My DGD started sewing on her own machine when she was 4 (she's 7 now). I have an old laundry hamper that I throw my scraps in and I let her use anything in the scrap bin she wants. The other thing I do is cut out squares of white fabric and keep a stash of those ready for her creative days. She takes out her sharpies and writes messages and/draws pictures on them. We then turn them into pillows or little wall hangings ans she gives these as gifts to her great grandparents and any one she takes a notion to make one for. They are unique and capture a moment in time of her writing and drawing skills as well as her sewing.