Back in June I gave the girls – aged 6 and 4 – their first quilling lesson. They had been on at me for ages to do it but I finally got to do it. It was great! They used a slotted tool to make a fish following a pattern and I am really proud of their efforts.
Amy's Quilling Aged 6
Sophie's Quilling Aged 4
It was interesting to see how differently they worked. Sophie (4) worked a lot tighter than Amy (6), thus producing a smaller fish.
One of the things I would like to do is children’s craft classes, including quilling. Do you think your children would be interested in quilling and craft classes?
Your girls did a wonderful job! I’ve found that both boys and girls like to quill at a young age. Maybe you’ve seen the Twirled Paper book/kit, but if not, it’s geared to kids and is great.
They’re gorgeous!
Craft classes: many kids already do craft at kid’s clubs during holidays, at Girl Guides/Sunday School etc. BUT not many kids already do quilling as part of these groups. I think this is your point of difference, and where you should focus. Kids’ quilling classes make much more sense to me than kids’ craft classes. If you’ve got cute designs like these fish, that are kid-friendly and so appealing, I think you’re on a winner.
Again, thank you! Amy is very excited that you commented as she also loves reading your blog!!
I shall look for that kit / book you mentioned.
I also forgot to add to the entry that Sophie seems to be quite good at doing it with her fingers, without a tool, so I will be encouraging that.
Thank you from the girls and thank you for your ideas. I’d forgotten about kids’ clubs etc but I’m also thinking about those who don’t go to church or groups. I think you are right to concentrate on the quilling though. I’m also thinking birthday parties. I must remember I don’t need to do everything!
By the way, do your girls know that bubbles generally go up?
And just to add yet another comment… on seeing Amy’s fish, the younger child here just expressed an interest in learning how to quill.
They go up, don’t they? They were following the picture in the pattern (not my own pattern
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Oh goodie – I have a potential student!! Still working on the logistics of classes… our house is kind of small
I was introduced to quilling at a young age (around seven, I believe) through my school. I (and everyone else in my class) enjoyed it tremendously-we were given some basic instruction in shapes and techniques, and then set to work with a very loose assignment: create sea creatures. We turned out fish, scallops, squids, jellyfish, seahorses, and one daring student made a whale Even now, some thirteen years later, I can’t get enough of it, and it’s a large section of the elementary ASAP (after school arts program) that I teach during the fall. The kids always love it, and I’m continually amazed at how creative and ambitious such young students can be! I say full speed ahead, and good luck.
P.S. I noticed that space was an issue. Oftentimes, if the weather is temperate, we’ll work outdoors with small ‘lapboards’ that the kiddos can lay across their knees and use as a desk (or, sometimes, they like to lie on their bellies with the boards in front of them). I’ve even had the kids ask if we could use them indoors, if it’s raining or cold, so we move the furniture out to the edges of the room, sit in a circle, and use our lapboards in there. If you’d like, email me (notimeforspaces7@aol.com), and I can send you my kid-friendly patterns and curriculum ideas
Thanks for your comment Madeleine. I’m getting back into it so will be thinking of classes again. Thank you for your offer of ideas.