Little Bee is fascinated by dandelions and was super duper excited when they popped out in our backyard this spring. He picked a whole basketful of dandelions as a present for me. I wasn't sure what to do with all these sweet little dandelion heads at first, but then I remembered Little Bee's sewing kit. This was the perfect opportunity to practice sewing a dandelion wreath and also work on strengthening his pincer grasp for writing. In this post I'm going to show you how to make your own "DIY sewing kit" for those spur of the moment sewing opportunities!
Sewing dandelion heads requires a sharp little needle and thread. Little Bee has only worked with the larger embroidery metal or plastic needles and thick thread. I thought it would be easier for him to thread the little needle with a needle threader. Plus, this hummingbird needle threader is so adorable!
FYI: You may only want to introduce the sharp little needles to a child over five years old. Before five, the larger embroidery metal needles or plastic needles work well.
I also introduced the thimble to Little Bee. I explained to him that this protects his finger from the sharp poke of the needle. He went back and forth on using it and then not using it. After he received one poke, he went back to using the thimble full time.
The challenging part for Little Bee was managing all three components of this work - flower, needle, and thimble. It was great to watch him concentrate and manipulate the materials to accomplish threading the delicate flower heads onto the thread. 
Materials for "DIY Sewing Kit for Kids"
- Wooden Box
- Colored Embroidery Thread
- Embroidery Hoop
- Large Embroidery Needles
- Embroidery Plastic Canvas
- Large Buttons
- Scissors
- Needle Threader
- Thimble
- White Material
- Colored Sewing Thread
- Hand Needles
- Pins
- Pin Cushion
Other materials to add:
- Sewing Tape Measure
- A Pair of Cut Out Felt Shapes of Animals to Sew Together Stuffed with Cotton
- Ribbons or Trim
- Seam Ripper
- Colored Chalk Pencil or Crayon
- Safety Pins
- Small Magnifying Glass
- Felt Sheets
This was Little Bee's finished dandelion wreath! He was proud of his work. 
More simple sewing activities for young children:
- Cutting straws into one inch pieces and threading onto a pipe cleaner
- Using an embroidery hoop to stabilize material for sewing buttons or practicing basic stitches
- Hole punching laminated paper for lacing work
- Weaving activities using paper or yarn (paper plate)
- Sew a line using embroidery plastic canvas
- Place mesh material into an embroidery hoop and sew
- Create a button snake
- Cut out cardboard shapes, add holes, and lace with a shoelace or ribbon
- Be creative and sew items from nature such as flowers, leaves, sticks
12 Months of Montessori Learning - April: Practical Life
Kid Made Bird Feeder Out of Recycled Materials | Natural Beach Living
Free Montessori Curriculum ~ Practical Life Activities Checklists | The Natural Homeschool
Montessori Home: What Does Practical Life Look Like for Older Preschoolers through Elementary Kids? | Living Montessori Now
Hand Sewing Kit for Kids | Mama’s Happy Hive
Practical Life for the Outdoors | The Kavanaugh Report
Garden Practical Life Activities | Montessori Services
If you want to continue developing this ability in your children, I recommend these products:
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