84 Teaching children to knit and crochet brings about various changes and benefits, impacting their development in numerous ways. Here are some notable changes I’ve witnessed since 2012... 1 Enhanced fine motor skills: Knitting and crocheting require precise hand movements, both hands hold the knitting pins, yarns are wrapped around the needles in the right precision, etc. It’s important for beginners to understand yarn tension, which brings about even stitches which improve fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Around the world, Waldorf schools are known to teach their learners to knit and crochet so they benefit from these positive changes. 2Improved concentration and patience: Our first activity for learning to knit requires casting on a lot of stitches using the thumb method. This allows our learners to master this skill and of course it requires their eyes to be focused on their hands, helping children develop longer attention spans and perseverance. Over the years, we’ve had requests for knitting and crochet lessons for hyperactive learners to help them to increase their concentration and improved changes have been noticed. 3The will to think: You have to think out some of the processes involved in knitting. Making a finished project with your swatches require good thinking. In our lessons, we have a part where children are encouraged to use their imagination to think out a project, where we can make together. They’re asked to sketch their designs from their imagination, and this encourages creativity and imaginative thinking. They learn to visualise and plan projects, which enhances their creative problem-solving skills. We have this saying in class that: if you can think it, you can knit it. Following patterns and instructions enhances cognitive skills such as memory, sequencing, and problem-solving. It promotes critical thinking as children learn to troubleshoot and correct mistakes in their work. Not being afraid to make mistakes becomes a transferable skill for the young knitter to other areas of their academics. Each knitter or crafter here can agree that no matter how experienced you are, you’ll make mistakes when working with your hands. Understanding that mistakes are proof you’re working and improving is a key lesson. So, from dropped stitches, to picking up stitches, to uneven stitches, just to mention a few, learning to move ahead with the lessons of mistakes is one positive changes in the world of children working with yarns. I get to see them metamorphose in their learning. From always, ripping apart regularly to now making finished lovely projects. I see this growth and I’m truly amazed. 4Improved math skills: Knitting and crochet requires reading and understanding patterns, counting stitches, measuring lengths and basic math skills. For the pre-schooler learning with yarns, we teach them how to skill count when winding yarns around their hands as they make pompoms, subtly reinforcing Crafter, teacher and author, Elizabeth Okeyele-Olatunji, gives her thoughts and opinions about changing the world of children with yarns THINKING WITH THEIR HANDS
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTA0NTE=