AJ and BL were disappointed that their friends were unable to come round to play after school today, as planned. Chocolate crinkle cookies went so far towards cheering them up. No, what was needed was a forget-about-anything-else activity. The sort of activity that leaves them wanting more and planning how they will do it the next time, as soon as they finish doing it.
The answer tonight was felt beads. So after an early supper and a bath, we said “good night” to little brother and the girls came down in their pyjamas, ready for hot chocolate and felt beads.
We built up a sausage of wool rovings. It was fun choosing the colours.
We rolled it up in to shape. We dipped it in warm soapy water, which was great fun and seemed to make the girls giggle.
And then we rolled it. We found this easier on a towel, but…..
….much easier in a bamboo table mat. We talked about the people in Mongolia, making great sheets of felt to make their yurts and how they put the felt under their horse saddles and rode around all day on them to felt them. AJ said that she would like a horse. Reason – to felt wool more easily. I couldn’t help feeling, that not many seven year old girls would give this as a reason for wanting a horse!
Finally, we washed out the soap and patted it dry. There was some discussion about whether we should wait for it to dry before cutting the beads, but in the end everyone wanted to see the resulting bead. So we cut and they are beautiful.
The girls are in bed and the beads are drying. We will string them tomorrow.
Did it make them feel better? It sure did.
Ooooh that looks a goody of an activity..look forward to seeing them threaded
Felting with the children is always a success. I left the beads out drying in the kitchen last night and when my husband came in, he thought we had been baking little treats. Fortunately, he realised that it was felt before he tried eating them!
Well I suppose they’d be low calorie but perhaps a bit chewy? lol
It could just be the next fad diet. Maybe I should copyright it now!