Teaching Kids To Knit

I was lucky enough to have a kid in each of my last two knitting classes. Teaching children to knit is always interesting to say the least. You never know what is going to happen. You could have a squirmer that can't sit in his/her seat long enough to learn how to cast on. You could have the impatient temper tantrum type that rips the yarn off the needles and whines incessantly. You could have the kid with the great attitude that doesn't make it past cast on during the class and is still as happy as a Stacie with a chocolate bar. But then when the knitting gods are smiling down on you and the moon is in the right phase, you will get kids like the ones I have had in my last two classes.

The first was 9 years old, and she totally blew my mind. She picked up knitting faster than most of the adults I teach. I think I only had to show her how to cast on twice, and she took it and ran. I can tell 99% of the time how a class is gonna go by how fast the person learns to cast on, and I knew I was in for a treat in that class. This kid even corrected her knitting without me showing her how. She TINKED you guys!! If this kid keeps on knitting, she'll be INCREDIBLE by the time she is my age. There will be no stopping her.

In the second class I had a 7 year old who was super enthusiastic and very impressive as well. She joined the class with her mom because her mom didn't know if she could handle it. Can I just say she BLEW HER MOM AWAY!! I got so tickled at her when she would hold up her knitting and say, "Hey Mom look how much more I have done than you!!" Kids are amazing I tell ya. If you ever get the chance to teach a kid to knit or crochet, do it!  It makes me feel so good to have given them the gift of knitting. I know that sounds cheesy, but I really mean it :)

I looked up some links online that give some tips on teaching kids if you are interested.

To Knit...

http://www.maggiesrags.com/tips_children.htm
http://www.woolworks.org/kids.html
http://anacleta.homestead.com/knittingwithchildren.html

To Finger Knit

http://www.kidscanmakeit.com/AC0023.htm


To Crochet..

http://www.crochet.org/teach/toc.html
http://crochet.about.com/library/weekly/aa050199.htm
http://www.geocities.com/crzy4hook/