Learning how to sew is an undervalued lesson you can teach your child. Aside from being another source of entertainment, teaching a child how to sew also has many other benefits. When your child picks up this craft, they not only open themselves up to a more artistic side, but this also helps them develop real-life values and skills.
6 of the best reasons to teach your children how to sew
1. It helps develop hand-eye coordination
The first important lesson that sewing teaches is hand-eye coordination. Next, your children will learn how to be craftier with their hands and how to do things simultaneously.
Depending on the complexity of what they are sewing, they can start with big but straightforward projects, which is a way for them to learn proper coordination between what they see and what they are trying to accomplish with their hands.
Not many people know that some people do not develop good hand-eye coordination, which stems from not being able to practice correctly. But, with the help of sewing, your child can learn how to sew in a safe and creative environment.
2. It provides essential math lessons
Sewing is also a great practical way for children to get more accustomed to math. Math is required when counting cloths, measuring threads, or even sizing their projects.
Your child gets to practice math with imagination and in the practical sense. Not only will they have to compute what the final product should look like, but they also have to ensure they are measuring the gaps and sizes between holes.
The good thing about learning how to sew is that it teaches math in a non-hostile way. Instead of being the end goal, it becomes part of learning how to sew.
3. It helps them appreciate the cost of clothing
When your child can finally create their clothes, they learn to appreciate them more than buy them. While it wouldn’t be practical for all their clothes to be sewn, you can encourage them to sew a few pieces.
You can start simply by letting your child sew a handkerchief, a shirt, or a project. As your child progresses, they will also learn how to appreciate the quality of fabric, stitches, and clothing. Instead of buying expensive clothes, children might even favor buying a simple piece of clothing and customizing it themselves.
4. It teaches planning and organizing
Sewing also teaches children how to plan and organize their projects. So not only will your child have to envision what they want to accomplish, but they will also quickly learn to be managed to get there.
Aside from that, your child will be dealing with real-life tools, which they can also learn to take care of. It also helps to give your child a basic sewing kit, which becomes their responsibility.
5. It builds creativity
The more your child learns how to sew, the more creative they become. While not a lot of people see it, sewing involves a lot of imagination and creativity. When your child starts, they often mirror off of set designs and learn the techniques needed to improve their skills. Later, they start experimenting on their own and test the limits of their capabilities.
They can also learn more about which colors look good, how colors blend, which stitches they prefer, and many others. These skills factor in when making creative decisions later on.
6. It teaches diligence
Sewing is not an easy thing to learn. Even some adults still don’t know how to do it. This is why teaching your child and guiding them as they learn how to sew is essential. It might be easy for them to give up at first, but after encouraging them, you’ll see them build diligence in their projects.
Start small; the small wins will help encourage children to try on more complicated things later on and not give up immediately.
In summary
Teaching your child how to sew is a fun way to build character, among many other benefits. If you don’t know how to sew, ask a professional to help you sew. This is also where the parent and child can learn together as it becomes a form of bonding for both.
