Exploring Weaving.

The children have been exploring weaving at kindergarten recently.  They enjoyed the opportunity to experience weaving on a large scale garden fence. The children experimented with the best way to weave the material into the fence. This was made all the more tricky by the strong wind that threatened to blow the material away if the children let go of it or they didn't weave it in tight enough.

"Weaving teaches children many developmental skills while offering a creative and challenging learning experience. As they weave, children learn patterning, critical thinking skills, problem solving, and they learn to create 3-D art, or think in three dimensions. By weaving in and out in a pattern, children learn to coordinate their eyes, hands and minds; and they also cross the midline, which reinforces brain development between the right and left hemispheres." 

(Anna Reynor, 2011)

There are many benefits associated with weaving

• developing and strengthening fine motor control
• building eye/hand coordination 
• enabling the use of both the dominant and non-dominant hands
• introducing spatial concepts such as above, below, beside, up, under, and over.

The children often weaved by themselves or in small groups. Weaving the material required great concentration from the children. They were often silent as they worked at their task, taking cues and clues from their more experienced peers.

The children also explored their creativity through weaving. Some children chose to wrap the material, some children chose to weave in a straight line, while others chose to weave up, down and around. When it comes to weaving there is no right or wrong way to do it!

"Weaving appeals to our innate human desire to experience patterns and rhythm. Humans are pattern-seeking animals. Weaving helps us slow down and enjoy the rhythm and pattern of repetitive motion as we weave in and out, over and under, around and through... Weaving can even reduce stress and provides a positive community activity where children work together."

(Anna Reynor, 2011)