Teaching a 9 year old to knit

[twobeauties]

Shaylin , my oldest, really wants to knit. How should I start to teach her? Should I buy her a little kit or did you find that teaching a child easier by just handing them needles and yarn?

[ladydemetreis]

I just handed my 6 and 8 year old some straight needles and they grasped the idea how to cast on and they are starting to get the idea of how to knit too!!! I just had them watch me demo for them.

[Meredith]

I picked up a great book over the weekend called Kids' Easy Knitting Projects. It shows the basics, and they can make things like coasters with just knitting, and just purling. There are a few more difficult projects in there, but it looks like a good book.

Peg Blanchette is the author, and the publisher is Williamson Publishing.

[twobeauties]

Thank you. I think I will pick that up for Shaylin. I keep putting her off, so I really need to get my rump in gear.

[ravingcutie]

Kids Knitting: Projects for Kids of All Ages by Melanie Falick is also really good. Lots of easy but neat projects. It's got cute hats, sweaters, backpacks & stuffed animals in it. (All age appriopriate. The projects gradually get harder as they progress through the book.) It tells you how to make your own knitting needles, about yarn, and the history of knitting. There's even a pair of socks in there that I want to knit up to wear w/ birks!

Here's the amazon link.


http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1579652417/qid=1089036493/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/104-2795687-3770313?v=glance&s=books

[twobeauties]

Thank you. That looks like it will be good for Shaylin.

[chaos_pie]

I taught our 8yo neighbor (who also had ADD) to knit a long while back. I just gave her big wooden needles and some thick acrylic yarn that wouldn't slide off the needles very easily.

I cast on first and then I had her watch me knit some stitches, then she held the needles and I threw the yarn and helped her guide the needles, then I had her actually knit with me guiding the needles, then I finally had her knit with me watching.

I have been doing the same with my 5yo son.

I think garter stitch is great!!!!

[twobeauties]

great. thank you. Shaylin is going to be very excited.

[marnie]

I love all of Melanie Falick's books.