Here's what we've been making at the preschool.
These are our pouches that the children carry with them when we go on our daily nature walks. Last year the children would gather so much in their small hands and had no place to put their treasures. I wanted them to have somewhere to put all their findings so they would be safe, so at the start of this school year I helped each of the kids stitch up their own bag.
I didn't photograph the process, but they really are quite simple to make. I cut a rectangle out of an old felted sweater and folded the bottom portion up about three-quarters to create the pouch. The top part folds over to create the flap, or closure. Next I would help each child blanket stitch the edge up one side from the bottom until the middle part of the flap. Repeat on the other side. We tied a knot, or made a tassle where the two ends met. There are many ways to make a strap, but we either braided or crocheted them and stitched them on. Later, I embroidered each childs name on it.
The kids are really happy with them and never leave the school without them.
It makes it so much easier to walk when little hands aren't so full.
And yesterday we emptied all their pouches and found they had gathered pinecones and moss and acorns and leaves and stones and we added all those things to our supply of dried beans and seashells and corn.
And we used all these things to decorate our birch tree candle holders for the children to share with their families for Thanksgiving.
They've had one busy week.
