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When to teach a kid crocheting?


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Hi everyone,

 

I´ve been wondering about this for a while and maybe you have some suggestions...

 

My 3-year-old REALLY wants me to teach her how to crotchet - she keeps "stealing" hooks and yarn and is frustrated to no end that she cannot do it. Of course she is way too young (sometimes we crochet "together" a little to make her happy) but when did you teach your kids?

 

I think I learned when I was about seven. Did you successfully teach younger kids?

 

I´d be very happy to hear about your experiences :)

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I think 3 is young enough to give her her own hook and let her pick out a ball of yarn in her favorite color. Some kids have the dexterity that young. Some kids do better around 5 or 6.

 

Have you tried teaching her just chains or stitches also? When my daughter started we had miles and miles of chains.

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My greatgrandmother had me making chains when I was 5. Then after a year or two, she taught me how to sc, then dc a few months after that.

 

Have you tried a larger hook like a M or a P/Q? I bet she could probably do it then with it being easier to grasp for her, especially if you used a chunky yarn.

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I see no problem with letting her play with the hook and your scrap yarn and practicing chains. Another option is playing with gimp and learning some of those stitches. The gimp is stiffer and it doesn't require a hook.

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My 9 year old (son) can chain and do a pretty decent sc. The stubborn 7 year old (son) just asked me tonight if I would teach him! I sat down with him and first we practiced holding the hook and yarn, then we did a few chains. He may or may not ever ask again, but I was in heaven at the idea of both boys sitting down with me and making something beautiful. I suppose the age will just be up to you and your little one. Could be that it is an easy concept for her to grasp at her age, or it may need to wait a bit.

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I have attempted with my then 5, now 6yo granddaughter. She learned to chain pretty good, even getting the idea of tension, but she was bored quickly at this age. My friend taught her the sc, but that didn't last long either :D. Is ok. Either she will or won't want to do it.

 

I think I'd see if your dd could chain. Isn't there something like finger crocheting? I'm not familiar with it, but it seems that was something a small child could do?

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I'm so happy to see this question! My DGD is interested in my teaching her to crochet. She will turn 5 in a couple of weeks! I'm a bit nervous as I've never taught anyone to crochet before let alone a child, lol! I do have a skein of her favorite color ready (purple, light) and I picked up some extra hooks, g,h,I. I figured I'd let her see which one felt best to her. Do you think a larger hook would be better?

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I think a larger hook helps keep the tension manageable. The biggest problem for small learners, is pulling the chains too tight. My dd is loving chains. (we have yet to move up, though we did try, briefly...but it's still an on and off craft for her..."soo many crafts to try, so little time" She even made a THREAD chain "collar" for a stuffie) But chains make necklaces, bracelets, teddy-bear ornaments, ribbons for hair ties...etc etc.

OP, I can see why your 3yo would get frustrated with not being able to do what mommy does. What about chunky yarn, and a big hook or finger crocheting as someone else mentioned? or, and I wonder if you already do this, since you mentioned her crocheting with you, holding her little hands in yours and help her do the motions, making chains together.

 

One thing I've learned in teaching younger crocheters...skip the slip knot for a while and go straight to chains (do the knot for them)...if they get frustrated over a slip knot that won't knot--which I've seen many times--they may give up before they ever get started. Once they're comfortable with chains, they are generally ready to tackle that "beginning knot" :)

HTH

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I have an 8 year old niece, and she knows how to use the circular knitting looms, but I don't know if my sister has taught her how to crochet, and she has never asked me about it. But my sister is one of those people who is never happy unless something is absolutely perfect (which in any craft such as this, it is very hindering, she doesn't finish many projects), so I know my niece will pick up on that as well. Which is sad. If you're learning, you have to be content with mistakes.

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My daughter will be 4 in November. She's been trying to do for a couple months, pretty well since I started. Until recently she just played with it on her own, basically just wrapped the yarn around the hook a million times.

 

I recently bought her a ball of Bernat Baby Blanket, the super bulky stuff because it's bigger and easier for her to see what she's doing, and also because it doesn't snag like most yarn would. She is actually doing alright, she can't chain yet but she is actually getting close! The hardest part for her is holding the yarn properly.

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Thanks for all the replies :manyheart

 

I´ve given my daughter my old doll for knitting (someone mentioned the English name, sorry, escapes me now, in my native Greman it´s a Strickliesl ;))and she has a hard time pulling the yarn over the loops.

 

I love the idea of getting her very chunky yarn and a big hook. I´ll buy those next week and see how it goes. I´ll let you know :yes

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i bought my 8 year old daughter some hooks and have given her some of my left over little balls of yarn she is very happy making chain head bands i have tried teaching her a single and a double stitch she is just too active to sit there for a long time to learn maybe in a few years she will want to learn more

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