youngest age to learn crochet?

[PoetryinYarn]

i'm thinking of volunteering to teach crochet at a local elementary school's extracurricular program. at what age do most kids have the ability to learn to crochet? you know....hand eye coordination and all that.

 

thanks

[athena]

i wud think in preschool???

[jleinhauser]

I think most preschoolers don't have the finger dexterity or attention span

needed.

 

I've had good luck with 6 and 7 year old kids, both boys and girls. A small

project in fun color or colors can keep them interested for awhile.

 

A lot depends on the individual child of course.

 

Jean Leinhauser

[sunnywolfgar]

I taught my daughter to crochet when she was 6 and the sewing machine--the real sewing machine at 7 years. Shes been at it ever since.

I couldn't see buying the toy sewing machine the kind toys R us had. There is no bobbin and you pull 1 string and it all comes out. Her friend had one and pull 1 string and it comes out.

She learned on the Sears Sewing Machine. She took that sewing machine with her when she moved out and she still has it to this day and shes 21 years. The sewing machine is about 25 years old now.

I've taught other kids and ages 6-30's something. When it comes to kids some learn and others don't. I ask them are you sure you want to learn. They do well. Others don't their eyes are to busy looking at the walls, etc........I always turn off the tv when teaching kids. Some times its best to let the kids bring you the crochet hooks and yarn. Those are the kids who want to learn.

Have fun with the kids.

[oldbonboys]

My Mum and Nan taught me when I was six and I won some small prizes in our Girl's Friendly Society Group growing up - but as Mum couldn't read a pattern - neither could I.

 

A friend taught me this about 5 years ago and then taught me the difference between Australian and American terminology so that I could also read them.

 

Now I can make just about anything and my Goddaughter wants me to teach her - she is 9 but a bit of a tomboy who can't sit still - so this may be a challenge

[shelly_bean]

I have tried teaching my 4 and 6 year old, that didn't go over well. my 6 year old has the dexterity, just no desire to keep at it. my four year old well she wants to do what everyone else is doing.. My almost 11 year old is learning well, she keeps practicing and knows a sc and dc which she learned quickly.. I think it also has to do with desire, practice, and patience

[sunnywolfgar]

forgot to mention:

 

when teaching people or small kids that want to learn tell them to go to the store and buy the yarn and a H crochet hook --there are several colors in crochet hooks , the color of the yarn and crochet hook that they pick will help them keep crocheting.

[Tracey4610]

I agree with the previous posters. I recommend ages 5 and up, and with the early elementary-age children, it may be a bit tougher. From ages 5-7ish, they're still getting dexterity, and at the same time, the attention span may still be a bit shorter. It largely depends upon the child. Some children can handle it at that age, others cannot. After age 7 and on, those children should have both the dexterity and the attention span, but they also need the inspiration or a reason to do it. If you work with the younger kids, you may want to consider making the lessons a little shorter, say, no longer than 20-30 minutes. Granted, that may only mean you get the chain the first time, then the sc the next, or you can break it up with a 5 minute break between each one and find a whole-body activity to do (i.e., have each stand up and shake out their whole body...Jim Gill has a wonderful CD for this that has "Gonna Shake My Sillies Out"). This should work to keep them focused, so that by the end of the allotted time, they might know a little more than just the chain stitch. Make sure you pick very simple projects for all the kids. Lunch money pouches are great (Mary's Lunch Money Purse is perfect for this age group!), and they're very practical for the kids. Some of the bigger kids might want to do a scarf or something.

 

Personally, I won't teach my dd until she's at least 4 or 5, depending on how she is at that age. She is going to learn--it will be part of her homework and won't have a choice !

[GoCrochet]

I taught my daughter to crochet at 5. Mostly we would do 5-10 minute "lessons" where I would sit next to her, with my arm around her and we would hold the hook together while I held the tension, then we worked baby steps from there. For this method it has to be one on one, and obviously, the huggy part, with someone with a close relationship. Now she's 6 and can sc all by herself including turning rows, and holding her own tension.

[HappyOldCro]

It depends alot on the individual, but I agree with most of the input already given. 5 is good for chaining, anything more requires a lot of one on one. 7 is best for understanding basics and how to sc and turn evenly (that is when I started). But I don't think we can expect any great products from them until around 10, when they can combine the dexterity, tension, knowledge of stitches and some pattern reading. The important thing is as each step is taught the pattern abbr. is taught also, as well as some simple graphs like the kind used for filet crochet. They can practice on any kind of string or yarn and then move on to the finer threads as they become more comfortable with it. Of course this is just my opinion and experience with family and friends. The most important of all is to not force it on them, and let them develope at their own pace. If it starts being work and not enjoyment they will loose interest.

[teffy]

I've taught a few of the kids I work with how to crochet and most of them have made scarves and wristcuffs. They're about 9 or 10. The little ones, around 5 or 6 can learn how to chain easily and there are TONS of projects you can have them make with just chains. Like braclets, rings, necklaces, etc. Besides, it takes a lot to hold their attention and a chain of about 25 is as far as they can go. Haha.

[Angora]

I learnt when i was 7.. my mom made me do boring stuff like yards and yards of chains to get me to be neat and tidy.. but that was boring and i quickly quit! i re-started when i was abt 14-15 years old.

i think that as long as they get to do interesting stuff, you could start at ages 7-8..

[Siw]

My six year old have been knitting for a year and learned to crochet this summer. She is very eager and makes blankets for her dolls and headbands to her friends. At the moment she is knitting beanies for christmas gift.

[lauracvz]

My mother learned to crochet when she was in her early 30's. I was about 4 at the time and learned right along with her. My grandmother taught me basic knitting around age 5 or 6, and sewing and embroidery were something I don't really recall not knowing how to do... I think that a motivated or inquisitive child is never too young. The one poster noting that "children's" sewing machines, etc. are often sub-standard -- I agree. You wouldn't teach a cooking class with an EZ-bake oven! As long as they can operate the tools (so a hook and some yarn) without hurting themselves and sit still long enough to listen (now there is your challenge) I say there is no lower age limit for any sort of traditional handcrafting.

[texasredhead]

I taught kids crochet this summer at JoAnns. I had girls from 8 to 14. It was really hard to teach in 2 hours and then 2 hours again a second time. I suggest that you take your time. It is hard for them to learn to hold the hook and yarn and get a good flow. Use ww yarn only and not in a dark color which is hard to see the stitches. H hook is good, but I think a J would be even better with chunky yarn. Have fun!!

[RupieZum]

Thanks for all the input on this thread! My almost-five-year-old is absolutely desperate to learn to crochet - but she just doesn't have the dexterity or patience yet. It's good to hear about the experiences of others.

[kylieB]

I was six when I learnt I picked it up very easy, though my sister who is 3 years older than me found it very hard to learn at 9.

[GoCrochet]

I taught my 5 year old how to ch and sc, ch-1 turn, etc, but we did it "one on one" in short 5-10 minute lessons over the course of a month.

[pianoducky]

I teach piano, which is another activity demanding fine motor skill and focus . I've started students as young as 4, but I agree with other posters who say it depends on the child. Sometimes you just have to try it out and see how it goes.

 

I started pretty young, but before I did crochet my grandmother taught me to use a knitting spool.

[gatesmarch]

well I showed my nephew and he is seven....My DD is two and a half and I have let her play with a hook and yarn and she has some of the motion down LOLO it is so cute as she is just copying what she always sees me do...

 

But ya I aggree it depends on the child and your patients...

[Puff]

I would much rather a child than an adult. lol I have taught 3 of my grand daughters one at 7 and the other at 15 and 16. Only the 7 yr old is still at it. She is now 13.

Puff

[tcandlgmom]

I taught my now 8 year old daughter how to crochet this spring, when I started crocheting again. I let her pick out one of my hooks (of course now she has many hooks of her own, mostly purple), then I cut her several lengths of different yarns of her choosing, her goal was to be able to make a chain smoothly and neatly. She took her hook and bits of yarn everywhere with her for several days. She then saw a crochet necklace in a crochet magazine, all it is is a chain with beads on it. That was instant gratification for her! I have had to sit with her some to make sure she is making turns right. But on the other hand she has watched me make something and then mimicked it, when I didn't even realize she was watching so closely. She crocheted a square out of purple varigated yarn that she asked my to turn into a skirt for her American Girl dolls.

 

Everyone is different, and I believe finding something that they can complete soon after learning is a great benefit.

[Sugarcoatedlies]

i learned at 11 but i taught myself

[Jeanette_Litsardaki]

I learned to knit (which I personally think is harder for dexterity) when I was 5. (JK) Most of us were psudo-crocheting with the shipping ropes and our hands (chain stitch) in kindergarten. (5-6 years old)

 

You would have the best luck with gr. 1 and up.

[RelicRaider]

I learned to crochet when I was 4; my grandma taught me. She showed me the basic chain and over the year, I've taught myself to do more and more. Yesterday, I made a little chihuahua and now I'm making bear clothes. My youngest daughter (now 10) likes to do arts and crafts type things more than any of the other kids. She makes braclets that you use embroidery yarn and knot each different color onto the other strands--not real sure how to explain how to do it. She picked it right up. She's tried crocheting, but I think she likes the bracelet making more.

 

My youngest kiddo (soon to be six) LOVES to have me make things for him. He got the first bear outfit and absolutely adores it. His bear is his "best friend" and goes everywhere with us, which means everyone sees the pantsuit I made. It's not that greatest, but I think I did okay for no pattern.

 

And I'm rambling. Sorry. My point is, little kids like crochet. Some can learn it, some can't (meaning at an early age they can't). Some will stay focused on it, while others will lose interest. It's just the way life is.

 

Heather