Our School Age Group 2 and some of our Before School children were busy sewing Easter bunnies with needle and thread and the sewing machine over the past few weeks. They were able to make choices of the colours of fabric and what to add for the features of their bunnies. They practiced working independently with some help and guidance from their educators when necessary. First, we started by discussing the safety rules when sewing. Spatial awareness was very crucial when sewing with a needle and thread in order to prevent injuries to others or themselves. The children also realized that staying focus and not getting distracted while sewing were also important for their safety. They were able to foster and enhance lifelong skills of how to sew buttons onto fabric when they were creating the features of their bunnies and using the sewing machine to attach the fabric together. Also, they practiced using a threader in order to be able to thread their needles independently. They gained knowledge about the parts and functions of the sewing machine.
During this activity the children were able to explore their sense of curiosity through oral communication by asking questions and making comments about some of their concerns while using the sewing machine. They wondered how the bottom of the fabric was sewn together with the top and where the thread was coming from. The children also showed curiosity into how the needle of the machine moved backwards and forwards to knot the thread, or even how the machine changed to different types of stitches. They were also very intrigued when their questions and concerns were answered and clarified. Using the sewing machine provided the group with the ability of how to practice controlling the peddle speed in other to know when to stop and when to peddle slower or faster so that the stitches stayed in line with the fabric and when the fabric had to be turned at certain points.
A key moment for the children was when they each had the opportunity to refill the bobbin thread and also to rethread the sewing machine needle every so often when it snapped from peddling to fast or when we needed to change the colours of the thread.
They developed a strong sense of pride and self-confidence regarding their accomplishments as they hugged their finished bunnies with lots of smiles.
