youngest age to learn crochet?

[mountainangel]

I think grandma taught me to knit first when I was 6. I'm sure she taught me to crochet but I honestly don't remember her showingme. I just remember I tried to show my 10 year old neice how to do a chain last fall. But she just couldn't manage to hold the end of chain and the new thread with the same hand and the chain kept flipping over the hook when she tried to pull it through. Of course it didn't help that her dad was laughing his head off

[Crochet_Collection]

My sister and I both learned at the age of 5. For me, that was 10 years ago, but for her, she's just learning. She knows how to chain, but she's having a hard time learning to hold her yarn while she's crocheting. So 6 is probably the best age, I'd think.

Chelsea

[Schmetterling]

I learned when I was about 6.

 

I have been casually working with my kids--only when they really show the interest, don't want to force it--and they can do a couple different stitches. They're 5 and 6.

[DEMET]

I have 5 year old daugher, she will be six very soon. She started to make long chains about 6-7 moths ago, now she making small g.squares (well, they look odd squares ) buit she is improving

 

( I learned crochet only 8 years ago )

 

Demet

[Susanne]

My then 4 years old girl learned how to crochet, and she tries knitting now (5 years) - crocheting was no problem, but knitting seems to be a little bit more tricky to learn for her.

My 3 years old boy loves to finger-crochet chains.

 

In Austria every schoolchild (girls and boys) learn how to crochet at the age of 6/7 and to knit and sew at 8/9 years. My 11 years old girl occupies the sewing machine for making dresses for her petite blythe.

 

I guess it depends a lot of the attention span of the individual child. While my 5yr old can sit and crochet for an hour her older sister needs another occupation after maximum half an hour. She comes back after doing a few other things.

 

Needlework for our oldest daughter was a suggestion from our therapist, because she was diagnosed ADHS very early (first year of school) and her attention span was smaller than that of a fly. We started to crochet for 2-5 minutes and she was able to extend this time.

[ice_queen94]

Wow, its amazing how they can learn at such a young age! I just learned 2 years ago, and Im 13 now.

[HerDawn]

I think I'd start out with making those little potholders on a loom so they can learn a bit of coordination.

 

Also, weird as this may sound, having someone crawl helps with coordination. It could be incorporated into an activity as a relay race where participants crawl with something on their back like a little stuffed toy. The goal is learning hand, knee, hand, knee.

[NelGibson]

I agree. 5-7ish is about the right time, but it depends on the child. It all depends on if they really want to learn. Every time I babysit, I take along all my crochet hooks and some extra balls of yarn in fun colors. Kids are always curious. Some want to learn at first, then give up. Some want to learn and don't reall have the ability yet. You just have to keep working with them. I also agree that if they get really serious about learning it, teach them to make a small project and let them pick out their own color yarn and their very own crochet hook. Even if it looks a little...odd...they will treasure it much more.

[HistoryGeek]

My granddaughter is 5 .... Grandpa and I have her usually two weekends a month and since I'm always crocheting she wanted to learn. Right now she's just doing some chains and trying to figure out how to hold her thread. I let her do it when she wants and as long as she wants... so far so good!

[pennyjah]

One thing I noticed was not mentioned in the posts, some may have not thought about. I am left-handed and my mother is right-handed. She tried teaching me for years how to crochet and I would just get so frustrated. Finally, I taught myself, with a lot of help from a how-to dvd about 3 years ago. I know most left-handed people have a hard time learning from right-handers. This might also be something to consider. I have been trying to teach my children, who are all right-handed, and it doesn't work either. My mom has had to work with them because they say I confuse them.

 

Now age wise, we started working with my children when they were about 7 or so. They still don't have the attention span for it, but that is just them. They can do it, just choose not to take the time to do it.

[Susanne]

I agree. 5-7ish is about the right time, but it depends on the child. It all depends on if they really want to learn.

 

You are right! I think it depends on the surrounding as well. Seeing me, his big sister and even his slightly older sister knitting and crocheting my son demanded to learn it at the age of 3 (you who have children know what it means if a 3yrs old demands...)

 

So he sits with us, does his fingercrochet-worms for about 10 minutes and is happy he has "learned it" too. I hope that he keeps his enthusiasm for all things crafty.

[rashidah]

I learned how to crochet at the age of 9 years old.

[Penelope2608]

Don't know if this will help but I really don't think there is an age. I have been crocheting since I was 4 or 5. Now I recently began teaching my step-daughter (who is 8) and she has a hard time with it. The eye-hand coordination is not the issue but to sit but the childs patience. Hope it works out for ya!!!

[JellyBeansWool]

Wow, its amazing how they can learn at such a young age! I just learned 2 years ago, and Im 13 now.

 

 

I had no clue there were teenagers on this board! That's fantastic to see!

[rashidah]

preschool

[MissColee]

I learned when I was 4, but I dont remember. I think I was just born crocheting.

Just like everyone else, I think it just depends on the kid and the desire to learn.

My son learned how to do the knifty knitter when he was 5 b/c he wanted to make a hat to donate to his class's charity fund. He learned how to bake cookies alone when he was 7 b/c he wanted to make some for our new neighbor.

I think it just totally depends on the kid and the motivation.

[e.ldelgado]

I have two girls my 11 year old can make a chain the length of a football field and my four year tells me she wants to learn. I think it all depends on the desire to learn. my girls don't want to yet BUT it is in their blood so they will pick it up one day and just go at it! just like I did and how my mom did and my grandma. Anyway I think that when your little girl wants to she will pick up a hook and go at it.