Handwork in Early Childhood

🪡 Handwork in Early Childhood

It’s been a while since I posted some #wednesdaywaldorfwisdom today I thought I would share something I often get so many questions about. Handwork in early childhood, what should it look like, what should it be, what should a child be doing. I think with all the skill involved in handwork in later grades there can sometimes be confusion as to how to approach it in the early years.

The answer is a simple one, children do handwork everyday. Handwork encompasses everything they are doing in play and exploration, from building, to baking, in craft and in purposeful work….all of these things develop the muscle memory and skill which prepare them for more intentional handwork in the grades.

Living in a crafty home, it’s inevitable that the little one has picked up a bit of a desire to imitate mummy, however this sweet shot of her here using the embroidery hoop is a rare one. She and many children her age will find much more interesting things to do that sit still and focus on such things, and that’s fine. That has in no way whatsoever delayed her ability to pick up a needle and control it as she passes it back to front through the fabric stretched through the hoop.

All of the things a child does on a daily basis in their early years are giving them those skills needed for more specific tasks - and they are learning them whilst deeply engaged in things meaningful to them.

The most meaningful way we can enable our child to develop skills ready for and in basic handwork such as sewing, wet felting and finger knitting, is to do it together, with love and purpose . Allowing our children to see us take joy and time in tasks of all descriptions will allow them in turn to watch and absorb what we do, to have a go for themselves and find joy in the art of creating with the hands is one of the most valuable things we can help them adopt in early childhood to provide them with a beautiful foundation to learning and developing their own skills as they grow.