was a kid. Does anyone have a source for kits/patterns that are boy friendly? It doesn't have to scream Yoshi or Optimus Prime, but all the stuff I've seen is way pink and flowery, or involves purses and doll clothes. I'd even go for something like baby blocks, since he has a baby brother, and a baby cousin arriving later this summer.
What are some other projects you think might work for a crafty but uncoordinated little boy? I have a knifty knitter, but hats in 100 degree heat...ugh. I have never tried spool knitting, but it's pretty much the same thing right? I am not good enough at traditional knitting to teach him, and I don't know how to crochet. Somewhere I have a latch hook rug kit, if I find that we may give that a try. I'm a little stumped though, and maybe you guys have some fresh ideas? Thanks!
i used to make felt clothing for my beanie babies. most of it consisted of making a vest (fold in a couple places and cut a corner off = sleeve holes) and using sticky felt to make patterns on it. Occasionally i'd embroider flowers on it (i sort of make up how to do it as i went along, i think)
i really don't know development age in kids. Would he be able to make bead lizards/animals? I used to make hundreds of these when i was younger, but i don't remember how old I was. There are also patterns online you can find for different animals to make besides snakes/lizards but they're the easiest. I don't know how uncoordinated your son is but sewing on buttons seems more fiddly than pulling string tightly.
There is also perler beads (though this would require assistance from you 'cuz you'd need to use an iron to melt it into shape afterwards..) which you can print out pixel pictures (like a sprite from mario or something. idk if he'd know them since modern video games don't use 16bit sprites..) and recreate them on a large pegboard (the small squares are 1 pixel row too small usually, at 15 pixels square). You can get large sized ones if the regular perler beads are too little for him (cuz.. not going to lie, when i was in first grade i stuck some up my nose and had to go to the nurses office to try to get it out, since at the time i hadn't learned how to blow my nose. it probably could have ended badly D: ). And you don't NEED to copy a pattern either, you can just fill in the pegboards with colors you like. They make neat shape boards for this reason :]
Though with beads, they are almost as messy as paint if a bucket spills... Almost.
I'm trying to remember other art projects done in day care. Paper mache on balloons then painting to make Earths and other planets, but this is a messy project that would probably require mom watching. Loved popsicle stick crafts .. other than making log cabins, making stick people was fun too (google eyes, embroidery thread for hair, etc). Um.. potholder weave? You buy a board with pegs around the sides and string the included circles around the pegs and weave to make a pot holder. t shirt scraps work too.
I remember in art class we made puppets by gluing felt together and then gluing stuff onto the felt. If he sews he could sew it instead! There was a paper mache bird head involved too but i don't think that's required.
As far as latchhook goes.. if it is what i think it is (grid shaped thing you attach bits of yarn to to make a rug or something,based on a pattern given) i never could get the hang of it when i was little. my grandma taught my younger sister how, but it confused/irritated me. So ymmv, and i wouldn't say i'm especially uncoordinated (i have good balance but i'm clumsy from not paying strict attention to how i am moving). Though I know i have ADHD so perhaps it works out differently for your son ^_^