The world can never go back to how it was before the pandemic, with every aspect of society forced to shift to a new normal. Behaviors developed when everyone was in lockdown will most likely continue in the future. After experiencing how technology makes checking off your to-do list fast and convenient, from scheduling the monthly carpet cleaners to arranging food deliveries, who would want to go back to the old ways? Companies, too, would have built and strengthened their e-commerce and digital strategies.
Another trend that is slowly becoming popular is homeschooling. More parents are exploring this alternative due to the education sector struggling to adapt to current circumstances. In-person classes can be avenues for a high transmission rate, while a pure distance learning curriculum can bring health issues due to increased screen time. Shifting to homeschooling seems to be the best move in continuing education during this pandemic.
However, homeschooling can be challenging if parents don’t give the move enough planning and preparation. It’s not as simple as copying the class schedule and try to execute it as best as possible. The beauty of homeschooling is in the incorporation of education in the child’s home environment. Parents can employ more creative methods of learning beyond answering worksheets and reading books. One of these is introducing the world of handicrafts to their kids.
Teaching handicrafts is one of the key lessons under the Charlotte Mason curriculum, a well-known homeschooling method, because it helps students work with their hands to create something useful and beautiful.
Here are some handicraft projects kids can work on at home:
1. Bead Jewelry
Making jewelry with the use of colorful beads, threads, and clasps can spark the creative spirit of children. It will also assist their motor and planning skills, especially if they have patterns they need to follow. What’s excellent about bead jewelry is the versatility it offers. Children can make anything from earrings and friendship bracelets to necklaces and crowns. The end-products can also serve as thoughtful gifts for birthdays and special occasions.
2. Cardboard Loom weaving
Weaving might look complicated at first, particularly in the hands of artisans, but young children can create their looms with a few materials. All parents need is a piece of 6” x 8” cardboard with two half-inch cardboard strips glued at the top and bottom. This material will serve as the base of the loom where 12 pieces of yarn are threaded in separate notches and laid flat vertically on the cardboard. The threads are the warp where the different colored yarns are weaved to create the full loom. Jackie Currie, a senior writer for CBC Parents and runs a home daycare since 1998, shares comprehensive instructions for cardboard loom weaving.
3. Painted key hangers
It’s a common practice for children’s artwork to be plastered all over the refrigerator door. But what if they can be transformed into something useful like a key holder and hanger? Parents can prepare a 5” x 7” canvas with a wooden frame for kids to paint their masterpieces. When the paint dries, they can screw some hooks, with supervision, at the bottom of the canvas where the family’s keys can call their home.
Parents exploring the world of homeschooling can benefit from having a variety of activities in their repertoire, such as teaching handicrafts to their children. Not only is it more interesting than looking at large blocks of text, but it can also improve motor skills, creativity, and approaches to planning.
