Nature Finds: Weaving

Weaving is a great way to develop children’s motor skills.  We decided to incorporate a little bit of nature into the process.

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Materials

• Collected sticks (approximately the same length- you can always break them to be so)
• Craft wire
• Wire cutters
• Fabric Scissors
• Ribbon
• Fabric

Directions

• Go on a nature walk and collect sticks of approximately the same length.

• Create a “frame” with 4 of the sticks, laying two of them parallel to each other and putting another set of 2 on top on the other ends.  Secure the sticks together, using craft wire.  We find it handy to make an “x” with the wire. (See photograph below).

• Add additional sticks, going across and securing the ends with craft wire.  We took one stick and put it through the middle (top to bottom, as seen in the photo) to increase the sturdiness.  You could put several, depending on the age and ability of your child.

• Cut your fabric into strips.  Some types of fabric might lend to being ripped, where you make a small snip and then you are able to rip strips.  Make sure that they are long enough to extend past the distance you will be weaving.  Cut ribbon to the same length as well.  It is easiest to prepare this in advance to starting.

• Tie a knot at one end of the stick (as seen in the photograph) where you want to start.

• Then proceed to weave the fabric “over, under, over, under” the sticks.  Actually verbalizing this is helpful to some children.

• Push the fabric or ribbon to the end if you would like a more compressed look (as seen in the photograph).

• Knot the end to the stick and then cut off any excess.

• Repeat this process, using opposite actions (so if the first strip started with “over”, have the next one start “under”.) Continue with various pieces of fabric and ribbon. To cover up the wire on the ends, we wrapped around the sticks (and wire) as shown as we weaved.

• Trim the ends to make them relatively uniform.  Hang up your weaving or if your sticks were relatively straight and your weaving can sit flat on a table, use it for a hot pad for pots etc.

Purpose

• Hand/eye coordination
• Motor skill development
• Setting a purpose for a walk (gathering a certain type of sticks)

Safety Notes

• Use scissors and wire with direct adult supervision.