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9 Wet Weather Wool Activities for Home Play with Kids
Why is it that every year in Scotland when the school summer holidays officially start , the rainy season begins?! This year it seems is no exception and today on 28 June 2020 the sound of the rain is echoing outside. The week ahead is looking wet, wet, wet. In this blog, I help parents with 9 easy activities with wool or yarn, which is of course my favourite material. Stay tuned on social media as I will be releasing some new videos and ideas during this week. They are all easy, cheap & fun wet weather activities for home play for kids & big kids too!
Pom Poms (suit primary age kids +)
Pom poms have come a long way from my childhood. I used to cut two cardboard doughnuts, hold them together, wind wool and then cut through, tying tightly off. This is still a perfectly valid way to do it, it is just a little heavy on the hands if you are doing a lot. Yes you can buy a varying array of pom pom gadgets nowadays that do make it a little easier however, in my opinion, nothing beats teaching kids how to repurpose everyday household waste into something else with their own hands.
Getting Started
So go grab your Amazon boxes and start chopping. Look around your kitchen for the perfect circle size templates, one big, one small. Try drawing round a jam jar for your outer circle and a 10p piece for your inner to get started. Choose your yarn. You can cellotape the first end to the cardboard to help keep it in place and then wind. I prefer to cut lengths of yarn before I start and it goes a lot faster if you use three strands a time! Join in different colours, use up all your old scraps of yarn, just go for it!
Here is an alternative method again using cardboard though, you can also use a fork to make teeny pom poms using the exact same technique.
Here are some ideas of what to make & useful links to help with your pom pom making. Pinterest is a great resource for ideas.
A pom pom bunting for a bedroom
A pom pom monster using glue and pens/crayons to make feet from card/cardboard, button eyes, pipe cleaner antenna etc
A simple giant pom pom keyring to hang from your bag
An eyeball (by colour placing you can create more precise effect)
Making Twisted Cord (suit pre-school with a little help & all ages)
This is really fun & quick activity where really fantastic results can be achieved immediately. The origins of hand spinning, or twisting fibre to make yarn dates back 2.5 million years so that is a cool fact for your kid to tell their friends. There is a scientific element involved here too if we consider that by merely twisting yarn strands, this creates energy which helps the strands bind together to form a stronger cord.
In simple terms, this is what spinning does, it uses “twist” to bind fibres together into yarn. The term “twist” defines the helicoidal or spiral configuration organised by the rotation of a yarn or of a bundle of fibres around their longitudinal axis. Or in other words, Twist is the measurement of spiral turns given to a yarn in order to hold the constituent fibres or threads together. So there you go, get your white coat on and get started!!…….
Finger knitting works like magic. Your child can learn that using nothing more than their hands and a super simple technique they can transform strands into fabric. The basis of knitting is founded and this is great for young kids too. My knitting kids find this activity self soothing and comforting and once learned can be addicitive but in a good way. Perfect for car journeys or as a take-along activity anywhere you go.
I like to start off teaching 2 finger knitting however you can move on to use 3 or 4 fingers too. It works best if you have chunky or super chunky yarn but to practise just use what you have at home. Use this great video to get you started. This video uses two thin strands of yarn to equal one thick and it creates a nice effect too.
Other ideas for your finger knitting :-
A Finger Knit Rainbow
Make a long string and use it for a pom pom bunting
A handle for a bag, perhaps
Coil it into a flat circle, sew it together and make coasters for home
Finger Crochet (suit pre-school & all ages)
This is very similar to finger knitting but just uses one finger so for kids that are struggling with finger knitting or are pre-school then this would be the technique to try. Using just one finger and wrapping the yarn over and through you create a chain, the same as chain stitch in crochet. You can go on to learn other crochet stitches with your fingers and hands too but finger chaining is best to start. My video will be uploaded on 1/7 for you, so keep checking in or follow Knitting on Cloud Nine on social media (links at end).
The best yarn to use for this technique is t-shirt yarn so check out my short video and blog showing you how to make your own from old, worn t-shirts. I will also be showing you how to make yarn from plastic bags so check this out too.
Make a Loom (suit primary age +)
So the next step on from finger knitting would be to try knitting on a loom. The loom is really just replicating your fingers in finger knitting but can be easier to navigate for some kids. Check out this cool step by step tutorial on how to make your own loom from a few simple household items.
Toilet roll inner
4 wooden ice lolly sticks
CelloTape
Learn How to Knit (suit age 7+)
Knitting is my passion and my purpose is to pass on this heritage skill to children in a fun & modern way. I have been knitting since childhood and when my own kids were small I started volunteering in my local school teaching fibre crafts, including knitting. Knitting has amazing multi benefits for children (and adults too, of course), these include:-
Some Benefits of Knitting for Kids
Quiet downtime activity free from electronic stimulation
Slowly building confidence & self esteem as mastery increases
Practising maths, reading & following instructions
Increasing motor dexterity
A creative outlet encouraging use of imagination to customise projects
Learning to make handmade gifts and the personal satisfaction & love that this spreads to all
Hours & hours of engaged activity on a daily basis
A fine list indeed, however also consider that knitting is distinct from other crafts in that the motion of knitting requires the co-ordination of both hands at the same time and thus the left & right hand sides of the brain must work harmoniously too. Knitting is a workout for the brain!
So how about dusting off those needles and checking out my three knitting basics videos that are very simple & clear. How to Cast On, How to Knit and How to Cast Off. It’s really all you need to know to get going.
I recommend starting kids to knit with super chunky yarn and 9mm needles. Do get in touch if you need supplies or choose one of our knitting starter kits, with optional needles.
It’s also not too late to join in with our summer school for kids during July. Check out the link below for full details.
https://www.knittingoncloudnine.com/classes-workshops/kids-knitting-online-summer-school/
Knit a Bunny from a Square
This is by far one of my knitting kids favourite projects and from a simple knitted beginners square you can teach your child to perform magic once again and transform this square into a cute bunny. Check out my free Youtube video for a step by step guide. It covers it all. All you need in addition to the square is some stuffing, two buttons for eyes and some contrasting yarn to make a pom pom tail. I will repeat again, all you need to be able to do to create this gorgeous bunny is knit a square – so simple!
Weaving (suit primary age +)
Weaving is another way to turn strands into fabric and it is very trendy right now to make chunky wall hangings which are perfect for a tween or teens room. I would start off with a book mark size weave to start off with and no need to buy any fancy equipment again either. Just get your cardboard out and you can make a good loom from this that will last a good few uses. Watch this video to see how to make your loom. Later this week (3/7) I am going to share with you a free video as to how to create a cool wall hanging however this video has some extra tips that I forgot to include like adding the “stop weaving” lines so that it is easier to tie off your weaving.
Brief History
In terms of history John Kay invented the flying shuttle in 1733 and enabled weaving of wider fabric as well as made it faster. The first factories for weaving were built in 1785. Jacquard loom was invented in about 1803. It could be programmed with punch cards which enabled faster weaving of more complicated patterns. Paisley, near Glasgow has a rich weaving history so check out www.paisleythreadmill.co.uk for great information and even a visit to their exhibits once it reopens. Paisley Thread Mill Museum was founded in 2003 to tell the story of the Clarks and Coats Thread Mills of Paisley. Today they tell the story of Thread Making in Paisley from it’s origin in 1722 to the close of the last mill in 1993.
Getting Weaving
Get started with these basics which are presented in pictures this time on the link below. It shows an alternative way to thread up your loom too, both of which work perfectly. The first video version (above) is better if you want to leave loops at the top with which to add a branch or piece of driftwood to hang from. The long up and down strands on your loom are called “warp” and the horizontal strands that you weave in are called “weft”. Use the basic technique of “over and under” until you get the hang of it. A blunt sewing needle is perfect for this but if you don’t have one use a kirby grip (hair grip) or you could tape the yarn to the end a small pencil. It is fun to experiment with different types of yarn or even strips of fabric.
Top Tip : Remember to leave a little excess yarn at the edges of your weave (the outermost warp strands). A couple of millimetres is perfect. This prevents your weave being pulled in and your sides get drawn in and tight.
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/436708495091841087/
Check out our free video on how to make this gorgeous textured wall hanging and learn some specific weaving stitches too. You will be able to buy a grab bag of the fibres I used and some other colour options if you want too. Just collect your own driftwood or sticks from the forrest in preparation.
Household Upcycling
So my last idea for you is to be creative with the waste in your home and using yarn or other stranded fibre like string or garden jute and some PVA GLUE what can you create? Pringle tubs are brilliant as a start point, you know, the little ones. If you clean out the tub once you have eaten the crisps (yum, yum!) then cover the outside with glue and then starting at the bottom slowly and carefully wind the yarn round until you have covered the whole pot. You will need to take your time to avoid gaps and you might need to add your glue gradually to prevent it drying out and losing its stick.
Here are a few examples. My friend made me a knitting needle holder out of a big pringle tube and for Father’s Day earlier this month my knitting kids made Dad’s S-tache! Dad’s S-tache is a mini pringle tube, covered with yarn (we knitted a cover) and with a fluffy moustache added. It was then filled with Dad’s favourite goodies. How could you customise your tub and what would you like to stash away inside? These are great for storage too for pens & pencils or toys that have lots of little bits.
Another example I read about which is really nice for home is Stacey Soloman transforming a fabric softener bottle using the same method to cover with jute to make a stylish vase for home. Check it out on the Hello Mag link below.
https://www.hellomagazine.com/homes/2020061691670/stacey-solomon-homemade-vase-hack/
Follow Knitting on Cloud Nine for ideas, inspiration & know how
So I hope you like these 9 yarny ideas and I am sure there is enough there to keep you going on the wettest of days. If you want to keep in touch for more yarn related fun then please follow me on instagram, facebook, youtube and pinterest. Any questions, please ask.
https://www.facebook.com/knittingoncloudnine