Is 4 too young to learn to knit?

[chipmonkey]

Ds4 has watched me knitting for MrsKwazii's blanket and now says he wants to learn! Has anyone taught a child this young to knit? Am kind of thinking the hand-eye co-ordination may not be there?

Why don't you just try, that's the best way of finding out whether she'll manage. I guess 4 is a little young, I was 6 when I learnt, but maybe you can get her a French knitting thingy majig which requires a little less coordination.

Widow, he's a boy! I may just order some short needles and let him have a go. Just that most of the kits for kids say from Age 6 up so I wondered if it was a bit pointless with a younger child? Also he's not quite four, his birthday is at the end of next month.
They are mostly also very pinkified! And ds4 doesn't do pink!

i would let him have a go! also what are those things where you wind the wool around the top and it eventually forms a sort of snake that come out of the bottom, french knitting things? we have a wooden one, htey are for children, he may like one of those?

I think he will be too young, but it's only a pair of needles isn't it :)

My local supplier do some - I think they have teddies on the end? Standard metal ones, just shorter :)

Let us know how you get on!!

Dolly bobbins :)

Do you have a crochet needle? Might be easier to teach him to do a crochet chain than to knit.

My nearly 5yo has also been having a try after seeing me knit for Wubblys blanket. I got some short needles from Dunelm Mill for about £1.50 and we had a go with her sitting on my knee.

She found the holding onto the needles while moving them a bit hard, but actually, she wasn't terrible and wants to have another try.

Somewhere I have the Lucinda Guy book that I bought for myself initially but the casting on in it isn't a proper cast on, more like when you cast on mid row.

But then she is only just starting to read so it wouldn't do her much good yet

Chipping, I would have to teach myself to crochet before I teach him! I do actually remember crocheting in school when I was around 11 and really enjoying it but can't remember much beyond making a basic chain.
Right, I will buy the needles. I have to get a darning needle anyway tomorrow to sew in my loose ends or Knotty will kill me so will add kids needles to the list!

Sorry, was thinking of my own daughter and that's how the pronouns slipped in. Fairly sure that sex doesn't make a difference though.

Pinkification of kits is a bit urgh - maybe make up your own? Just buy some yarn and needles just for him?

French knitting things seem to come in fairly gender neutral shapes and colours

Marking place as I was thinking of getting DD one of the French knitting dolls (she's 4.8 but probably won't get it for a while)

The difference is, I can't knit at all... Would love to, one day.

Give it a whirl. I tried to teach my friends daughter at the same age with little success. I think I was a wee bit older when I learnt.

I've also tried to teach a different friends 5 yo to do needlepoint (my preferred craft) as he is fascinated with mine. He has really struggled and I really struggled to get him a kit which wasn't ridiculously girly.

I think it probably is - I think they lack the concentration more than anything. DD wanted to lean to sew at that age - 3 days later and she was bored with it.

I think that he may struggle with it but if you are going to do it, then use something like a size 4 needle... anything bigger will be too large and he will not have the manual dexterity to deal with it. I think he is great for giving it a go :)

Right, needles are on order! We shall give it a go!

I made my dd wait til five. At six she believes she can knit but really she sits in my lap and puts the wool round while I do the rest! She's not the most patient however.

Try it, but also try a knitting fork if the needles fox him. My oldest two DDs managed knitting at around 4ish I think but it goes very slowly for them, so can be a bit frustrating.

I showed him and he didn't look! Then he started stabbing a ball of wool with the needles and saying "Arooooooooound, arooooooooooooound".
I think this may take a while.

PMSL

... so that would be a 'yes' then!! :)

So, you gave a 4 year old boy a pair of "weapons" and he reverted to type by stabbing something (thankfully an inanimate and safe something). :o

Soupy you're right! I remember when ds2 was much the same age, we visited a garden centre and bougt a child-sized spade, rake and hoe. When we were driving home, ds2 asked if I'd remembered to bring the "weapons" we'd bought. Our ancestors must have been "pitchforks at dawn" sorts!

Mine are now past the weapon stage.

Mostly.

:)